If you are thinking of starting up a coffee cart business then now is the right time to do so. Running a coffee cart business requires a low set up cost, no rental charges and allows you to be mobile. Ultimately, you will be selling a product that is in demand all year, so you can almost always guarantee that your coffee will be bought. Nevertheless, you will have a number of competitors and so it is vital that you start on the right foot. Read on to ensure that you are best prepared for this journey.
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Know Your Legal Requirements
It is important to know what legal requirements you need to meet within your state. As a general rule, you will first need to register for an Australian Business Number (ABN). This is a unique number that allows you to trade in Australia. You may also like to pick a business name. Choose a name that will best represent your business.
Once you are registered, you will need to research all of the regulations surrounding your business. This includes:
- Hygiene policies
- The size of the cart and the equipment needed
- How to handle, store and prepare the products
- The street vending rules
With all of this in mind, you may like to speak to one of our business lawyers to ensure that you meet all of your legal requirements.
Choose Your Target Market and Stand Out
You need to decide what kind of consumers you wish to target. Generally speaking, your coffee cart should provide a range of drinks and food that appeal to everyone who walks past. As a cart business, you are aiming to appeal to busy individuals who are on the way to work or are running errands. In saying that, you will need to choose if your business will appeal to a particular interest or culture. For example, you may choose to run your business through the use of environmentally friendly products. Doing so will give you a competitive advantage over the others. It will also satisfy your corporate social responsibility, which will in turn improve your brand image.
Conversely, you could decide to create drinks and offer sweets pursuant to a particular culture. Either way, make an informed decision through research, research, research. Understand what is working for your competitors and what their weaknesses are.
Location
Choose where you will be setting up your cart. Will it be consistently mobile or will you remain in one location for a number of months at a time? When making this decision, think about the foot traffic in the area and how accessible you are to relevant resources, such as fresh water. Best performing areas are tourist locations, university campuses, stadiums and outdoor events. Also note where your competitors are located. You do not want to be located too close.
Find Your Barristers
You will need to start searching for skilled barristers as soon as you can. They will need to be recruited and ready for work from day one. This is important to ensure that your coffee and products are top quality from the beginning. Remember, first impressions are very important.
Marketing
As a start-up business your marketing can determine whether or not your business is successful. Coffee consumers are generally loyal to a particular brand or coffee company. Therefore, you will need to find a way that will attract them to your products. Giving out coffee samples can be advantageous in that regard. You should also make the most of social media forums to inform people who you are and where you are located. You may also like to register for the Yellow Pages and True Local so that individuals in the area can find you.
Conclusion
As seen from above, a coffee cart business has so much potential. But like any other business, you need to think about how you will stand out from the crowd. If you are ready to start your journey then we can help. Speak to one of our business lawyers for advice.
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