Cafe2U mobile coffee shop franchises boom as Australians invest more desk time

With over 6.25 million cups of coffee poured worldwide a year, the Australian-born Cafe2U Mobile Coffee Franchise is the largest mobile coffee franchise in the world. It recently reached the milestone of 100 mobile coffee shop franchises in Australia, on top of more than 50 throughout the UK.

The first Cafe2U mobile coffee vans in the United States were unveiled in June, satisfying the coffee cravings of California.

“San Diego was chosen as our first route because it had a market structure similar to our own, with a high number of suburban industrial estates and office sites to service. It possesses the necessary characteristics to generate a consistent customer base,” explained Cafe2U Managing Director Derek Black.

At around 40% growth for each of the past four years, the mobile coffee franchise has managed to resist the terminal effects the GFC has had on small businesses, including traditional cafés.

With Australian workers spending more time at their desks than ever before, the traditional morning stroll to the local café is a luxury many time poor and deadline challenged can’t afford, in an era where eating lunch at your desk is the norm.

With the local coffee market recently valued at over $3 billion, coffee has cemented itself as an essential part of our daily ritual. But the more studious employee has ensured the mobile coffee industry is booming.

“We rolled through the GFC with minimum fuss because as a mobile coffee business we can approach the customer, not the other way around” said Derek.

While its state by state presence includes capital cities all over the country, the brand is also making big inroads in regional Australia. Derek said that the mobile coffee franchise is intent on providing opportunities for small business entrepreneurs in a range of non-traditional locations, and that includes regional centres.

Cafe2U has reached its 10th anniversary, with the Australian coffee landscape unrecognisable from those humble beginnings as a one van operation on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, according to Black.

“10 years ago customers were much less discerning and much less knowledgeable. They now know what a ‘good’ cup of coffee constitutes and are much less forgiving of a bad cup. They ask about where the actual coffee comes from and favour one roaster over another.”