Coffee to come? Mobile business booms as Australians invest more desk time

Written on the 30 June 2010

As recent studies confirm, Australian workers are spending more time at their desks than ever before. Time poor and deadline challenged, the traditional morning stroll to the local cafe is a time luxury many 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.

“Australians are drinking more than one billion cups of coffee in cafes and restaurants each year which is an increase of 65% over the last 10 years,” said Cafe2U Managing Director Derek Black.

“But work culture has changed and the average office worker isn’t looking for an excuse to duck down the road to a café – they are happy for their morning fix to come to them.”

Australian-born Cafe2U is the largest mobile coffee franchise in the world and pours over 6.25 million coffees worldwide a year. It recently reached the milestone of 100 franchises in Australia with more than 50 throughout the UK including Scotland, Northern England, Southern England, the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland.

Early June saw the unveiling of the first Cafe2U van in the United States, 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 suburban industrial estates and office sites to service. It possesses the necessary characteristics to generate a consistent customer base,” explained Black.

The franchise experienced phenomenal growth at around 40% each of the past four years, despite the terminal effects the GFC had on small businesses including traditional café’s, he added.

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

While it’s state by state presence includes capital cities all over the country, the brand is also making big inroads in regional Australia.

“A regional focus is a huge market opportunity for us. We are intent on providing opportunities for small business entrepreneurs who want to serve coffee in non-traditional locations and that includes regional centres around the country. There is massive potential for an entrepreneur away from city centres,” said Black.

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.”

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