Really Awesome Coffee
The fastest growing mobile coffee franchise in the UK – beat the competition on the high street and take the coffee shop direct to your customers.
Since the first mobile café launched in Coventry in 2010, Really Awesome Coffee has grown to become a market leader with a network of over 50 franchisees. We are proud to be the fastest growing mobile coffee franchise in the UK.
Investment Amount:
£0 - £10,000
Industry Sector(s):
Coffee Franchises, Food & Drink Franchises, Latest Franchises, Management Franchises, Specialised, Vehicle Based Franchises, Women In Franchising
COVID-19 - AN UNEXPECTED ALLY
Increased demand & new opportunities
At a time where a large portion of the country are experiencing challenging circumstances, the majority of our network of mobile cafés are experiencing increased demand for their services, from traditional trading locations as well as new and unexpected places.
We are very fortunate to be part of an industry that has been able to weather the COVID-19 storm well, and actually stand to benefit from this terrible event.
To find out more about how Really Awesome Coffee has adapted and grown throughout COVID-19, you are welcome to join me on one of our upcoming Virtual Discovery Days.
Kevin Haswell, Managing Director.
The fastest growing mobile coffee franchise in the UK – beat the competition on the high street and take the coffee shop direct to your customers.
A profitable business that
“doesn’t really feel like work”
INTRODUCING REALLY AWESOME COFFEE
Since the first mobile café launched in Coventry in 2010, Really Awesome Coffee has grown to become a market leader with a network of over 50 franchisees. We are proud to be the fastest growing mobile coffee franchise in the UK.
The Concept – it’s simple; take advantage of the huge demand in the ever expanding UK coffee market but avoid the fierce competition on the high street by taking the coffee shop directly to customers in our unique mobile café vans.
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN RUNNING A MOBILE CAFÉ?
The business is built around a daily coffee round that we help you establish, with the mobile café visiting local businesses at agreed times each day to serve a full range of gourmet coffees, frappes & smoothies as well as hot and chilled food options – everything you would expect in a top quality high street café. There is usually a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere at the van with your day being made up of other people’s breaks from work.
A large portion of franchise partners also make significant additional income from optional weekend ‘events’ work.
WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE?
At Really Awesome Coffee we pride ourselves in the level of training and ongoing support we provide our franchisees, and we also like to be at the forefront of the industry in terms of technological developments and advances.
There are lots of things that we believe make our business a unique prospect – here are a few:
The Mobile Café – developed and built by us, our coffee vans are uniquely capable, efficient, and environmentally friendly. We are very proud of the vans and provide a full tour on our Discovery Day events.
The Really Awesome App – we like to make it as easy as possible for our customers to buy from us. Our bespoke app alerts customers when our franchisees’ vans are on their way and also allows them to pre-order their drinks so that they can avoid the queue.
RAPoS – our bespoke electronic-point-of-sale till system. As well as performing standard functions and linking with the customer app, it also syncs with online coffee route maps and generates a suite of detailed ‘coffee-stop specific’ reports that are vital in tracking performance and ensuring that optimal business development advice is provided.
TRAINING & SUPPORT
We like our franchise partners to be able to concentrate on the most important things – providing great service and building lasting relationships with their customers.
As franchisors it’s therefore our job to make the day-to-day operation of your business as simple and easy as possible. This starts with providing structured, comprehensive training and continues with regular in-territory support from your Franchise Development Manager and remote support from our head office team.
Full details on our training and business launch program can be found on our website; however, here’s a quick breakdown for you:
Step 1:
After an initial training day we carry out detailed business launch preparations with you.
Step 2:
You spend 2 weeks with us at our training centre in Coventry.
Step 3:
We spend 2 weeks with you in your territory to launch your business.
Step 4:
We review your trading data and your Franchise Development Manager visits you regularly to maintain momentum and keep your business growing.
INVESTMENT & RETURNS
With Mercedes-Benz and HSBC’s Franchise Unit as finance partners, the required initial investment is just under £10,000. However, some franchise partners invest more up-front to reduce monthly finance repayments over the first few years.
With typical turnovers of between £80,000 and £100,000 and an average combined gross profit margin of over 60% (over 80% on gourmet drinks and lower on food items), there is plenty of profit to be made for those willing to put in the work and commit to the system.
WHO MAKES A GREAT REALLY AWESOME COFFEE FRANCHISEE?
A lot of our franchise partners cite the fact that although they work hard, it “doesn’t really feel like work”.
The honest answer to this question is it’s simply someone who will enjoy the social aspect of the role and who, with our assistance, is prepared to put in the short term hard work that is needed to grow any business.
If you think that you might enjoy running your own mobile café then I’d love to invite you to attend one of our Discovery Days. Thank you for taking the time to read our profile and please feel free to request some more information or visit our website to find out more.
Maybe I’ll see you soon…
Kevin Haswell
Founder & Managing Director
Jason Simmons - Tamworth
After being made redundant from a coffee vending company, Jason decided to take the plunge and start his own Really Awesome Coffee business. He launched his business in October.
He was able to follow the journeys of the rest of the network through the lockdown period, seeing them adapt to offer services to key-worker sites and running the new home delivery service.
We caught up with him recently to find out how he found the process and how he’s finding running his new business.
How did you find the onboarding process with Really Awesome Coffee?
Some years back at a local street food market event, I was amazed after seeing a Really Awesome Coffee mobile vehicle, and impressed at how good the coffee tasted, and thought one day I would love the opportunity to be able to own one of these myself.
Some years later in a crazy 2020 where the whole world was turned upside down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I like many thousands of others found myself being furloughed from work and then being made redundant.
Looking at my social media sites, I had seen Really Awesome Coffee and took the opportunity to make contact with Kevin Haswell to see exactly what Really Awesome Coffee was and is all about. We signed up to one of the virtual Discovery Days being held online due to the lockdown.
During the virtual Discovery Day, Kevin spoke about the franchise and how the process all works. Learning to run a business is very daunting and complex. I had lots of questions for Kevin and he has the patience of a saint. The initial support that I have received from the team along with the direct contact with Kevin has made each step of the process so much easier and less stressful.
Starting a business at any time has its own challenges. This year with the Covid-19 pandemic, where more and more people are working from home or even in a local lockdown, has changed the way we move forward as a business. We have a socially distanced serving table, hand sanitising stations, and have developed social distancing habits to ensure that my customers are safe whilst at the van.
My time running my own Really Awesome Coffee to date has been brilliant. There is so much satisfaction when a customer comes out to see you on a demo day and sees what Really Awesome Coffee has to offer everyone, and how we accommodate for customers' requirements such as providing soy milk, gluten-free products and skimmed milk for those health-conscious people who enjoy a lavish drink. I am getting feedback like "your coffee tastes lovely", "wow what a selection of food you have!" or "the van looks amazing" and this makes me feel really proud.
The van is fantastic to work from and customers respond when they see the van and realise what we, as a brand, have to offer. We definitely stand out from other competitors.
How have you found the ongoing training and support?
Knowing that I can get any support from my Franchise Development Manager, Laura Tonks, on a daily basis is a massive help. Laura came out to work with me in my first two weeks to help set up some demos with my new customers and made me settle into my new role and, if any problems arise, her support is a phone call away. As well as Laura, I know that any questions about ordering from suppliers and using our unique RAPoS system can be answered by Greg, the Operations Manager. Both have been invaluable with their knowledge and assistance. It takes away all the stress and complexity from running your own business.
You are your own boss after all and, yes, some issues land right at your feet, but with the guidance and ongoing support from head office you never feel you are alone to deal with any issues.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you could give someone looking to invest in their first franchise?
This opportunity for me was the best decision I have ever made. So, my advice to anyone looking to join Really Awesome Coffee would be to book onto a virtual Discovery Day. It's so informative, so have a pen and pad ready and write down any questions that you may want to ask. Kevin is so helpful and talks you through step by step of the process and even gives you a virtual tour of the van.
Starting a business can be very daunting and complex. The support and assistance that you receive means you're not all alone to run the business, but with your hard work and self-discipline along with lots of enthusiasm then there is no reason you will not be successful.
The whole Really Awesome Coffee Franchise model is impressive, the way it's conducted in a relaxed manner and how you never feel under any undue pressure.
Andy Barr - Renfrewshire
Andy arrived at our head office in Coventry for his first day’s training on Monday 23rd March, only to have to get back on a train to Renfrewshire as the UK lockdown was announced.
He was able to follow the journeys of the rest of the network through the lockdown period, seeing them adapt to offer services to key-worker sites and running the new home delivery service.
Then, after nearly 4 months of waiting earnestly, he was able to come back down to Coventry to complete his training, with his business launched in Renfrewshire at the end of July.
We caught up with him recently to find out how he found the process and how he’s finding running his new business.
How did you find the onboarding process with Really Awesome Coffee?
The onboarding process was made really simple by the team at head office. They gathered all information from us and put us in contact with all the right people regarding finance applications. The support and direct contact from Kevin and head office took a lot of stress out of what would have been a complex process had we wished to tackle the entire process on our own.
To date our time as a Franchise partner with Really Awesome Coffee has been extremely enjoyable. There obviously are challenges day to day, but they come with any business. The tools given to you by head office enable you to run your business in an extremely efficient and profitable way. Everything from ordering supplies to how to make the drinks is explained and delivered in a way that everyone can understand
Really Awesome Coffee really takes the complexity out of starting a business and provides a model and support that would enable anyone to be successful. The days can be demanding, but the rewards and satisfaction you get from seeing your business grow is worth everything.
How have you found the ongoing training and support?
From the beginning of our journey, the support from head office has been world-class. Every single member of staff is extremely approachable, friendly and will always strive to help whenever you need it. No query is ever too much hassle; no question is a silly question.
What also really makes Really Awesome Coffee stand out is that your own Franchise Development Manager (FDM) is available constantly and always checks in to offer advice, guidance and support. At no point do you ever feel like you are on your own or that there is nowhere to turn for help.
Every step of setting up your business is laid out for you, from researching your territory to ordering supplies. After the initial training period and FDM initial visit, the support doesn’t end. The follow up visits are a great support and help ease you into running your own business and developing the understanding required in order to grow and develop your daily round.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you could give someone looking to invest in their first franchise?
Do it. It will be the best decision you’ve ever made. Running your own Really Awesome Coffee mobile coffee van is a highly enjoyable and rewarding way to earn a living. Every aspect of the business has been thoroughly scrutinised by Kevin and his team and literally there is nothing that they have not thought of. From the moment we attended the initial Discovery Day, it was instantly obvious that the levels of professionalism, knowledge and dedication allied to the state of the art coffee van made this an opportunity that we felt was too good to pass up.
To be honest the whole Really Awesome Coffee Franchise model is so impressive; it really does feel as if you can’t fail. Whilst it is a very serious business, the whole operation is conducted in a very relaxed manner and you never feel under any undue pressure. We really can’t speak highly enough about Kevin and the franchise system he has built and we are utterly convinced we have made the best decision of our lives.
Karl Webster - Daventry
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying a franchise business?
I was a Business Manager in the print/payroll industry running a small business with 15 employees and I was responsible for the running of the business, UK sales, service and export.
Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the coffee industry? And why Really Awesome Coffee?
I was looking for a change as I had become chained to a desk when previously I would travel the country visiting customers which I enjoyed, but the desk life was taking its toll.
I had a work friend who joined a coffee franchise and it appealed to me as I originally started my working life as a teenager working in the catering industry and wanted to get back to dealing with people face to face.
I looked at other franchises but I really got a great feeling after meeting the team at a franchise discovery day. I could see they were obviously passionate about what they did and was hard working towards helping their franchisees. This gave me confidence to take the leap and make the investment. Also the excellent fit out of the vans made it an easy decision.
How was the training and support that you received initially and ongoing?
I found the training and support excellent, it was really well put together. Everything is thought about and every step of the way you know you have someone covering your back and holding your hand (In a good way!).
What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?
I leave between 8am and 8:10am to get to my first stop at 8:50am. I then have approximately 30+ stops to various business types around Daventry and Swann Valley. I manage to fit in a supplies shop before my last stop around 4.15pm. I then get home around 4:35pm and complete my clean down and cash up.
Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
Yes definitely, although I still work the hours, I get to see my family more, I am sleeping better and so far have lost a whole stone in weight in 5 weeks and feel much happier in myself.
What challenges have you faced?
I found the initial month very physical and was very tired as at first I was slow at setting up, cleaning down and cashing up, but over time I became faster and more efficient so now it’s a breeze.
What are your new customers like?
My customer are awesome, they were very patient with me in my first weeks while still a little slow and still learning. They always say great things about the coffee too which is always nice to hear. It brings great satisfaction when they do that.
What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
The first step is the hardest but if you are in an unhappy place and want to make a change then you should take the leap, but it is very hard work and you need to be ready for that.
In your opinion, what makes a successful Really Awesome Coffee franchisee?
I think you have to have the right work ethic and attitude, anyone that is used to hard work and can focus on what they need to achieve will make anything work, but you have to be able to enjoy what you do as well.
What are your plans for the future with your business?
I think right now I just want to be able to provide for my family and that is my main focus, I don’t have any big plans for a second vehicle just yet but I would not rule it out.
I just want to be able to provide excellent coffee and food with excellent customer service. As long as I can do that I am sure my customers will still be customers for a long time.
Philip Short - Birmingham
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying a franchise business?
I’ve always worked in the hospitality industry from working in bars to managing coffee shops and pubs. Although I had that little bit of experience, the mobile coffee market was completely new to me.
Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the coffee industry? And why Really Awesome Coffee?
I chose the franchise route because of the support and knowledge Really Awesome Coffee bring to the table. I always wanted to run my own business but I wanted to hit the ground running instead of building completely from scratch, and in 8 weeks of trading I think I have. I chose the coffee industry because I’ve ran coffee shops in the past so I have that little bit of experience. I knew there was good margin in coffee plus I love to drink it myself.
How was the training and support that you received initially and ongoing?
The training was very good and the ongoing support is excellent. I worked with my Franchise Develop Manager who saw my through the whole process.
The training is tailored to your needs. For example, when I had my training I was still managing at the pub I was working at so I had to break my training up. I was also doing some night shifts after a full day of training at Head Office. It was a long week but all worth it in hindsight.
What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?
When I first get up I have to hook my van up to the mains and get set. I then cook my hot food in the pie heater. I check to make sure I have water, coffee and LPG gas, once sorted I set off to my first stop in Quinton.
I like to do my little ‘stay away’ rain dance. It makes my life a lot easier if it’s a dry day but even if it does decide to rain, the rear awning on the pull pulls out in seconds keeping me and my customers dry.
What challenges have you faced?
It’s been ok actually, I would say maybe working out what stops are not working and cutting off stops. But the team at head office assist with this because the ePOS system tracks data so it can tell you exactly which ones are not worth your time, it’s fantastic and I’m learning to read the data myself.
Of course the training was a challenge for me only because I was still working while going through it. The guys were flexible and understood my situation and adapted to help me.
Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
Yes, it most certainly. I have a lot more time at home now. Before I was working most weekends and most nights which weren’t great, especially when my girlfriend is a teacher so we were working opposite shifts. I now have a better work-life balance. Also working for your self is a big motivator.
What are your new customers like?
I have a lot of regular customers now. It always makes them feel special when you start making their drink before they have even got to the van. They say “how do you remember?” and most of the time I say “lucky guess”, it always gets a laugh!
What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Make sure you do your research and ask as many questions as you can think of. I went to the Really Awesome Coffee discovery day evening so I was open to meet the team and get all the details in full in a non formal environment as such. I would recommend going to one 100%.
Also be prepared to work hard, it’s your own business so you have to but the rewards are there. It’s satisfying being your own boss.
In your opinion, what makes a successful Really Awesome Coffee franchisee?
Firstly, hard work. Don’t let the quiet days get you down because that’s just the way any business goes, it always balances itself out. You also need to be good with people and have good personable skills because you’re dealing with the customers all day long.
What are your plans for the future with your business?
I am planning to develop the round and build it up with more sites. I also want to do more big events so I am currently applying for them. Who knows this time next year I’ll be a coffee millionaire (laughs).
Andy Baxter - Norwich
My employment background lies within pensions management and previously to setting up with Really Awesome Coffee I didn't even know the difference between a latte and a cappuccino!
The support and training provided to me during the set-up of my franchise was excellent. Every time I needed to contact head office for help the response was (and still continues to be) 'awesome'.
I trade for approximately 7 hours a day on my daily route and between April and November I attend local car boot sales where I trade for about 5 hours a day at the weekend. I love working for myself and take great satisfaction from hearing customer compliments on both my van and the coffee that I serve. There are also plenty of laughs to be had with my customers!
If you think it might be for you then I would say be prepared to work hard and keep at it. By continually evolving your business and putting in the hours you will see the fruits of your labour. I have recently increased my profits significanlty by actively seeking to make positive changes.It was the best feeling the first day I hit my profit target and also it is great knowing that after the initial hard work I now have lots of frequently busy coffee stops on my round!
A massive thanks has to go to the Really Awesome Coffee team, any initial doubts I had about being able to earn a living from this are no more. I am really pleased with how the business has developed and can honestly say I feel like I have built a successful business using this already successful model.
Andrew Donovan - Wallington
Before setting up my Really Awesome Coffee franchise I was a telescopic forklift truck driver working on building sites. Getting started with Really Awesome Coffee was very straightforward and relatively easy. The training I received was first class and the on-going support was second to none.
Getting hold of someone at head office is very easy! I also feel that their franchise fee is very competitively priced.
An average working day for me consists of about 5 hours trading on the van and about 1 hour at home/collecting supplies.
I love the fact that I can run my own business, be my own boss and most importantly, be a father.
The 'stand out' moment so far for me has been the realisation that I really am now my own boss! If I was to advise anyone who was thinking of going ahead then I would say 'go for it, go for it, go for it!'. Working for yourself is something you must aspire to, it's amazing!
Steve Silver - Coventry North
Having worked for a university as an IT Manager for many years, I decided I needed a change. I needed a big change in career to make it worthwhile getting up for work in the morning.
Everyone likes coffee, so I started looking into coffee based businesses. Whilst I was doing my research and due diligence, I remembered that a friend of mine had taken on a Really Awesome Coffee franchise.
I decided to take the plunge and immediately contacted Really Awesome Coffee head office. The onboarding process was flawless, efficient and professional. This is probably the easiest decision I have ever made, and I look forward to the future.
My time so far with RAC has been interesting to say the least. Since launching in late February 2020, the support I have received from both the head office and the rest of the network has been invaluable, especially during these difficult times.
For anyone looking to invest in a franchise business, my advice would be, be prepared for some very hard work, long days and nights at the beginning, but it will be all worth it. I just wish I’d done it sooner.
Geoff Kay - Basildon
Geoff arrived at our head office in Coventry for his initial training in July but only launched his business in August due to the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
Since his launch, Geoff has been busy developing his round and serving his customers with awesome coffee. We caught up with him recently to find out how he found the process and how he’s finding running his new business.
How did you find the onboarding process with Really Awesome Coffee?
The onboarding process with Really Awesome Coffee was really easy. There is a lot of work to do, but there is a good framework in place to support you through every step of the way. Without their help there would be a few more grey hairs and stress; they help to alleviate this. Really Awesome Coffee really looks after you and wants you to succeed and that is awesome to know they have your back.
My time with Really Awesome Coffee has been great. I launched my business during difficult times so it was never going to be straightforward (I was under no illusion). Really Awesome Coffee in the shadows to help whenever required is a massive aid to the running of the business.
How have you found the ongoing training and support?
The support from Head Office has been really good. Whenever I have had a question they have been quick to come back and answer my questions. The support visits are an encouragement to me in the growing of my business.
What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to invest in their first franchise?
The advice I would provide to any prospective new franchises would be, firstly, book on to a virtual Discovery Day. If ever you are not sure of anything, Kevin goes into detail to clear up any questions you might have.
Secondly, once onboard, bond with your customers, become their friends and they will look after you, while you look after them.
Paul Bailey - Swindon
Paul joined the Really Awesome Coffee network in March 2021 and has made a flying start running his own business alongside his partner Audrey.
Paul said "I was researching other opportunities and franchises and saw Really Awesome Coffee on a franchise internet page and as I had developed a coffee label in my previous life, this ticked all my boxes. In addition to that, the discovery day really confirmed that this was my future."
We caught up with him recently to find out how he found the onboarding process and how he’s finding running his new business.
Please tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to becoming a Really Awesome Franchisee?
I was a Regional Operations Manager, for a small contract catering company.
Why did you decide to run a business, and why Really Awesome Coffee specifically?
The role I held was made redundant during the COVID lockdown and as I did not want to go back into that industry, I decided to look at opportunities working for myself.
Coffee was a large part of my previous role and was a close alignment to what I was doing prior. In addition, the App that was discussed on the discovery day is what clinched it.
Tell us a bit about your training at Head Office and your business launch.
The training in Coventry was great, everyone was really helpful. I wasn't nervous, I was excited to be starting my own business with the amount of support and from real people.
As for the launch, once we got under way, it was great - I suppose it's like driving, you only really learn what it's about once you pass your test - Still loving every second, never a bad day on the van, only the wrong clothes!
How have you found the ongoing training and support?
Great, no problems here, my Franchise Development Manager is great and so is the support from the Coventry head office.
What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to invest in their first franchise?
You have to have a big personality - you are in charge at the back of the van, not the customer - the product is fantastic and can stand on its own, however, people buy people - if you are seen to be happy and knowledgeable about the product, they will come out, day in, day out.
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