Mobile Coffee Franchise provides new chapter

Rui Pereira had enjoyed 24 years in the IT sector when he decided it was time to move on from the corporate world. He explains:

“I love IT, but I needed a change. I was looking for something different, something to take me outside of my comfort zone.”

“I also couldn’t see me continuing much longer to do this kind of work at the age I am. My wife and I discussed the need for longer-term security – setting up my own business seemed a good way to take control of my work and our future.” 

Why franchising?

Rui already had a good awareness of franchising and by the middle of 2017 had started to investigate it seriously as a route to business ownership for himself. As part of his research, Rui attended The National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC in February 2018.

He went into the exhibition with an open mind as to the sorts of businesses he’d consider, but he also went hoping to have a conversation with mobile coffee specialists, Really Awesome Coffee.

“A few years ago, I’d been to an outdoor event where I’d encountered Really Awesome Coffee as a customer. At the time, my wife and I commented on what a great concept – and cup of coffee – it was! That good impression had stuck with me, so I definitely wanted to see what their franchise business had to offer.”

Why Really Awesome Coffee?

Rui spoke with a broad variety of franchise brands but Really Awesome Coffee ticked so many boxes for him as he explains:

“I wanted to run my own business but, honestly, I was afraid to go out on my own. A franchise would supply a safety net, but Really Awesome Coffee appealed for some specific reasons, too.”

“It was not a corporate style business, which was something I wanted to escape! It also seemed a very safe bet. Everyone I spoke to at Really Awesome Coffee was so honest and open about the numbers. Every aspect of the budget was so detailed – the transparency was reassuring.”

“A major factor was that it didn’t need premises of any kind, so you bypass that overhead. You are also free to chase business – you have the freedom to go to where it’s at!”

“I also liked the fact that you really would be in control of your own hours, booking coffee rounds to suit your own schedule. It’s also a business that puts you face-to-face with the customer, you get to build relationships and exchange banter – something I enjoy.”

Next steps

After a comprehensive conversation at the exhibition with Kevin Haswell, the founder of Really Awesome Coffee, Rui and his wife attended a discovery day at the brand’s head office, where they could meet the rest of the team.

By June, Rui had decided “to go for it” and signed as the franchise owner and operator for Aylesbury.  

The support of the franchisor

The next few months saw a flurry of activity getting the new business set up, but Rui explains that it was all taken care of by Really Awesome Coffee head office:

“Really Awesome Coffee did everything for me, they set up or helped me organise every single aspect of my new business! They arranged for me to do the tests so I could gain my hygiene certificates, got my chip and pin payment system ready, set up my Google account, organised all my supplies, sorted out the van. All I was left to do was to research my territory, find out where my customers would be.”

Rui also benefited from training at head office:

“Really Awesome Coffee put me up in a hotel just down the road from head office in Coventry for a week while I had training on the business, also completing advanced barista training. I was even taken on active coffee rounds to see the service in action.”

“Everything they did made me feel so comfortable and confident – really fired up and ready to go!”

Support continued as Rui launched his new business in Aylesbury:

“You are assigned a business development manager and they come out with you in your local area to drum up business. You have your first clients in the bag before you’ve even started.”

“Once you actually launch, two members of head office come out with you for the first two days on your rounds. They get on with making the coffee so you have extra time to chat with your customers, getting to know them and building that all-important relationship with them.”

“After the business launch week, you are on your own for a couple of weeks until the next support visit. I won’t lie, of course I was nervous, but I was also excited and felt fully prepared to run my new business.”

Rui started his round in September 2018. As he continues to get faster and more confident, and with assistance from head office, he has increased his number of stops and plans on further expansion. 

A typical day

Whatever coffee rounds Rui has booked, each day starts the same way. Freshly-prepared sandwiches and other food supplies arrive at his home around 07:30am. With those loaded into his specially designed van, Rui heads off to serve his first customers at around 8am. His rounds take him to various business parks and his last stop is around 3 to 3:30pm.

“I am totally in control of my own hours. I can be at home in the afternoons and early evenings having time with my kids. There might be some paperwork to do, and I always prep my van ready for the next day, but I can do these things to my own schedule, allowing me to prioritise other aspects of my life.”

On being a franchise owner

“I personally would recommend to anyone who wants to be their own boss, but who’s never run a business before, to consider a franchise. You have the responsibility of your own business and you are in control of your hours, but you also have someone to hold your hand when you need it.”

“You can put your trust in head office – they have the map for success and know what they are doing. If you follow the plan you have nothing to fear, no reason to fail. And if you pick a franchisor like Really Awesome Coffee, they are as passionate about your success and happiness as you are. It’s a winning formula.”

Interested in following in Rui’s footsteps? Find out more about upcoming Franchise Exhibitions held in exclusive partnership with the British Franchise Association. Claim free tickets using promo code CAS1.