Buying a Coffee Trailer - Comprehensive Guide to Buying a Coffee Trailer or Van - features to consider, size, your needs, costs and what to look for.

At the heart of any mobile coffee trailer will be your coffee trailer. Whether you're a seasoned barista looking to start your own business or an entrepreneur seeking a new opportunity, choosing the right trailer is crucial for your success. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about making this important investment. We will discuss the different types of coffee trailers, the different features to consider, buying new or used, size, and most importantly, cost. We will discuss all the advantages and disadvantages of each variety, and how you should go about buying them.

What type of Coffee Trailer Should I Buy?

There are a number of different types of coffee trailer to consider, the most common being converted horse boxes, converted vans, and purpose built vehicles. These all have their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Horse-Box Conversion Coffee Trailer

These are coffee trucks converted for trailers originally designed to transport horses. They are small and lightweight, and surprisingly spacious for their size. They have a  rustic, vintage, and artisanal aesthetic, which is appealing at outdoor markets, festivals, and weddings, and are generally the cheapest form of coffee trailer.

Advantages

• Cost - the big advantage of the horse-box conversion is that they are a lot cheaper than van conversions or custom built coffee trailers.

• Compact Size - Horseboxes are small and can fit into tight spaces, which might allow you to access opportunities that larger trailers would prohibit. It also makes them easier to tow than larger alternatives.

• Surprisingly spacious inside - These Trailers were originally designed to transport horses, so its unsurprising that they offer a lot of vertical height. They are especially good regarding standing space vs vans.

• Reliability - there are very few moving parts in a horse box meaning there isn’t much that can go wrong, and because they were originally built for agricultural purposes they tend to be very robust. 

Disadvantages

• Limited Space - space inside can be very restricted, making it very hard for more than two baristas to work at once. This is also a problem in terms of equipment and storage, which might well limit your offerings to customers. 

• Volume - Because of their limited size it will be more difficult to serve a lot of customers quickly, making horse box conversions un-ideal for really high-volume service.

• Check the chassis for rust by looking underneath before buying - this is one of the only major areas where they can be unreliable. Too much rust will undermine the structural integrity of the trailer.

Cost - Horse Box conversion coffee trailers can cost between €3,000 and €7,000. Don't be afraid to negotiate. You will likely need to do a lot of work and spend quite a bit of money to get it up to scratch if you are buying at the lower end.

2. Van Conversion Coffee Truck.

These are fully equipped coffee shops on wheels, which travel under their own power, vans which have been gutted and fitted with coffee making equipment, counters and storage. Some conversions are from more modern vans, like Ford Transits and Volkswagen transporters, while others are made from older vans like Citroen HY’s and Volkswagen Campers. Conversions based on newer vans have the advantage of reliability, while those based on classic vans can be quite chic, and less expensive.

Advantages:

• Aesthetics - the appearance of  of a classic van can be very attractive, particularly the old Citroens, which might help drive business and help you secure events. 

• Easier to drive than a car with a trailer, especially for those inexperienced with trailers. 

• Tend to have a lot more floor space for workers, equipment and storage than horseboxes. 

• Self-Propelled - Unlike trailers or horseboxes vans don’t need to be towed meaning you won’t need to own, insure, tax and fuel another vehicle for towing. 

Disadvantages:

• Cost - Van Conversions are the most expensive option for serving mobile coffee, except for the highest of high end purpose built trailers.

• Fuel Cost - Larger Vans may use a lot of fuel, and older models will be especially thirsty. This is something that becomes particularly important if you are travelling considerable distances.

• Conversions from older models like the Citroen HY, though nice to look at, can be unreliable. 

• Space can be a problem inside, especially if you are tall. This is cause by the fact that these vans have working parts underneath the floor which means the floor has to be quite high

Price - Van conversion coffee trucks cost between €12,000 - €30,000.

3. Purpose Built Coffee Trailers

Purpose-made trailers are custom-built mobile units specifically designed for selling coffee (or other food and drinks). These are built from the ground up to function as a coffee bar and can range considerably in size and in features.

Purpose built coffee trailers are in many ways the best option because they are designed from the start for this work, not retrofitted. This means that they have an optimised layout for coffee preparation and service, can come with built in features like ventilation and plumbing, and should meet health and safety regulations from the start. The big downside of Purpose built coffee trailers is that they are much more expensive than the other options, especially horse boxes. They are more expensive than vans when you consider the cost of a suitable towing vehicle, unless you already own one.

Advantages

• You can order a new purpose built trailer and customise it to your needs, designing the layout exactly as you like.

• Scale - Purpose built trailers can be ordered quite large, making it easier for larger teams to work, serving more customers, and increasing your possible range of offerings, which can be great for business.  

• Layout - Because  these trailers are designed for the purpose of selling coffee, the layout is often more efficient and functional than a conversion of an existing vehicle or box.

• Space - Trailers can be built to be much larger than vans or horseboxes, allowing for more stock, equipment, and potentially multiple baristas to work inside comfortably.  - the space will also be more functional, and less eclectic. 

• Built in electrical systems, water supplies and ventilation, which can save a lot of time an effort compared to getting a horse box or van conversion up to scratch.

Disadvantages:

• Cost - this is the only real disadvantage of going custom built. They cost a lot more than horse box conversions, and if you factor in the cost of a towing vehicle, will cost more than a van.

Cost - New Small pods cost in the region of €10,000 - €14,000, while larger units cost €20,000 - €35,000. Second hand, small units will still cost around twice what a second hand horse box conversion would cost, and larger "airstream units" will retail for around €15,000 - €27,000.