Food and drink Weekends okLicense neededSide hustle

How to start a coffee cart business in Wales

Everything you need: what it costs, what you can make, what Wales asks for, and every step from your first idea to your tenth customer.

Start this business with PressUp

Checked October 2026 In pounds 12-minute read

The prices and costs in this guide are estimates for the United Kingdom: researched US figures converted to pounds by price levels. Registration fees and taxes are the United Kingdom's own.

To start£6.8k–20kLean to full setup

Per month£2.7k–9.5kOnce established

Profit margin70–80%After coffee, milk, cups, card fees and extra baristas

First customer4–12 weeksFrom today

DifficultyBarista skills plus health permits

From homeNoYou'll need a place

01Is it right for you?

A good fit if you love coffee and chatting with people

A coffee cart is a small cafe on wheels: an espresso machine, a grinder and a friendly barista. Most carts earn their steadiest money from booked events like weddings, office mornings and school events, plus markets on weekends. It costs far less to start than a food truck.

You'll like it if

You love coffee and making drinks
You enjoy meeting people at events
You're happy working weekends and early mornings
You can move and set up heavy gear

Think twice if

You want a quiet, solo job
Lifting and moving equipment is hard for you
You'd rather not deal with permits
Early starts and late cleanups don't suit you

02What it costs

From £6,830 to start

Start lean with the essentials and upgrade as customers come, or set up fully from day one.

Total to start£6,830

What	Cost
Espresso machineA commercial one-group, or a two-group for big events	£1,500
Espresso grinderCommercial, grinds fresh for each shot	£630
Cart with sink and water tanksA push cart and hand wash station, or a fitted kiosk	£3,000
Registering your businessFree as a sole trader; more to form a company	£0
Generator or power stationQuiet power where there's no outlet	£350
Undercounter fridgeKeeps milk cold	£570
Permits and food manager certificateMobile food permit, inspection and a food safety course	£300
CommissaryFirst month at a licensed base kitchen	£140
Coffee, cups and suppliesBeans, cups and lids for your first events	£140
Liability insuranceFirst year	£200
Total	£6,830

Once you're running: about £200 a month, plus about 20% of what you earn. Commissary, insurance and generator fuel every month, plus coffee, milk, cups, card fees and extra baristas for each event.

03What you can make

Work out your own numbers

Move the sliders to match your plans. The chart shows a first year that builds up as word gets around.

Average price per event £610 £170£2,700

Events a week 2 110

Monthly costs £200 £0£800

Typical in Wales: £340–£1,350 per event, 1–4 events a week once established.

Revenue a month—

Profit a month—

Pays back in—

Your first yearTotal: —

Money inCosts

Side hustle£680–1.7k

An event most weekends

Full-time, on your own£2.7k–5.5k

8–12 events a month

Growing£5.5k–9.5k

A second cart or a weekday office route

04Step by step

13 steps to your first customers

Each step says what it costs and how long it takes. Most owners get through them in a few weeks.

1
Ask about the rules first
1 week Free

Before you buy a cart, ask your health department how it treats coffee carts. Many need commercial equipment, a hand sink, water tanks and a commissary.
- What kind of permit you need
- Equipment and sink rules
- Whether you need a commissary
2
Choose your name
1 day Free

Pick a name that's warm and easy to remember. Make sure no one in Wales has it.
- 3–5 name ideas
- Check no one else uses it
- Check the domain
Get name ideas for your businessFind a name
3
Register your business in Wales
1 day to 2 weeks £0–£100

Most owners start as a sole trader with HMRC; a limited company with Companies House costs a little and keeps business debts separate.
- Register as a sole trader: free
- Set up a limited company: £100
4
Get your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)
1–5 days Free

Your business's tax number from HMRC, for taxes and banking.
- Register with HMRC
- Open a business bank account
5
Buy your cart and equipment
2–8 weeks £6.1k–22k

Buy commercial equipment your health department will approve. A push cart with a separate hand wash station is the low-cost start; a fitted kiosk has the sinks and tanks built in.
- Espresso machine and grinder
- Cart with sinks and water
- Power and a fridge
6
Find a commissary
1–2 weeks £140–910 a month

Many places require a licensed base where you fill water, empty waste water, clean and store supplies.
- Commissaries near you
- Monthly rate
- A signed agreement
7
Get your permits
2–6 weeks £300–820

Expect a plan review, an inspection and a yearly mobile food permit, plus a food manager certificate. Some events need their own permit.
- Mobile food permit
- Inspection
- Food manager certificate
8
Sort out VAT
1–3 days Free

You must register for VAT once your sales pass £90,000 a year. The rate is 20%.
- Know when to register for VAT
- Keep records of income and costs
- Set money aside for income tax
9
Get insured
1–2 days Quotes are free

Insurance protects you if something goes wrong on a job. Get quotes from two or three insurers.
- General and product liability
- Commercial auto, if you tow
- Equipment cover
10
Set your packages
1 day Free

Most carts sell two-hour packages by guest count, with a minimum, extra hours and a travel fee. See the prices below.
- Packages by guest count
- Extra hours and baristas
- A deposit to hold the date
11
Put your business online
1 day Included

Hosts book carts online. Show your packages, drink menu and photos, with a form to check a date.
- Website with your packages
- Inquiry form
- Google Business Profile
Describe your business and PressUp builds your websiteBuild your website
12
Book your first 10 events
2–6 weeks Free

Start with friends' parties and local offices, then planners, venues and markets. Post photos from every event.
- Offer an office coffee morning
- Meet wedding planners
- Ask every host for a review
Ask your customers for reviews by email with PressUpSee how
13
Bill and keep track
Ongoing Included

Take a deposit for every booking, send invoices, and keep each host's details for next year.
- Deposits and invoices
- Event calendar
- Repeat offices and schools
Keep your customers and invoices in one place with PressUpSee how

05Licenses in WLS

What Wales asks for

Registering, taxes, and what this business needs. Check the details with each authority: rules change.

Register as a sole trader

You register as a sole trader by registering for Self Assessment.

HMRCFree

Set up a limited company

Registering online. Registering by post costs more.

Companies House£100once

Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)

Your business's tax number, for banking and taxes.

HMRCFree

Register as a food business

Your local councilFree

Street trading license

Selling in the street may need a street trading license from the council where you trade.

Your local councilVaries

06Equipment

What to buy first

Buy the "must haves" to start. Add the rest when customers pay for them.

Commercial espresso machineOne or two groups

£1,500–£6,100Must have

Espresso grinderCommercial, on-demand

£630–£2,850Must have

Coffee cart or kioskFrom a push cart to a fitted kiosk

£2,700–£10,300Must have

Hand wash stationIf your cart has no sink

£300Later

Generator or power stationInverter generators are quieter

£350–£1,300Must have

Undercounter fridgeFor milk and cream

£570–£1,700Must have

Cups and lidsPer hundred, single or double wall

£11–£18Must have

07Pricing

3 packages that sell

Simple choices make it easy to say yes. Most customers pick the middle one.

Small party

£420 per event · Two hours, about 50 guests

Espresso drinks and drip coffee
One barista
Cups, milk and syrups

Wedding espresso bar

£710 per event · Two hours

Full espresso menu
Signature drinks for the couple
Setup and cleanup

Large event

£1,000 per event · Two and a half hours, about 200 guests

Two baristas
Full espresso menu
Teas and hot chocolate

Coffee cart event prices in WalesTypical: £310–£1,350

Average £680

£0£450£900£1.4k£1.8k

08First customers

How to get your first customers

You don't need an ad budget. These work for new owners almost everywhere.

Weddings and parties

An espresso bar is a popular extra at weddings, showers and parties.

Partnership

Offices and schools

Staff appreciation mornings and open days book carts on weekdays, often every year.

Repeat income

Planners and venues

Event planners and venues recommend carts they've seen work well.

Partnership

Your website

Show your packages, drink menu and photos, with a form to check a date.

With a PressUp website

Reviews

Hosts read reviews before they book. Ask every host after the event.

With PressUp Reviews

Photos from every event

Latte art and happy guests sell themselves. Post every event.

Free

09Your first 30 days

A month from now, you could be open

Week 1

Check the rules

Ask your health department
Visit a commissary
Get insurance quotes

Week 2

Set up

Choose your name
Register your business
Order your cart and machine

Week 3

Get permitted

Plan review and inspection
Food manager course
Practice drinks for friends

Week 4

First events

Website with your packages
Offer two office coffee mornings
Ask for reviews

10Questions

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a coffee cart in Wales?

Usually yes. Most health departments treat a coffee cart as a mobile food business, with an inspection, a permit and often a commissary. Some events need their own permit too.

Can I use a home espresso machine?

Usually not for a business. Many health departments require commercial, food-safety-certified equipment, so check before you buy.

How many drinks can I make in an hour?

One barista can make about fifty to sixty drinks an hour, so bigger events need a second barista.

Do I need my own power and water?

Usually yes. Carts carry water tanks for the machine and hand washing, and a quiet generator or power station where there's no outlet.

How do coffee carts charge?

Most sell two-hour packages by guest count or a price per guest, with a minimum, extra hours and a travel fee for longer drives.

Costs and earnings are estimates from the sources below, checked October 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the authorities named in this guide. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Sources