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BACK OF THE<br />
Coffee on wheels<br />
Finding a point of difference<br />
can assist business success,<br />
something Andrew and<br />
Matt Cantwell considered when<br />
setting up their own business.<br />
“We knew how to make good<br />
coffee so decided to start a mobile<br />
coffee business and one which<br />
was sustainable,” says Andrew.<br />
Andrew and Matt looked for<br />
a suitable yet unique vehicle,<br />
which was economic to operate<br />
and eco-friendly. They chose<br />
a new 50cc Italian Tuk Tuk<br />
Piaggio Ape imported from<br />
Italy by a Wellington dealer.<br />
Ape is Italian for bee and the<br />
threewheeled Piaggio Ape, which<br />
has been produced as a light<br />
commercial vehicle since 1948, is<br />
typical of a bee buzzing around<br />
a busy city, in a similar fashion to<br />
the Vespa scooter (the wasp) on<br />
which it was modelled.<br />
With a few events locked in,<br />
Andrew and Matt began the<br />
Empire Coffee Company midwinter<br />
2016. Business grew<br />
steadily, their Tuk Tuk Piaggio<br />
Ape coffee cart attracting<br />
considerable attention.<br />
Already, the two-seater Piaggio<br />
Ape, which is classed as a moped<br />
and registered for road use, has<br />
clocked up 20,000 kilometres.<br />
This figure represents a lot of<br />
motoring for a vehicle which has<br />
a top speed of 30 kilometres an<br />
hour and costs just $9 to fill.<br />
Business boomed for Andrew<br />
and Matt. They purchased a<br />
second vehicle in 2017 and a<br />
third in 2018, employing staff to<br />
assist in the business.<br />
“We found one coffee cart<br />
couldn’t cope with the number<br />
of enquiries we were getting<br />
so we decided to increase our<br />
fleet, to allow us to attend<br />
more events on the same day,”<br />
explains Andrew.<br />
The Empire Coffee Company’s<br />
vehicles are seen at many<br />
occasions, festivals and<br />
markets, including Warbirds<br />
over Wanaka. They take the Ape<br />
down on a trailer to this event<br />
to avoid days of travel. Their<br />
good coffee, distinctive vehicles<br />
and ecological approach to<br />
business have made them a<br />
popular choice.<br />
Where possible, they source<br />
products locally, offer milk<br />
alternatives and their packaging<br />
is more eco-friendly. Even their<br />
waste coffee grinds are recycled<br />
as a bi-product in handmade<br />
scrubs or composted.<br />
“People love the vehicle. It’s the<br />
sort of thing you don’t see every<br />
day. Children hop in the front<br />
and adults want to know about<br />
its motor. It’s a real talking point<br />
for the business,” adds Andrew.<br />
The Empire Coffee Company<br />
now has its first permanent<br />
coffee shop at the Riverside<br />
Market in Christchurch.<br />
“We chose the location for its<br />
aesthetics and proximity to<br />
the river. It’s a popular area<br />
with locals and tourists. We’re<br />
getting great feedback about<br />
our coffee and the shop’s fitout,”<br />
says Andrew.<br />
While the new coffee shop has<br />
been a success Andrew and<br />
Matt will still have their coffee<br />
carts on the road.<br />
‘It’s a good way to get out and<br />
about, promoting the brand<br />
and meeting people,” suggests<br />
Andrew.<br />
Page 26
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