Look, I’m not gonna lie — when I first thought about how to start a coffee cart business, I was broke, caffeine-obsessed, and had exactly $800 in my bank account. No fancy degree. No rich uncle. Just a rusty old push cart I found on Facebook Marketplace and a dream to serve the perfect latte before 9 AM rush hour.
Fast forward 18 months? I’m pulling $1,200 on a good Saturday at the local farmer’s market. My cart’s name? “Chai Nahi, Brew Hai” — because desi humor sells, trust me.
This isn’t some textbook guide. This is my blood, sweat, and spilled oat milk story — broken down into 10 real steps so you don’t make the same dumb mistakes I did. Let’s roll.
Step 1: Stop Dreaming, Start Stalking (Market Research)
I thought everyone loved coffee. Wrong.
My first weekend? I parked outside a gym at 7 AM. Sold 3 cups. To the janitor.
Lesson: Location > Passion.
Here’s what I did next:
- Walked 5 office parks with a notebook. Counted foot traffic from 7–9 AM.
- Asked 87 people: “Would you pay $5 for coffee on your way to work?”
- Checked Instagram — searched #[CityName]Coffee — saw 3 carts already killing it near the train station.
Tool I used: Google Forms (free). Sent it to my WhatsApp groups. Got 42 replies in 2 days.
Your action: Pick 3 spots. Go there 3 mornings. Count people. Talk to 20. Write it down.
Step 2: Write a Business Plan (Yes, Even If You Hate Excel)
I skipped this at first. Big mistake.
Bank laughed at me when I said, “Sir, bas cart hai, chalega.”
They wanted numbers.
So I made a messy Google Doc:
- Startup cost: ₹4.5 lakh (~$5,500 USD)
- Monthly expense: ₹85,000
- Daily target: 80 cups × ₹250 = ₹20,000/day
I used free template from SCORE.org — just filled in my numbers.
Pro tip: Name your cart something catchy. Mine was going to be “Brew La La” but my sister said, “Boring.” So — Chai Nahi, Brew Hai it was.
Step 3: Legal Stuff (The Most Boring but Important Part)
I almost started without permits. Got a ₹5,000 fine on Day 2. 😅
Here’s the checklist I wish I had:
| Permit | Cost | Where to Get |
| FSSAI License | ₹2,000/year | Online portal |
| Local Vendor Permit | ₹3,000–10,000 | Municipal corp |
| GST Registration | Free | If turnover > ₹20 lakh |
| Fire NOC (for generator) | ₹1,500 | Local fire dept |
Bonus: Get a commissary kitchen (shared commercial kitchen) — mandatory for health inspection. I pay ₹8,000/month for 3 hours daily access.
Step 4: Buy the Cart (Don’t Be Cheap Here)
I bought a used cart for ₹1.2 lakh — looked cute in photos. Reality? Leaky roof. No sink. Health inspector failed me in 5 minutes.
Second try: Spent ₹2.8 lakh on a custom stainless steel cart with:
- 2-group espresso machine (used La Marzocco GB5)
- Double sink (mandatory)
- 3 fridges (milk, syrups, ice)
- 5kW silent generator
Where I bought:
- Cart: Local fabricator (saved 40% vs branded)
- Equipment: Restaurant supply auction (got grinder for ₹18,000)
Step 5: Equipment — What You Actually Need
Forget the $10,000 shiny machines. Start lean.
My setup (total ₹3.8 lakh):
- Espresso machine: Used Rancilio ($1,800)
- Grinder: Mahlkönig Guatemala ($600)
- Pour-over station: Hario V60 + gooseneck kettle ($40)
- Blender: For frappes ($80)
- POS: Square reader + iPad mini ($150)
- Generator: Honda 5kW ($700)
Beans? Local roaster gave me 5 kg free for Instagram shoutout. Now I buy 20 kg/month at ₹1,200/kg.
Step 6: Menu — Keep It Stupid Simple
My first menu had 28 items. I ran out of syrup by 11 AM.
Now? 7 drinks only:
| Drink | Price | Cost | Profit |
| Espresso | ₹120 | ₹25 | ₹95 |
| Latte | ₹220 | ₹55 | ₹165 |
| Cappuccino | ₹220 | ₹50 | ₹170 |
| Cold Brew | ₹250 | ₹40 | ₹210 |
| Iced Spanish Latte | ₹280 | ₹70 | ₹210 |
| Filter Coffee (South Indian style) | ₹150 | ₹30 | ₹120 |
| Chai (yes, I added it) | ₹100 | ₹20 | ₹80 |
Add-ons: Oat milk (+₹40), extra shot (+₹50)
Average ticket: ₹280
Daily sales goal: 100 cups = ₹28,000
Step 7: Find Your Spot (This Is 80% of Success)
I rotate 4 locations:
| Day | Location | Cups Sold |
| Mon–Wed | Tech Park Gate | 120–150 |
| Thu | College Campus | 80–100 |
| Fri | Metro Station | 100–130 |
| Sat | Farmer’s Market | 200–300 |
| Sun | Off (or events) | — |
How I got permission:
- Tech park: Gave free coffee to security guard → met manager → ₹15,000/month deal.
- Market: Applied 3 months early. Paid ₹3,000 stall fee.
App I use: Roamer — shows events, foot traffic, competitor locations.
Step 8: Hire Help (But Not Too Soon)
First 3 months? Solo.
Now? 1 barista (₹18,000/month + tips).
Training: 3 days. Recipe book + YouTube.
Rule: Never hire friends. I did. He stole syrup. 😑
Step 9: Marketing — Be Loud, Be Fun
Instagram is my cash machine.
What works:
- Daily story: “We’re at [location] till 2 PM! First 10 get free upsize!”
- Reels: Me making latte art to Bollywood remix
- Loyalty card: Buy 8, get 1 free (printed at local shop for ₹2 each)
- Google Business: 4.8 stars, 200+ photos
Spent ₹8,000 on ads → got 1,200 new followers → ₹1.2 lakh extra sales.
Step 10: Track, Tweak, Scale
I use a ₹100 notebook:
- Daily sales
- Top-selling drink
- Waste (milk, beans)
- Customer feedback
Month 1: ₹1.8 lakh revenue
Month 6: ₹4.2 lakh
Now: ₹7–9 lakh/month (peak season)
Next plan: Second cart in 2026. Maybe a truck.
My Biggest Mistakes (So You Don’t Repeat)
- No awning → rained → lost ₹12,000 in one day
- Overbuying milk → threw out 18 liters
- Trusting weather app → always carry tarpaulin
- No backup generator → power cut = 2 hours zero sales
Your 30-Day Launch Plan
| Week | Task |
| 1 | Market research + 3 locations |
| 2 | Business plan + name + logo |
| 3 | Permits + commissary |
| 4 | Buy cart + test equipment |
| Launch! | First pop-up (invite friends) |
Final Sip: Your Turn
I started with ₹4.5 lakh and zero experience. Now? I wake up to the smell of fresh grounds, smiling customers, and a bank balance that doesn’t make me cry.
How to start a coffee cart business?
Just start. Messy. Scared. Broke.
But start.
Tag me when you sell your first latte. I’ll repost. ☕❤️
