I am a coffee roaster, and for the past six years, I have been the head roaster at Iowa City’s longest-running coffee roasting company. I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, and have been a resident of Iowa for 16 years. I started off as a delivery driver. I tried roasting one day and fell in love with everything about it. In 2021 I decided to start my own mobile café. I chose mobile because there are a lot of places here in my community where it is hard to get coffee and tea beverages, or there are a limited amount of options. I purchased a pop-up camper and converted it into a concession trailer to create an outdoor café vibe. I have a background in hotel and restaurant management but found my passion within the coffee industry. I am excited to begin this journey and have had a lot of positive feedback about my products and services so far. My goal in a few years is to have at least two mobile units so that I can share my passion with more people in my community.
Business Description
Café On The Go is a mobile café specializing in hand-crafted beverages and different pastries sourced from local bakeries and small business owners. I have a mobile location so that I can service different areas of my community. I started my company in February of 2021. I have a talent for roasting coffee and decided to share it with as many people as I could.
What is the Purpose of This Loan?
We would like to purchase new equipment, including an espresso machine, commercial grinder, Airports, and a tea brewer for my trailer; allowing us to craft a larger variety of drinks. We also would like to add signage on my trailer, spaces for storage, and install retractable walls that will allow us to operate our trailer during the winter months. Our goal is to raise enough working capital in one year so that we can expand our business and add one more trailer to our mobile café business.