Cafe2U launches the world’s first electric coffee van

The company’s new electric vehicle joined the Cafe2U fleet yesterday to celebrate the start of Green Coffee Fortnight.

Green Coffee Fortnight is an annual event which began this year on September 27th, and this all-electric, emissions-free van marks the start of the coffee van franchise’s plans to upgrade its full fleet of nearly 100 vehicles across the next five years, “saving approximately 12,672g of CO2 per annum” as a result.

Cafe2U makes this switch to electric “as part of its goal to become the UK’s first carbon neutral coffee company”, and in the knowledge that the company’s diesel vehicles will be off the road well before the government’s ban on petrol and diesel vehicles comes into effect in 2030. But it’s not the only step that the franchise is taking in pursuit of increased sustainability and environmental friendliness.

Cafe2U has introduced “several other sustainability initiatives in recent years”, including a waste coffee grounds recycling scheme, and replacing its plastic straws with paper alternatives in 2018. Plus, in 2019, diesel generators in Cafe2U vans were replaced with emission-free lithium-ion batteries. Now, to coincide with the company’s first electric van being unveiled, Cafe2U has created a compostable paper cup and taken steps to minimise its paper usage, with a 2022 deadline for full digitisation and a paper-free office.

In the words of Martyn Ward, Chief Executive at Cafe2U, “Reducing our carbon footprint is absolutely vital to us and our customers, so we’re always on the lookout for new ways to become even more sustainable. We are delighted to be leading the way in the mobile coffee market with our new zero emissions coffee vans, which are a world first.”

Martyn continued to express the value of an electric fleet of vans, explaining, “As well as being better for the environment, electric vehicles will enable our franchisees to access indoor events and emission-free zones, amplifying our pro-sustainability message ever further. To be the world’s first is a testament to the progressive nature of our brand, and the hard work both our head office and franchisees put in each and every day.”

If you’d like to franchise with a company that isn’t just aware of the future, but actively prepared for it, you can become a Cafe2U franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £12,000, with franchise fees of £20,950 and a total investment cost of £70,900. Find out more about Cafe2U via its profile page, linked above.