A recent BBC feature reported that there are now 70-million cups of coffee being sold each day in the UK and that 1 in 10 adults visit a coffee outlet at least once every day. There is little doubt that coffee is a key part of many people’s lifestyle, with the trend increasing at an astounding rate.

Cafe2U is the largest provider of mobile coffee in the UK. They deliver fresh espresso coffee, hot chocolate and a range of snacks to non-traditional locations in over 50 franchise territories across the UK. Having won awards for the quality of their beverages and the level of customer service, it comes as no shock to them how important coffee has become to the British public. Here they reveal ten things you may not know about coffee, and how the industry has become awash with keen followers.

1. Coffee is produced by several species of shrub, taking 3-5 years to yield berries. Each tree produces approximately 3,500 berries a year; the coffee bean is the seed inside this fruit
2. The world’s entire coffee produce is grown on the ‘bean belt’, which is an area between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer
3. Legend has it that the effects of coffee were first discovered by Ethiopian shepherds when their goats appeared to become frisky and dance about after eating the coffee berries.
4. Coffee was originally eaten by African tribes mixing coffee berries with fat as edible snacks
5. Coffee beans are roasted at 500°F. They ‘pop’ twice and double in size before being ready
6. Caffeine DOES improve physical endurance. Studies have shown that cyclists can pedal 7% harder and last 20% longer after taking caffeine
7. Coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world, behind oil, with a worldwide value of $10 billion per annum
8. The UK coffee market alone is currently valued at £782 million
9. Approximately 20 million people in the UK buy premium coffee on a regular basis
10. Take-away coffee accounts for 53% of sales

Cafe2U can also be booked to attend events and functions, thus ensuring that a fully contained quality refreshment service is available all day, a simple yet major bonus to any event organiser.
Cafe2U’s first prototype began on the beaches of Sydney Australia in 2000, and branched out into the UK during 2005. Now with over 50 franchise partners across the UK and over 100 in Australia, the business has recently launched in the USA. A provider of industry-leading training, Cafe2U use their own Accelerated Launch Programme, ensuring sales of £250 per day during the first two weeks of operation.

Faye Cochrane is a franchise partner in Scotland and owns three territories – Edinburgh North, Livingston, Edinburgh Park & South Gyle. She says, “I chose the join the Cafe2U franchise because I liked the business model and the idea of being totally mobile. I’ve always wanted to be my own boss and love coffee, so when my husband started raving about the van who visited his workplace, it seemed like the ideal option.”