A mobile coffee service is brewing up big business.
Former barrister Jocelyn Lodge has turned barista to run Go-Go Gaggia, operating a mobile coffee service from a strikingly-liveried Smartcar.
Jocelyn formed Go-Go Gaggia in October, 2011, after being made redundant from her legal role with Greater Manchester Police.
Now her dream of turning it into a successful franchising operation is being fulfilled – with a fifth franchise all set to take coffee and cakes to businesses in the Sheffield area, adding to Jocelyn’s existing business covering the Colne Valley and franchisees operating in parts of Leeds, Halifax and Thameside, Greater Manchester.
Another two potential franchises are planned for other parts of Kirklees.
Jocelyn got a big boost through the Local Business Accelerators (LBA) campaign, which teamed her with mentors to help develop her business.
“I went into this with the idea of just having a go,” she says. “Mentoring has helped me to look to the future and look at growth. It has helped me find ways to ‘tighten up’ the business – for instance by getting a leasing deal for the Smartcars instead of buying outright, which reduces the costs for franchisees, and by tightening up the franchise agreement.”
Jocelyn’s patch covers the Colne Valley with Slaithwaite railway station an early morning stop to provide refreshments for commuters, followed by visits to villages including Slaithwaite. “I call at companies where people don’t have time to leave the premises to find a coffee – such as hairdressers and businesses on industrial estates.”
Jocelyn developed the concept of Go-Go Gaggia over a bottle of wine one evening with the family when talk turned to the lack of “quality coffee” for commuters, especially at local train stations.
It’s a business model that has evident appeal. “We are getting a lot of enquiries for franchises from people who are retired or semi-retuired or being made redundant, said Jocelyn. “They want to work in a way that fits around things like looking after the grandchildren and they want be doing something nice.”
Jocelyn doesn’t regret setting up a business. “I don’t miss what I was doing,” she said. “It’s a much nicer world to be in! It works around my priorities and it is the lifestyle I have chosen. You end up making nice friends and meeting different people. It’s just a nice thing to do.”
