Coffee van finance
Espresso machine, grinder, water and power in a van that can park where the customers already are — funded as one asset.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a coffee van?
Yes, mobile coffee vans are fundable, normally as a base vehicle plus catering conversion on one agreement. Used coffee vans are fundable too. Be aware that lenders treat this as a start-up hospitality asset rather than a straightforward commercial vehicle, so the application is judged on whether the business behind it looks real. The thing that catches people out is the pitch. A coffee van with a secured regular site, an events calendar or a business park agreement is a proposition; one bought on the hope of finding somewhere to park is much harder to place.
Used kit: Yes. Used coffee vans are funded, and a well-specified used conversion with a known-brand espresso machine is often easier to value than an unusual new build.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a coffee van cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Catering conversions are funded by a specific part of the market, not by every vehicle funder. The base van is easy; the fit-out — espresso machine, grinder, water system, gas or electric heating, serving hatch — is where the value sits and where the resale risk lives. A commercial espresso machine from a recognised brand holds value reasonably; a bespoke cabinet build does not. Funders also weigh seasonality, because outdoor trading income is lumpy and the winter months are thin. Applicants with contracted pitches, corporate event bookings or a franchise behind them present far better. Deposits are common. New starts with no bookings, no deposit and a hand-built conversion are the usual declines, along with applications where the gas or electrical certification is missing.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Citroen H Van replica conversion | Vintage-look van for events and markets |
| Volkswagen Transporter coffee conversion | Compact coffee van with serving hatch |
| Fiat Doblo coffee van | Small van fitted for espresso service |
| Ford Transit Custom coffee van | Medium van with full coffee bar |
| Piaggio Ape coffee unit | Three-wheel coffee unit for pitches |
| Renault Trafic mobile coffee bar | Medium van with counter and sink |
| Fiat Ducato coffee conversion | Large van for high-volume service |
| Volkswagen Caddy coffee van | Small van for a single barista |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter coffee van | Large van with twin group machine |
| Citroen Relay coffee conversion | Long van for festival trading |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Baristas leaving a coffee shop to trade independently, event and festival caterers building a season, and people buying a round or a pitch at a business park, retail estate or park. Also established cafes adding a mobile unit for outside catering and weddings. The trigger is often a pitch becoming available or an events season being booked in advance, which creates a hard deadline for getting a van on the road.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
We publish the deals we arrange, with no client named and no rate quoted. See what we have funded in vans and fleet.
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Coffee van finance questions
Do I need a pitch before I can get finance?
Not always, but it transforms the application. A signed pitch agreement, a business park arrangement or a diary of booked events gives the lender evidence of income. Without one, you are asking a funder to back an idea, which usually means a larger deposit and a narrower choice.
Can the espresso machine be included in the finance?
Yes, if it is supplied as part of the converted vehicle on the same invoice. Commercial machines from recognised brands are treated as real value by funders. A machine bought separately afterwards can sometimes be funded on its own agreement as catering equipment.
Is seasonality a problem for coffee van finance?
Lenders are aware that outdoor trading dips in winter, and they will look at whether your business can carry payments through the quiet months. Showing indoor or contracted winter work — office parks, indoor markets, corporate bookings — makes a real difference to how the deal is viewed.
What certification does a coffee van need?
You will normally need food hygiene registration with your local authority, a gas safety certificate if you use LPG, an electrical safety check on the installation, and appropriate public liability insurance. Buyers of used vans should confirm this paperwork exists before agreeing a price.
Is a trailer cheaper than a coffee van?
A trailer usually costs less to buy and can be funded, but it needs a tow vehicle and somewhere to store it, and some pitches will not take trailers. A self-propelled van is more flexible for events. Compare total cost including the towing vehicle before deciding.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Also in van and light commercial finance
- First van finance for a new business
- Panel van finance
- Small van finance
- Medium van finance
- Large van finance
- Luton van finance
- Box van finance
- Tipper van finance
- Dropside van finance
- Crew cab van finance
- Refrigerated van finance
- Electric van finance
- Welfare van finance
- Recovery truck and tow truck finance
- Pickup truck finance
- Minibus finance
- Wheelchair accessible vehicle finance
- Mobile workshop van finance
- Dog grooming van finance
- Ice cream van finance
- Catering van and food truck finance
- Mobile valeting van finance
- Curtainside van finance
- Van conversion finance
- Ex-lease van finance
- Van fleet finance
- Van refinance
- Long wheelbase van finance
See everything we fund in van and light commercial finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Van buying guides
We are a broker, not a dealer — we have no stake in which van you choose. These are written on that basis.
- Ford Transit vs Mercedes Sprinter: which is right for your business?
- Transit Custom vs Volkswagen Transporter: how to choose
- Vauxhall Vivaro vs Renault Trafic: what actually separates them
- Ford Transit Connect vs Volkswagen Caddy: the small van decision
- Best vans for electricians: how to choose
- Best vans for carpenters and joiners: how to choose
- Best vans for plumbers and heating engineers: how to choose
- Van payload explained: how to avoid buying a van that is illegal when loaded
- Low roof vs high roof vans: which do you actually need?
- What licence do you need to drive a van in the UK?
Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.