A Coffee Cart for Brand Activations and Store Events in Denver

A brand activation is when a company pays for the coffee so the people at its event get a free drink and a reason to stop and talk. A store opening, a pop-up, a product launch, a sample day at a gym or a booth on a sales floor. We get booked for these in Denver, and they run a little differently from an office morning or a wedding. Here is how we do them.

Who pays and who doesn't

The brand covers the cart at a flat hourly rate. Nobody who walks up pays for a drink and nobody tips. That is the whole point. The cart is the thing that gets someone to stand still for five minutes, and the drink is the thing they walk away holding.

Our rate is $375 an hour with a two-hour minimum, so an activation starts at $750. Weekend events add 10%. Travel is free within 50 miles of Denver, which covers the metro area, Boulder and most of the Front Range.

What goes on the cart

This is the part that makes an activation an activation. Three options, and most brands pick one or two.

• A custom vinyl banner on the front of the cart is $200. It is the first thing people see from across the room or the parking lot.
• Branded cups are $1 each with a $150 minimum. People carry the cup around the event and then out the door.
• The latte art printer is $50 an hour and puts your logo, or any image, on top of the drink.

We can match a menu to the brand too. The syrups are made in house, so if there is a flavor that fits the event, ask.

How many people one cart covers

One cart with one barista pours 30 to 40 drinks an hour. Over a two-hour activation that is 60 to 80 drinks. For a longer day, like an opening that runs from the doors to late afternoon, one cart can keep up as long as the crowd is spread out. When the crowd is all going to arrive at once, two carts are the answer, and that is a conversation to have before the date rather than on it.

For reference, the Crate & Barrel store opening we poured for ran about 200 guests across five hours on one cart, with a custom banner and the latte art printer.

What we need from the space

A six by six foot spot and one standard outlet. A sidewalk out front, a corner of the sales floor, a lobby or a gym entrance all work. We need about an hour before the first drink to set up and about an hour after to tear down, and we handle the cleanup. No water hookup, no kitchen.

The cart works outside too. If it is going to be outside, a tent or an overhang is worth planning for.

The coffee itself

We roast the coffee ourselves and make the syrups ourselves. The menu is a full espresso bar: lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, mochas, cold brew, chai and hot chocolate, with alternative milks on the cart. Hot chocolate is always there for anyone who does not want coffee, and it is not a line item.

Brands we have poured for

Vuori, Crate & Barrel, Nutrafol, CorePower Yoga, Zoom, Gusto, Snowflake and Stryker, among others. Some of those were store openings, some were office days, and a few come back every year.

How to book one

Send the date, the address, a rough headcount and the hours through the quote form, and say what you want on the cart. We will come back with a quote and a hold on the date. If the headcount is still a guess, that is fine. It usually is.