A vintage coffee and doughnut van has become one of the hottest venues in Cornwall, just six months after its owners received funding from the British Business Bank’s Start-Up Loans programme.

Glazed & Roasted began as a side hustle for Leah Fontier and Jordan Jones, who launched the business selling artisan coffee from a Piaggio Ape – a three wheeled truck – at weekend events, they were encouraged by their success to go one step further. 

A £25,000 cash injection in the form of a Start Up Loan allowed the couple to buy and renovate a larger 1957 Citroen HZ already kitted out with coffee-making facilities, equip it with white goods including a fridge, and pay for stock and pitch fees. 

Having been offered a position on the Camel Trail between Wadebridge and Padstow – which welcomes as many as 400,000 visitors annually – the Bodmin-based entrepreneurs have spent the summer refreshing cyclists and walkers while managing a steady stream of events bookings.  

“We had both worked in hospitality, including coffee shops, restaurants and cafes, and dreamed of running our own business,” said Leah. “What started as a fun weekend project quickly turned into something much bigger – by October 2023, we were already hitting up events like CrossFit competitions and Christmas markets. The response was amazing.”

“The Ape was an affordable way to start, but it wasn’t sustainable,” says Leah. “We could only really serve coffee from it, nothing else; and one event had 14,000 people, which was a struggle. We started talking about expanding, and considered converting a horsebox, but then we spotted other businesses running out of vintage Citroën H vans—timeless beauties that fit our brand perfectly.”

Working with the British Business Bank’s lending partner GC Business Finance, the couple secured their loan in January.

Alex Mearns at GC Business Finance said:“Leah and Jordan are a brilliant example of what the Start Up Loans programme is all about. They turned their side hustle into a full-time job, reaching out to GC Business Finance to support this next step. We worked with the couple to support them in purchasing a new van, which has helped them to expand into a new product market. The future is looking bright for Glazed & Roasted and we’re excited to see what they get up to next.”

The extra space has allowed the couple to expand into baked goods. Cornish suppliers are used wherever possible, including Gorse Bakery at Lanteague, near Newquay, and the Brownie Baker of St Agnes. 

Leah and Jordan asked The Roasting Room at Lanteague to source their own single-estate roast from Brazil. The Café Delas coffee, known as Estuary Expresso, is sourced 100% from women farmers and with a portion of the profit reinvested in programmes that empower them. 

The Camel Trail pitch has been leased to the business for three years.