These carts are apparently in demand. With the Wheelys 3, additions to the cart include a towable greenhouse, for which the company will supply a living coffee tree. They also claim that if cart owners encourage patrons to charge their cell phones off the built-in solar panels that power the cart’s electric lights, tablet POS and other systems, the carbon footprint of the business goes from zero to negative. It’s a bit of a stretch, but as it’s all in the name of environmental responsibility, it’s a respectable stretch.
Is it all a little gimmicky? Sure. But it’s also a work in progress. The published materials clearly state that Wheelys-branded carts must sell certified organic coffee, but beyond that, the details are a bit fuzzy. Daily Coffee News reached out to learn more about what roasting companies Wheelys encourages its fanchisees to patronize through wholesale, and it appears the concept may initially present some attractive opportunities for local roasters. In an email exchange, cofounder Maria de la Croix said, “Since we don’t have all the logistics in place for the whole world yet — we’ve sold bikes to more than 20 countries — we do advise our current Wheelers in their choice of a local, organic coffee roaster to start with.”