Jelly's Coffee Cart: Derbyshire man transforms rusty old horsebox from eBay into 'mini cafe on wheels'

A man with a passion for coffee and sustainable living has transformed an old horse box into a high-end coffee cart.

He now travels across Derbyshire serving premium, barista-style coffee to locals from his newly renovated ‘mini cafe on wheels’.

Lewis Jellyman, is a physiotherapist by trade.

Originally from Burton, the 30-year-old now lives in Tutbury, and is passionate about serving quality coffee to locals.

For years he said he saw coffee shops not doing it ‘the right way’ and ‘sacrificing quality and taste.’

His passion for coffee, outdoor living, sustainability, and supporting local businesses has seen Lewis embark on his coffee journey.

He said: “Last year I bought a horse box from eBay, it was a rust bucket. After a year-long renovation, it is now close to a high end café.

“I finished renovation in April, attended my first market and now I am growing the business.

Go beyond just reading the story - sign up for the DerbyWorld newsletter

“I use fresh produce including local milk from Alkmonton Dairy, which is on my doorstep and freshly roasted beans from a specialist roaster.”

The green-minded entrepreneur with a flair for DIY transformation is fuelled by a zest for life and creating the ‘best coffee’ experience for his customers.

Lewis said: “I am keen on eliminating plastic use, so I use glass bottles and paper cups.

“I am in the middle of creating the sustainable-forward life I want, and my end goal is to move to the coast.

“I would love to serve coffee on the beach. A long-term pitch in Cornwall would be ideal!”

Lewis discovered a passion for coffee when he moved to New Zealand in 2018.

His experience of coffee shops there was ‘vastly different’ to the culture in the UK.

He said: “The Australian coffee experience is unlike anything here in the UK.

“Chilled vibes, incredible quality and the brewing style led me to taste the best coffee I had ever had.

“That’s when it really hit me, I wanted to be part of that culture and create barista level coffee for everyone back home.”

Back in the UK, Lewis spotted a £500 horse box.

He travelled to Nuneaton, bought it and set to work, ‘replacing everything’ and working hard on every detail because he ‘didn’t want to cut corners.’

Now the coffee cart is a beautiful work of art that delights locals with its charm, and from where Lewis creates luscious lattes and fabulous flat whites.

Lewis said: “I see this as a long-term business. Not only do I get to make great coffee, I also have flexibility, because I don’t want to rent premises.

“I open on my own terms, I am free to visit local events, festivals and have no constraints.

“It feels like a mini café on wheels, there are two big hatches and it’s a good sized area to make coffee.”

Keen to give back to the community, Lewis supports his local sports club, Tutbury Cricket Club where he donates a percentage of his earnings.

The world is Lewis’s oyster.

The enthusiastic coffee fan said: “I am getting a lot of enquiries about festivals and markets.

“Especially weddings as people want to cater to the non-alcoholic crowd.”

What’s on the menu at Jelly’s Coffee Co.?

There are plenty of bestsellers, it appears people love flat whites and lattes.

Lewis says iced lattes are also very popular on warmers, and he anticipates more orders of this refreshing drink in the coming weeks.

In addition to coffee themed drinks, there is also a range of freshly baked treats made by Lewis's family.

People can tuck into scrumptious snacks including Bakewell slices, triple chocolate brownies and Kinder Bueno Cookies.

Jelly’s Coffee Co. is at Burton Makers Market on Saturday June 1, at Tutbury Cricket Club on Saturday June 8, and Swadlincote Makers Market on Sunday June 9.

For more information about Jelly’s Coffee Co. visit their social media page by clicking here.