From Coffee Dreams to Baked Goods Success: Glazed & Roasted's Journey

A vintage coffee and doughnut van in Cornwall has transformed into a thriving baked goods business, thanks to funding from the British Business Bank's Start Up Loans programme.

Glazed & Roasted began as a passion project for life partners Leah Fontier and Jordan Jones. Both were full-time colleagues at a hotel in Fowey when they decided to turn their love for artisan coffee into a weekend venture.

Starting with a Piaggio Ape – a charming three-wheeled truck – the duo served handcrafted coffee at local events. Encouraged by their growing popularity, Leah and Jordan decided to take their business to the next level.

In January, they secure a Start Up Loan through the British Business Bank’s lending partner, GC Business Finance. This funding allowed them to purchase and renovate a 1957 Citroen HZ van, already equipped with coffee-making facilities. The loan also covered the cost of essential upgrades like refrigeration, stock, and pitch fees.

Their big break came when they secured a prime spot on the Camel Trail, a scenic route attracting up to 400,000 visitors annually between Wadebridge and Padstow. Confident in their business’s potential, Leah and Jordan left their hotel roles in May to focus full-time on Glazed & Roasted.

Over the summer, the couple have delighted cyclists, walkers, and event-goers with their offerings, all while expanding into baked goods to meet growing demand. Glazed & Roasted exemplifies how the Start Up Loans programme can help turn a side hustle into a flourishing small business.

Leah Fontier said: "It's scary but thrilling - the best thing we ever did. Without the loan, we would still be working full-time elsewhere - and it's affordable to pay back.” 

"Don’t doubt yourself like I did. Will people like what we sell? Will we have any bookings? After a couple of weeks, you wonder why you didn’t do it sooner."

The extra space has allowed the couple to expand into baked goods. Doughnuts are a best-seller with flapjacks and brownies also flying out of the hatch. Cornish suppliers are used wherever possible.

The pair 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 per cent from women farmers and with a portion of the profit reinvested in programmes that empower them. 

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

Alex Mearns, head of startup lending 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."