On the go
They’ve got to be the smallest cars on the road, but Yoopy’s coffee and frozen yoghurt carts fill a more than tiny gap in the market
Here’s how the story goes: you’ve got a big meeting at 9am sharp but you’ve overslept and now have just half an hour to get showered, dressed and groomed. No time for breakfast though, not even a coffee and as a result you go for the next best thing. Driving into work, you make a coffee stop. While you’re applying your lipstick or buttoning your shirt, your frappe is being made by a member of Yoopy’s staff. No need to park and get impatient queuing, all you do is shout the order from the car. A quick stir and two ice cubes later, you’re finally on the way, sipping on that much needed coffee without wasting any time.
Yoopy’s, a refreshment and ice-cream cart company has, perhaps, filled one of the most vital gaps in Cyprus (although they currently operate only in Nicosia): that of the coffee, snacks and ice-cream to go, without the client actually having to step foot out of their car. Savvas Arestodemou is the mastermind behind the operation. Five years ago he decided Cyprus was in need of mobile and stationery carts that carried refreshments and snacks and almost two years ago, everything was set to go. He arranged the staff, the uniforms, the stock and those incredibly small, although cute ‘cars’. “They’re not cars,” he said, “they’re three-cycle motorbikes. I had them custom-made for the company.” With their three-cycle, four gear ‘cars’, 21 staff members set out everyday to feed and water the needs of hungry truck drivers, children and anyone who happens to be passing a Yoopy’s cart.
But how easy is it to be a Yoopy’s staff member? And how on earth does one drive one of those ‘cars’? One of Yoopy’s longest serving staff members is Martina Skodova, who has been working there ever since the company started. “Oh, it’s a joy!” she exclaimed, “I’ve been doing it for a year and a half and I love it.” Martina’s up at the crack of dawn, 5:30am to be exact, as she begins work at 7am. “I don’t really have time for breakfast,” she said, “I just about have time to hop in the shower, put on my uniform and be at the warehouse by 6:10.” The warehouse is Yoopy’s base. There staff members meet up every morning to stock the carts up. “Once we have everything ready, we get into the carts and we all head out to our spots or designated areas,” Martina added. “As far as the carts are concerned, they are easy to drive and yes, they’re safe as they only go up to 35 km/h. So, we usually take the hard shoulders on the roads to avoid any hassle from other drivers.”
The carts carry fridges and freezers and even though these funny looking cars run on petrol and oil, the fridges need recharging. “Every night, when everyone comes back from their rounds, we put the fridges and freezers on a charger. This gives them a 14-hour operation rate throughout the day, which is more than necessary,” explained Savvas.
Martina is proud to note that she even has regular customers who stop at her post every day for their coffee and sandwich fix. “They love the fact that they can make a quick stop and grab a cheap frappe while going to work or heading out of town,” she said while serving what must have been a regular customer as he didn’t have to tell her what he wanted. With their bright red and white colours, Yoopy’s carts are difficult to fail to notice and Martina has even witnessed pile-ups due to staring. “We don’t know if it’s the carts or Martina that is causing so much trouble,” Savvas said.
Either way, Martina sticks around until 3pm, serving frappes and snacks. She then heads back to base to drop off the cart and the daily earnings before going home to enjoy an afternoon of solitude. “I usually cook and do some cleaning but I’m in bed by 10 pm, as I need to regain my strength for the next day.” However, the post isn’t abandoned after Martina gets off, another Yoopy’s person will continue through the day until eleven at night.
Yoopy’s are based all around Nicosia from Latsia and Tseri every day except Sundays. Yoopy’s also cater for parties. Tel: 99 454380
