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Southport Food and Drink Festival stopped me giving up my business dream
18 hours ago
Natalie Anderson feared she’d made a huge mistake after giving up a film industry career to follow her business dream.
It was only one year in, but her Mountain Mama Coffee van wasn’t doing quite as well as she’d hoped.
“It was hard,” Natalie admits. “There were some events we went to when we didn’t do nearly as well as we expected.
“And I did start to wonder if I’d made the right decision.”
But after taking part in Southport Food and Drink Festival for the first time last year, the 28-year-old from Garston realised she could be successful – and she’s returning again this year to the popular event that gave her heart and hope to carry on.
“We were so busy and I realised that that was how it could be! I think it comes with experience, and we’d had bigger expectations than we should have in that first year.
“Southport made us realise that it was about choosing our events wisely.”
She adds: “There we were busier than we expected and it gave me hope and encouraged me to carry on. It made me realise we could make it work – and we have.
“I’m really looking forward to going back again to Southport this year, and I’m so excited. I feel happier than I ever have.”
Natalie, who now lives in Halewood, had originally worked in props, dressing sets for productions after graduating in Film and TV Production at LMA in Liverpool.
But she had always wanted to set up her own business.
“I had wanted my own business since I was little and I figured, if I never try it, I’ll never know,” says Natalie. “I am self-motivated, and I like giving myself goals.
“I love coffee, I know coffee, and so I decided to set up a mobile coffee van going to events and festivals all over the country.”
Natalie began her business in 2023 with partner Zachary Coleman and his mum, Camellia, and called it Mountain Mama Coffee in homage to West Virginia where Zachary was born and Camellia lived for years before returning to her native Liverpool.
“We really care about what we serve and how we serve it.
“We get as much as we can from local and sustainable producers and I would only source products from people I would personally use,” continues Natalie. “We care about the environment and use special integrated lid cups, which are made of paper card, thus making them home compostable.
“We originally got our coffee from a company called Girls Who Grind, a women-led speciality coffee supplier who sourced all their coffees from change-making women producers and, to give back to the producers in exchange for everything they give, they run the cheek to cheek initiative, putting 10% of the sale price of all their retail coffees back into their pockets.
“Then we changed to Ozone, which sources from world-class producers who are paving the way for more sustainable and ethical coffee production; and we are looking at local companies because we would also like to support people closer to home.
“We are passionate about providing amazing service and when people enjoy our coffees and what we do, it really makes me happy. It makes all our day!”
Natalie, Zachary and Camelia serve a range of teas and coffees, hot chocolate, smoothies and milkshakes and a variety of sweet treats like cookies and brownies.
The team are hoping to eventually have a second van with a permanent home in the centre of Liverpool.
Until then, it’s cups at the ready for a return to Southport.
“Southport Food and Drink Festival gets bigger and better every year and we can’t wait to get back there again this year,” smiles Natalie. “It will be our second anniversary while we’re there which feels right.
“We’ll celebrate success and our second birthday, and the event that made us realise we could make a dream work.”
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