Kettle-only organisers
Coffee bags steep in a cup, while one-cup filters sit over a suitably sized cup and need water poured through them. Both allow individual servings without a filter machine; check cup fit before choosing filters.
Who is each format for?
Start with the equipment at the stall: an individual serving and a batch of filter coffee call for different setups.
Sellers with a filter brewer
Ground filter coffee is an option if you already have a compatible brewer, suitable filter papers and a practical setup for serving repeated batches. It does not come pre-portioned into individual cups.
Organisers offering decaf
A separate decaffeinated option can follow the same cup-by-cup method. Rombouts lists decaf one-cup filters, while Sainsbury’s lists Taylors decaffeinated coffee bags; check the count and keep the options clearly identified at the stall.
What should you check before ordering?
Match the brewing method to your equipment, then multiply the stated pack count to reach your planned number of servings. Leave time to check the actual cups and serving setup before the event.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Brewing method | Check whether the product steeps in a cup, sits over one or needs a compatible filter brewer. For a cup-mounted filter, check that it sits securely on the cup and follow its pouring instructions. | I only have a kettle and cups, so I need a format I can prepare without a filter machine. |
| Serving count | Count individual bags or filters, not just packs. Costco UK lists Percol coffee bags as 60 x 8 g; Rombouts lists 10 Original one-cup filters per pack, and Sainsbury’s lists Taylors Rich Italian coffee bags in packs of 10. | For 240 nominal cups, I would need four 60-bag packs or 24 packs containing 10 individual servings. I should confirm the count on the products I order. |
| Serving workflow | Check how each cup is brewed and where used bags or filters will go. Individual filters need pouring for each serving; a ground-coffee route needs the brewer, filter papers and a way to serve its batches. | If several people arrive together, I need a preparation method and hot-water setup my stall can manage. |
| Decaf choice | Check that the decaf product uses the intended bag or cup-filter method, and count its servings separately from regular coffee. | I want to offer decaf without confusing it with the regular cups or overlooking it in the order. |
| Food-service checks | Ask the event organiser about permission to sell drinks and check food-business status with the relevant local authority. If operating as a food business, check the applicable allergen-information requirements and the labels of everything served. | Before I buy stock, I need to know which event and food-service requirements apply to my stall. GOV.UK says selling or handling food may make an operator a food business; the Food Standards Agency sets out allergen-information duties for retail and catering food businesses. |
Mistakes that can disrupt service
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Assuming a 240-cup plan means one 240-count carton
A pack of 10 or 60 does not meet a 240-serving plan on its own, even if it is described as suitable for bulk buying.
Use the stated individual-serving count: four packs of 60 or 24 packs of 10 provide 240 nominal servings. Confirm the count for the exact product and bundle before ordering.
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Buying ground coffee for a kettle-only stall
Loose ground filter coffee needs an appropriate brewing setup; it cannot be prepared by steeping it as a packaged coffee bag.
Choose an individual coffee-bag or cup-filter format if you have only a kettle and cups. Choose ground coffee after confirming that the brewer and its filters suit the product.
A ground-coffee setup also calls for measuring, cleaning and sufficient power or hot water for the brewer you use.
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Treating bags, cup filters and instant coffee as the same format
Coffee bags steep in the cup; cup filters need a secure position over it and individual pouring. Instant granules dissolve in the drink and are not a substitute when the requirement is filter coffee.
Try the chosen format with the stall’s actual cups and kettle before the event, following the product’s preparation instructions.
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Leaving event and food-service checks until trading day
GOV.UK says that selling, preparing or handling food may mean an operator is a food business requiring local-authority registration. The Food Standards Agency also sets out allergen-information requirements for food businesses serving food and drink.
Ask the car boot sale organiser what it permits and check your circumstances with the relevant local authority before trading. If registration is required, the Food Standards Agency says to register at least 28 days before trading or starting food operations.
Brand and retailer references
These examples illustrate different pack sizes and brewing methods; the format matters more than a brand name when planning service at the stall.
Percol
Costco UK lists Percol Americano Medium Roast Coffee Bags as 60 x 8 g, an individual-bag format for a kettle-and-cup setup.
- Four 60-bag packs provide 240 nominal bags; Costco describes each bag as having a string and tag.
- The listed product is a 60-count pack, so confirm the quantity in each pack rather than treating it as one 240-count carton.
Rombouts
Rombouts lists its Original One Cup Filters in packs of 10 and describes the format as requiring hot water rather than a machine.
- The cup-mounted format makes an individual filter-coffee serving without a filter brewer.
- A 240-serving plan needs 24 packs of 10, plus cups that securely support the filters and time to pour each serving.
Taylors of Harrogate
Sainsbury’s lists Taylors Rich Italian coffee bags in packs of 10 and describes them as individually wrapped bags that brew in the cup.
- A bag can steep in a cup without measuring loose grounds at the stall.
- It takes 24 ten-bag packs for 240 nominal servings, and each cup needs its own brewing time.
Lavazza
Lavazza describes ground coffee for filter use within its roast-and-ground range; Costco UK Business Delivery lists Qualità Rossa ground coffee as 4 x 250 g.
- Ground coffee offers a route for an organiser using suitable filter-brewing equipment.
- The listed ground-coffee pack is not a count of individual bags. Work out servings from the brewer and recipe you actually use.
Douwe Egberts
A UK retailer describes a 1 kg Douwe Egberts ground filter coffee product as intended for filter-style machines.
- This is a ground-coffee option to consider if the stall has a compatible filter brewer.
- It is not pre-portioned into 240 bags. Douwe Egberts instant granules are a different preparation method, not ground filter coffee.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and M&S
These retailers provide examples of individual-cup formats: Tesco lists a 10-pack of cup filters, Sainsbury’s lists Taylors 10-bag packs, and M&S lists coffee bags and cup filters.
- The listed formats offer a way to choose between steeping a bag and pouring through a cup-mounted filter.
- Check the count on the specific product; a listing for a small pack does not establish a single 240-serving carton.
Single-cup coffee bags and filters on Joybuy
These options are for making individual cups with hot water rather than brewing a batch of loose ground coffee. Compare their bag or filter counts with a 240-serving plan, and check bundle contents, cup fit and preparation instructions before ordering.
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Taylors of Harrogate Rich Italian Coffee Bags, 75g x 3
Coffee bags suit cup-by-cup brewing with a kettle. This listing specifies three 75g packs; Sainsbury’s lists the Rich Italian format as 10 bags per pack, so eight bundles would provide 240 bags if each pack in this bundle has that count. Confirm the bundle contents before relying on that calculation.
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Taylors of Harrogate Rich Italian Coffee Bags, 75g
This 75g coffee-bag pack is for individual cups rather than a filter brewer. Sainsbury’s lists the matching Rich Italian format as 10 bags per pack; at that count, 24 packs would provide 240 bags. Check the count on this pack before ordering that quantity.
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Rombouts Original Compostable One Cup Filter Coffee, 70g
This one-cup filter format uses hot water without a filter machine. Rombouts lists 10 Original filters per pack, so 24 packs provide 240 nominal filters. Each serving needs its own pour; check that the filter sits securely on the cups you intend to use.
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Ri Xin Premium Drip Coffee Yunnan Pu’er 2.0 Series, 10g x 8 bags
Each drip filter bag hangs over a cup for hot water to pass through. The listed box contains eight 10g bags, so 30 boxes provide 240 nominal servings. Allow for pouring each cup individually and follow the pack’s brewing instructions.
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RiXing Premium Filter Coffee Colombia Verla Series 2.0, 10g x 8 bags
This over-cup drip format is prepared one serving at a time with hot water. Eight 10g bags per box mean 30 boxes for 240 nominal servings. Check the instructions on the actual pack before serving, particularly the brewing-water directions.
Questions about serving 240 cups
How many packs do I need for 240 individual cups?
Four packs containing 60 bags each, or 24 packs containing 10 bags or filters each, provide 240 nominal individual servings. Costco UK lists a 60-bag Percol pack; Rombouts lists 10 Original one-cup filters per pack, and Sainsbury’s lists Taylors Rich Italian bags in packs of 10. Confirm the count of the exact product or bundle you order.
Are coffee bags and one-cup filters prepared the same way?
No. A coffee bag steeps in the cup, whereas a one-cup filter sits over a suitably sized cup and needs water poured through it. For cup filters, check the fit and follow the product’s pouring instructions; Tesco’s instructions warn that its filter must sit tightly on the cup.
Should I use ground filter coffee instead of individual bags?
Choose ground filter coffee if you have a compatible brewer, suitable filter papers and a workable way to serve its batches. A UK retailer describes Douwe Egberts ground filter coffee as intended for filter-style machines; it is not a pre-portioned replacement for bags at a kettle-only stall.
Do I need to register before selling coffee at a car boot sale?
Check whether your activity makes you a food business and confirm the event’s conditions before trading. GOV.UK says selling, preparing or handling food may mean you need local-authority registration; where registration is required, the Food Standards Agency says to register at least 28 days before trading or starting food operations. Ask the relevant local authority and car boot sale organiser about your circumstances.
What allergen information should I check when serving coffee?
If you operate as a food business, check the allergen-information rules that apply to the food and drink you serve, whether prepacked or served by the cup. The Food Standards Agency sets out requirements for retail and catering businesses. Check the exact product labels and account for ingredients added at the stall, such as milk or creamers, as well as shared utensils.