A CUP OF COFFEE AND A SENSE OF HOME

Our shop was born from the simple idea that a small town deserves a truly excellent coffee shop — and that beautiful everyday objects make life a little richer.

As a business, we're proudly independent, we source carefully, pay our team properly, support local suppliers wherever we can, and say hello to everyone who walks through the door. We genuinely believe that a great cup of coffee, shared in a beautful space, is one of life's small but real joys.

CAKES, CAKES, CAKES

Coco Fleur was originally set up in 2013 as a specialist cake bakery focusing on bespoke wedding & celebration cakes. My mum and I had always shared a mutual passion for baking and wanted to work together, so after my twins came along, it was the perfect time to launch a business that could work around them. We'd always been creative at heart, and loved the idea of bringing our own designs to life to create truly edible art.

ESPRESSO ALL THE WAY

After ten years at the decorating table, we wanted to expand the business by offering a pop-up service to our clients, which would include barista quality coffee. In early 2023 we took the plunge and purchased our first trailer, swiftly followed by a shiny new espresso machine and everything needed to get up and running as a mobile barista bar & cakery. What followed was a whirlwind of events, fetes, & fairs, as well as monthly farmers markets and a weekly pop-up in our local village park. Our classic J7 van joined the family in 2024, and our offering evolved further to include griddle toasties and luxury milkshakes. We really loved what we were doing, and thoroughly enjoyed our time out and about meeting new faces.

MAJOR BUMP IN THE ROAD

Sadly we hit a major bump in the road in early 2025, when we discovered that my beautiful mum was suffering from a terminal illness, and tragically we lost her just five months later. Naturally I was heartbroken, and didn't know what this would mean for Coco Fleur, as we'd started the journey together all those years ago, but Mum had mentioned to me that she had a feeling my journey in the van wasn't over, and she was absolutely right... she always was!

A NEW OPPORTUNITY

My good friend Claire told me that Saffron Walden Community Football Club were looking for a coffee van to attend their weekly training sessions up at Saffron Walden County High School; I worried that it was too soon, but knew I needed something to focus on other than my grief. I applied, got the gig, and spent Saturday mornings up at the 3G pitch serving coffee, bacon rolls and homemade cakes for the season. I loved it, and met some truly great people on those cold, wet mornings, but little did I know then, that there was an even bigger opportunity waiting just around the corner.

WE ONLY POPPED IN FOR A
COFFEE!

One Saturday afternoon, the hubby Anthony and I decided to pop into Thaxted. We made our way to what was then Vintage Style Living at 22 Town Street to get ourselves a coffee (we'd heard good things) and got chatting to the owners Kate & Jonathan. I said "what a beautiful shop, I've never been here before" and then the words "is this still for sale?" somehow fell out of my mouth! (I'd previously seen it online in my search for business premises). Kate said "yes it is", and immediately offered us a tour.

I'D FALLEN IN LOVE

I was in my element looking around the gorgeous rooms, with all the charming features, the little courtyard, the beautiful products, and the way Kate had everything styled perfectly. The coffee Jonathan had served was delicious and Anthony was smiling the smile he gives when he knows something is truly special. We instantly felt like we'd made new friends, and left in a bubble of excitement.

YES I REALLY DO

Back in the car, Anthony asked me if I wanted the shop, and grinning like a kid with the biggest bag of pick 'n' mix I said "yes, I'd LOVE it, but actually I don't want to turn it into just a cafe; I want to build on what's already there... keep all the gorgeous products, the coffee, the cake, AND add indoor seating AND serve food."

The rest, as they say, is history, but the most beautiful thing about it all, is that I couldn't have done this without what my mum has given me, so it's part of her legacy too. I get to honour her and keep her memory alive with everything I do in the shop, and run it with the values that she instilled in me.

Nicole x