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Shipping Container Cafes

Create a relaxing and welcoming coffee and food space with a custom-built shipping container café. Designed for everyday service and busy environments, our container cafés are fully fitted, durable, and ready to trade.

Shipping Container Cafes

Custom container cafés for pop-ups and permanent locations

Container cafés are a flexible solution for everything from pop-up coffee stands and seasonal trading to permanent café spaces at attractions, high streets, and business premises. Designed to support busy service and everyday use, they offer a practical way to create a fully functioning café wherever you need it.

Every unit is built to order and designed around how you’ll use it, with options including:

  • Commercial serving counters and customer-facing display units
  • Plumbing for sinks, coffee machines, and wash-up areas
  • Electrical installations for appliances, power points, and lighting
  • Ventilation and extraction systems for food and drink preparation
  • Refrigeration, storage, and catering equipment
  • Serving hatches, customer windows, and access points
  • Professional interior finishes designed for commercial use
  • Full exterior colouring and branding
  • Any other bespoke fabrication
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Get a Quote

Our shipping container café conversion process in 4 simple steps

Free consultation

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Design & planning

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Full conversion

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Delivery & setup

Benefits of a shipping container café

Shipping container cafés offer a practical, flexible alternative to traditional coffee shop builds. Designed for speed, durability, and everyday service, they’re a popular choice for pop-ups, permanent locations, and everything in between because of:

  • Fast setup – Container cafés can be designed, built, and delivered in weeks, allowing you to start working sooner without the delays of traditional construction.
  • Lower build costs – Reduced build time and efficient use of materials make container cafés a cost-effective way to create a fully fitted café space.
  • Built to last – Made from strong, weather-resistant corten steel, container cafés are designed to handle heavy daily use and outdoor conditions.
  • Fully customisable – Every container workshop is built to match your trade, tools, and workflow, with layout and features designed to suit your needs.
  • Portable and flexible – Container cafés can be moved, repositioned, or reused in different locations, making them ideal for seasonal trading or long-term use.
Get a Quote
Get a Quote

Why choose Universal Containers for your container café conversion

With decades of experience in shipping containers and in-house conversion expertise, we know how to turn containers into fully functioning, high-quality café spaces that are practical, durable, and built for daily service.

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Built by container experts

We know containers inside out! We’ve worked with shipping containers for over 40 years. You’re not just working with builders, you’re working with specialists who understand how to convert containers into reliable café spaces that work in real trading environments.

Everything handled in-house

We take care of the entire build under one roof. From design and fabrication to fit-out and delivery, we manage the full process so you get better quality, faster turnaround, and no surprises. No subcontractors. No third-party delays.
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Cost-effective without cutting corners

We focus on smart design and efficient builds, making the most of your budget without compromising on quality. The result is a well-finished container café that delivers real value and long-term performance.
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We build cafés that work

We don’t just make your container café usable, we make it work like a proper café. From serving layouts and preparation areas to electrics, plumbing, and finishes, everything is installed to a high standard and ready to trade.

Looking for a different type of space? Check out our other container conversion options

Frequently Asked Questions

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How long does it take to build a shipping container café?

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the size and complexity of your build. We’ll always give you a clear timeline based on your specific design and keep you updated throughout the process.

How much does a container café cost?

The cost of your shipping container café depends on the size, layout and level of finish. We’ll give you a clear, upfront quote based on your design, with no hidden extras.

Can I choose the layout and equipment in my container café?

Absolutely! Every container café is custom-built. You choose the layout, serving counters, equipment, storage, plumbing, electrics, and any other features you need, and we design the space around how you operate.

Can I use a container café for hot food service?

Yes. We can install commercial ventilation and extraction systems alongside appropriate wall linings and layouts for food preparation. Let us know what you’re serving and what you need and we’ll design the right setup.

How secure is a shipping container café?

Very secure. Container cafés are built from solid steel and can be fitted with secure roller doors, lockable serving hatches, and additional security features to protect equipment and stock when not in use.

Can the shipping container café be used all year round?

Yes. Container cafés can be fully insulated and fitted with heating, ventilation, and proper electrical systems, making them comfortable and suitable for year-round use.

Do container cafés meet commercial and food service standards?

Absolutely. We build container cafés to meet commercial requirements and can incorporate features needed for food and drink service, depending on your local regulations and setup.

Our containers in action

See some of the ways our amazing customers are using their containers.

Case Study: Garden Room Office Container Case Studies
Case Study: Garden Room Office Container

Despite restricted site access, we delivered a fully insulated, light-filled container office with carefully planned glazing, heating and electrics. The finished space provides a practical, year-round working environment suited for everyday use.

Case Study: Compact Coffee Shop Case Studies
Case Study: Compact Coffee Shop

We built a fully functional compact coffee shop from a shipping container with doors for customer access, a roller shutter for security, a serving hatch, and a small kitchen area complete with water heater and sink. 

Case Study: Shipping Container Museum & Workshop Case Studies
Case Study: Shipping Container Museum & Workshop

In the pursuit of enhancing their museum and workshop facility, the Locomotive Society sought a creative solution to provide a welcoming space for their members, while adhering to the historical aesthetic of their railway centric environment.

Case Study: Garden Center Case Studies
Case Study: Garden Center

Universal Containers embarked on an exciting project to enhance a garden centre’s retail experience by supplying and customising two shipping container cabins. The goal was to seamlessly link these cabins on-site and transform them into a vibrant and functional gift shop.

Case Study: Outdoor Catering Unit Case Studies
Case Study: Outdoor Catering Unit

A restaurant had been operating successfully for several years. However, due to increasing demand and limited space within the restaurant premises, the owners decided to expand their operations by introducing an outdoor catering unit.

Case Study: Shipping Container Ticket Office Case Studies
Case Study: Shipping Container Ticket Office

The local rugby club had been using a small, outdated ticket booth that no longer met their needs. The club’s management sought a more efficient and visually appealing solution that could accommodate their growing fan base.

Case Study: Chemical Store Shipping Container Conversion Case Studies
Case Study: Chemical Store Shipping Container Conversion

The client, an Industrial Chemical Storage Company specialising in chemical production and storage, faced the challenge of storing hazardous chemicals on their premises while adhering to stringent health and safety regulations.

Dropside Shipping Container Conversion Shipping
Dropside Shipping Container Conversion

Universal Containers take pride in continually pushing the boundaries in product development within the shipping container industry.

32ft × 10ft Stacked Cabins
32ft × 10ft Stacked Cabins

These 2 large 32x10ft cabins were built for a British transport company. They requested a large space to act as a welfare facility for drivers and staff in the peak district. Due to the customer’s specific requirements, one unit was not large enough so we suggested 2 units, however floor space was an issue on-siteContinue reading “32ft × 10ft Stacked Cabins”

32×10 Green Office Offices
32×10 Green Office

This particular office unit was completed for a North-West-based container hire company.

20×10 Gas Bottle Store
20×10 Gas Bottle Store

Custom Built Atex Coshh store for storing gas bottles. This unit was custom built with corrugated steel panels 20ft long x 10ft wide. It had a fully ventilated floor from galvanised steel mesh, as well as 4 aluminium louver vents in the walls. We also fitted galvanised box section racks with chains on to holdContinue reading “20×10 Gas Bottle Store”

Corrugated 32×10 Office / Store room
Corrugated 32×10 Office / Store room

Corrugated steel cabin 32ft x 10ft with adjustable jacklegs anti vandal steel personnel door and anti-vandal aluminium sliding windows in steel shutters. Painted externally in non-corrosive container paint in a vibrant red. Internally with walls where lined in a cost-effective melamine faced chipboard and fully insulated throughout in Rockwool. The floor had hard wearing vinylContinue reading “Corrugated 32×10 Office / Store room”

20ft Multi-Bay Unit
20ft Multi-Bay Unit

Standard shipping container transformed into a bespoke storage unit. With multiple purposes across many industries. For example, self-storage companies or engineering companies for members of staff to lock tools away when not in use. The unit was split evenly into 8 small rooms approximately 5ftx4ft each by steel partition walls for security. Each room withContinue reading “20ft Multi-Bay Unit”

10ft Generator Housing Container
10ft Generator Housing Container

10ft container conversion for an off-grid company custom built to house a very large generator. The customer wanted a unit with multiple apertures and louver vents to allow for ventilation, they wanted all openings to have cover hoods to help stop water coming in. The Universal CAD team had a meeting with the client toContinue reading “10ft Generator Housing Container”

40ft × 12ft Truck Stop Shower Unit Site Accommodation
40ft × 12ft Truck Stop Shower Unit

This 40ft x 12ft custom built flat panel cabin was a container conversion project completed for Eddie Stobart’s site.

Are Shipping Containers the Solution to Homelessness? Site Accommodation
Are Shipping Containers the Solution to Homelessness?

Within today’s economic climate, many of us face struggles surrounding our finances.

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