Member Spotlight One Year On: The Flying Saucer

A year ago, we caught up with Emma Benson – founder of The Flying Saucer to hear about the journey so far, the dream of creating Oxfordshire’s “go-to ray of sunshine coffee place”, and what success looked like for this much-loved independent business.

Fast forward 12 months, and there’s plenty to catch up on. From leaving the original home of George and finding a new base at Trident Business Park, to welcoming new customers, strengthening local partnerships and navigating the ever-increasing pressures facing small businesses, it’s been a year of highs, challenges and plenty of sunshine along the way.

So, one year on, we caught up again to find out what’s changed, what’s been learned and what the future holds for The Flying Saucer.

It’s been a year since we last caught up – what have been the biggest highs, and what has been harder than expected?

There have been so many highs, but probably the biggest one is realising that The Flying Saucer has become so much more than I ever imagined it would be. When I started, I hoped people would like the coffee and I was so excited to be living my dream I don’t think I realised just what a yellow horsebox called George could create – the most supportive community I could ever have hoped for.

When we last spoke, you wanted to keep growing your customer base and become known as Oxfordshire’s “go-to ray of sunshine coffee place”. Do you feel like you’re getting there? 

Hmm, I think I will always think there is more to do on this one, there are so many amazing speciality coffee places in Oxfordshire and so much choice. For me, success isn’t just about the number of customers. It’s when someone brings a colleague, introduces a friend to George, or tells me they’ve been told, “You HAVE to go to The Flying Saucer.” That’s when I think the word is spreading.

What has been lovely is seeing our customer base evolve. We have our brilliant regulars who have been with us from the beginning, but we’re constantly welcoming new faces too. Moving to Trident Business Park has given us a whole new audience, while lots of our amazing Milton Park customers have stayed with us and still come and get their coffees from us.

What has surprised you most about running the business over the past year? Is there anything you know now that you wish you’d known when you started?

How emotionally invested I am not only in the business but also in my customers (who I now call friends). It’s my business, so every customer matters, every Google review is like Christmas Day (if it’s 5*), every good day feels amazing and every quiet day can have you questioning if you have done something wrong.

I also wish I’d known just how much time you spend doing things that have absolutely nothing to do with coffee. Trying to translate VAT, ordering, stock control, social media, marketing, cleaning, fixing things… the list goes on! But I wouldn’t change it, I’ve learnt an enormous amount and I’m still learning every single day.

The cost of living has continued to put pressure on both businesses and customers. Have you noticed people changing their spending habits at The Flying Saucer, and have you had to adapt your offering as a result?

Absolutely. People are definitely more conscious of what they spend, and I completely understand that. A coffee is a treat for some people, so I never take it for granted that someone chooses to spend their money with us.

We’ve tried to keep offering a really good-quality product and experience rather than simply competing on price. We use speciality coffee from local roaster Dark Horse Roastery, and I want people to feel that when they buy a coffee from us, they’re getting something worth coming back for.

We’ve also introduced different products and little treats along the way, and we’re always looking at ways to give people a reason to visit without making it feel like we’re constantly asking them to spend more.

Your own costs will have risen too – how challenging has it been to balance those increases with keeping things affordable for your customers?

It’s definitely been a challenge. Like many small businesses, we’ve seen costs rise across the board, from coffee and milk to packaging and energy. VAT has also had a significant impact, particularly as there’s relatively little that I’m able to claim back.

At the same time, I’m very conscious that my customers are feeling the pressure of rising costs too. I want The Flying Saucer to remain somewhere people can enjoy great coffee and a little moment of happiness without feeling that it’s becoming an expensive treat.

For me, it’s all about finding the right balance: making sure the business is sustainable and able to continue offering high-quality coffee and locally sourced products, while keeping the prices as affordable and accessible as possible. It’s not always easy, but protecting that balance is incredibly important to me.

You’ve always put a lot of emphasis on supporting other local independents. Has that become even more important over the past year? Have you discovered any new local producers or businesses you’re particularly excited to work with?

Definitely. If anything, it’s become even more important. There’s something really special about small independent businesses supporting each other. We know how hard it can be, so if we can put money back into another local business while also offering our customers something brilliant, that feels like a win-win.

We’ve continued working with Dark Horse Roastery for our coffee, Natural Bread for all our pastries and gingerbread flamingos and Ardington Bakery for our traybakes. We’ve also got some lovely local products including Braeside Honey, Jess Bakes provides us with scrumptious sweet treats (Biscoff Rocky Road & Blueberry muffins just to name a couple) and Klare from The Witches Kitchen who supplies us with our vegan savoury treats and flapjacks. We’ve also had some brilliant collaborations and partnerships with local people, including Lou from Lou’s Fit Kitchen, who makes our YUMBALLS.

One of the things you loved about being independent was having the freedom to put your own “sparkle” on the customer experience. Has that continued to be one of the best parts of running The Flying Saucer, and have you introduced any new ways of making the experience special?

100%. In fact, I think it’s probably the thing I love most.

Being independent means I can wake up and think, “I’ve got an idea…” and just do it. Sometimes those ideas are brilliant and sometimes they’re completely ridiculous, but that’s half the fun!

We’ve had TuneFULL Tuesday, YUMBALL Wednesday, Flamingo Friday, competitions, giveaways, singing challenges, snails, flamingos, travel mugs and all sorts of nonsense along the way.

I want people to know that when they come to The Flying Saucer, they’re not just buying a coffee. They’re coming for a little bit of joy, a chat, a laugh and hopefully a bit of sunshine in their day.

You previously said success would be having customers think, “I can’t start my day without going to The Flying Saucer for a cuppa and a natter”. Have you had any moments over the past year where you thought, yes, this is exactly what I wanted to create?

So many. When people tell me they’ve had a rubbish morning and coming to George has made it better, that gets me every time. Or when someone walks up and before they’ve even ordered I know what they’re having. When customers come in and say, “I’ve missed you,” after the move. When people bring their friends and proudly introduce them to George. Those are the moments when I think, yes. This is exactly what I wanted.

It’s not really about selling coffee. It’s about creating somewhere people want to be.

What has been the biggest challenge for you personally as a small business owner this year? 

Without a doubt, the biggest challenge personally has been having to leave our original home. After everything we had built there and the community we had become part of, being told we had to move because another café was coming in was incredibly difficult.

Finding an alternative pitch was both emotionally and physically draining. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes when you’re a small business owner, and searching for somewhere that felt right, whilst worrying about what the move might mean for the business and our customers, was a really stressful period.

Finding our new home at Trident Business Park, just a couple of miles from where we started, was such a huge relief. It meant we could keep that connection with the community we’d worked so hard to build, while also giving The Flying Saucer a new chapter and room to grow.

I think another big personal challenge has been learning not to take things personally. When you’ve poured so much of yourself into a small business, it’s very easy to see every setback as a reflection of you. I’ve had to learn to step back, remind myself that not everything is within my control, and try to see challenges as part of the journey rather than as a personal failure.

What has got me through is the people around me – first and foremost, my incredibly supportive and patient husband, my family, my amazing suppliers, friends, customers and the people who have supported The Flying Saucer along the way. Knowing how much people care about what we’ve created has made the difficult moments feel worthwhile and reminded me why I started it in the first place.

Looking ahead, what does growth mean for The Flying Saucer? 

For me, growth isn’t about having five other horseboxes or coffee shops. Right now, I want to make our new home at Trident Business Park really strong. I want to build the customer base, become part of the local community and make George (The Flying Saucer) the place people think of when they need a really good coffee and a bit of sunshine.

I don’t want to grow just for the sake of growing. I want to grow without losing what makes us special.

Has your definition of success changed since we first spoke? 

Yes, definitely. When I started, success was much more about numbers – customers, sales, followers, growth. Now I think success is about sustainability and community.

If in a year’s time we have a thriving business, happy customers and people still walking up to the hatch saying, “I couldn’t start my day without coming here,” I’ll be delighted. If we’ve managed to have a ridiculous amount of fun along the way, even better!

You’ve learned a huge amount about coffee since starting the business – is there still a coffee-related skill, technique or piece of knowledge you’d love to master?

Oh, absolutely! There is always more to learn. I’d love to become much better at latte art. I can produce something vaguely resembling a heart on a good day, but I’m definitely not entering any competitions just yet!

What’s your perfect Flying Saucer coffee order these days and has running the business made you more particular about how your own coffee is made?

My perfect Flying Saucer coffee order is actually one where I already know what the customer wants! There’s something really lovely about knowing your regulars well enough that you can start making their coffee before they’ve even ordered it. It means I can focus less on the transaction and more on the conversation, which is a huge part of what I love about The Flying Saucer.

For my own coffee, though, I’m still very simple: a really good black filter coffee. Simple, but when it’s done well, absolutely delicious. Running a coffee business has definitely made me more particular about the quality of my coffee, but I think it’s also made me appreciate just how much goes into making something that seems so simple taste really, really good.

We can’t end without bringing back the music question from last year. You chose S Club 7’s Reach to sum up The Flying Saucer – one year on, is that still the soundtrack, or has another song taken over?

It’s still very much S Club 7’s Reach! I’m not sure anything will ever replace it, it just feels so perfectly The Flying Saucer.

If anything, I think the lyrics mean even more to me now. There have been plenty of ups and downs over the last year, but I’m still very much reaching for the stars. I’ve got big dreams for The Flying Saucer, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop reaching for them!

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