Author: CMK

Categories: Food Trailers

Today’s food trucks and trailers are no stranger to innovation or creativity. While mobile kitchens were once simple make-shift means of necessary grub on the go, the mobile food industry has helped shift food trucks and trailers onto a whole other imaginative level.

The availability and selection of mobile kitchens have helped advance what hopeful entrepreneurs can do with food trucks and trailers.

The industry has also demanded more creative, out-the-box options- and budding business owners were quick to jump on board.

We’ve seen hundreds of food trucks and trailers in our time, but these five beauties take the cake for us in terms of creativity and inventiveness.

(We’ve seen a whole lot of super cool food trucks though, trust us.)

Five Mobile Food Trucks That Are Seriously Inventive

The Pancake Selfie Express

The creative director for The Holiday Inn Express brand conjured up this insane (but effective!) way of combining yummy food on the go and our love for the selfie all in one.

Sounds a little out to lunch, right?

Well, we love it- and so does everyone else, it seem. The mobile kitchens travels around serving up delicious pancakes with your selfie on top.

These personalized dishes brings food truck and trailer dining to a whole other level, with the engagement element driving long lines outside The Pancake Selfie Express. Customers snap a quick selfie using software built into the truck, which is then sent to a printing device.

Viola- your face on a pancake. Eat up!

Pancake selfie express food truck

The Fair Food Co.

If they’re run properly, food trucks can be quite environmentally friendly.

The Fair Food Co, however, decided to create an even more environmentally friendly option for food on the go. Owners of THB Disturbance and The Hardy Boys created the three wheeled food “tuk tuk” that guzzles quite a bit less gas than traditional counterparts.

The edamame shack aims to provide a much healthier alternative for people who really only do what a snack to tide them over.

They sustainably source the edamame, as well as ensuring their takeout boxes are made of recycled bean pods.

By exploring different alternatives for transportation and waste management, the food mobile industry can become even more environmentally friendly.

Tuk tuk food truck

Kitchen Of The Unwanted Animals

There’s two cool things about this mobile kitchen.

Their commitment to reducing food waste is nothing short of impressive, with the entire menu built on using the meat from animals that aren’t typically used.

This venture has been the centre of much debate, particularly from animal rights activists- but the truck maintains that safe and healthy consumption of these meats (such as pigeon, horse, goose etc.) plays a notable part in reducing food waste.
Secondly, though- Kitchen Of The Unwanted Animals is built within a Jeep. A Jeep!
Huffington Post called this mobile food truck- “maybe the craziest food truck yet.”

food truck

The Seattle Barkery

A food truck for dogs- finally! Don’t worry though, everything made and sold in this gem is good for both humans and canines.

Fancy a peanut butter and banana cookie?

If your dog does too, you’re in luck.

These clever owners used the truck for mostly product inventory to be sold, but the “barkery” also houses a small kitchen in the back to conjure up fresh little treats and snacks.

We can’t get over the use of space, though- the food truck operates as a small kitchen, but has really been transformed to house and sell product like a mall kiosk.

Genius.

seattle food truck

The FoodShare Truck

Another beauty that used a food truck to effectively transport and sell product, this socially green initiative aims to deliver fresh fruits and veggies to Toronto’s food deserts.

The aim of this truck is to connect areas that are unable to get fresh produce with their 5 servings a day. Typically, the path of transportation for fresh produce runs dry to many Northern communities, as well as areas a little off the map.

The result? Many communities pay insanely inflated prices, or some have no option at all- their diet is doomed to lack fresh fruits and veggies.

It’s a complete retrofit of the original point of a food truck, but the versatility of these mobile kitchens provides an alternative path of transportation for goods that communities are lacking.

The FoodShare Truck is part of the Mobile Good Food Market Initiative, which falls under the Toronto Public Health Project.

Happy As Larry

Fresh pizza? From a food truck?

Yep! 100%. “Happy As Larry” sells fresh pizzas and pies from a converted truck – a truck that hauls a revamped storage container that’s a full Italian-style eatery.

The gigantic wood fire oven required some creativity, and the space of a shipping container provided just that. Their Napoli-style pizzas are known across the entire Australian nation, with the interior of this beauty being an attraction by itself.

In addition to the wood fire oven, “Happy As Larry” house a fully stocked commercial kitchen to serve up

Happy as Larry food truck

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Categories: Food Trailers

Hiring A Food Trailer For Your Wedding Is A Hot Trend

Food trucks/trailers and weddings. They’re not really two things that you would automatically pair together, but these mobile kitchens are becoming a budget friendly and memorable option for catering weddings.

We’ve been to quite a few weddings in our time, but one of all our all time favorites was our dear friends last June- a hot, but beautiful day out in the town of Canmore, Alberta.

The wedding was a small, super laid back celebration designed with an all Canada theme; plaid made many appearances, and the cocktail of the day was of course the classic Caeser.

But really, what’s one of the best parts of wedding for the guests?

(Aside from the open bar, of course.)

The food.

The typical catering options weren’t present at this wedding though. Much to our unbiased delight, our childhood friends opted for a food truck to feed the drunk and hungry.

And absolutely nailed it.

The Canadian themed food truck offered up poutine, bannock, lobster rolls, Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, nanaimo bars and a few other North American classics. Awesome, eh?

Why Hire A Food Trailer For Your Wedding?

Hiring a food truck or trailer is a great alternative to traditional catering options, and when paired with the right theme, can make for an unforgettable wedding.

  • Food trucks are typically more flexible in terms of booking them and the space and resources required.
  • If you’re on a budget, mobile kitchens are much more cost effective when it comes to feeding your guests.
  • The menus offered by food trucks and trailers can be more unique and tailored to your
    weddings theme and dietary needs
  • Little to no clean up for you or your guests post ceremony celebration- yahoo!
  • Mobile kitchens leave way more time for socializing since guests aren’t being served food at set times, and at set tables.
  • Working with a food truck or trailer can be a lot less stress than designing a catering menu from scratch.
  • The food is fresher, since food trailer vendors are literally bringing the kitchen to the wedding-
    compared to food that is prepared off site, then brought over
  • If you and your guests love to eat (or need a lot of food to control the open bar) then food trucks and trailers give you way more bang for your back, and the entire wedding can eat all night- not just once.

There’s A Few Drawbacks To Hiring A Food Truck For Your Wedding

Of course, a food truck or food trailer may not work for everyone’s wedding- and that’s ok! Mobile kitchens have their limitations, which may present a problem for some weddings.

  • Typically, food trailers can only effectively serve 75 people or less at a time. By effectively, we mean little wait time for your guests and constant replenishment of grub.
  • Mobile kitchens are weather dependant, creating one factor that’s entirely out of your control. Rain or shine? Not so much for food trailers.
  • Food trailers don’t really do fine dining, and for some, it’s just simply what they want their menu to be at their wedding.
  • Just like the struggles of licensing and permits (especially these food trailer owners, who found out the hard way) – certain cities impose stipulations on mobile kitchens that make it really difficult to use a food trailer at a wedding venue.

Just like any alternative really, what may work for some may not work for others- again, totally ok.

How People Started Hiring Food Trailers For Weddings

From an industry standpoint, it’s a new trend to choose a food trailer for your wedding. The idea has only been around a few years, and actually had a slow start.

Of course there is a perception about what mobile kitchens are, and where they should be. A wedding didn’t use to fit in that category, with caterers and venue kitchens being the choice for ceremonies.

Until some food trucks really nailed it; then the idea went somewhat viral.

Captured by younger couples mostly, mobile kitchens at a wedding started a social media buzz that paired well with more casual and alternative wedding styles.

The days of wedding tradition are dwindling down as people redefine how they plan and execute their wedding. Less emphasis on tradition = less emphasis on traditional food.

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Categories: Food Trailers

Blogs are awesome.

No really, they are.

Food truck and trailer blogs are even better.

Blogs quickly became a key part of great content strategies, with over 31 million blogs in the US alone. Preferred by most readers for their transparency and specificity, blogs quickly surpassed sponsored and generic website content for valuable information sources online.

Not to mention, the personal touch behind each post keeps people coming back- readers are drawn to the persona behind the blog, and more intimate relationships are formed.

The thing about blogs is that their recent, genuine and honest. Following blogs can keep you in the loop more effectively than searching content.

Which is why you should be following these food trailer blogs like, yesterday.

You Need To Be Following These Ten Food Trailer Blogs

We picked ten blogs that as food trailers owners, you should be following. Info right at your fingertips about the exact topics you want to know about?

Great, right?

Just how we shared what apps you should be using, we share the winning blogs!

The Best Food Trailer Blogs On The Internet

#1- Food Truck Operator

This blog is a little bit of everything, for everyone. These guys are awesome at keeping up to date with relevant news, events and announcements- but they also share success stories, design ideas and helpful business tips.

#2- Food Truck Empire

These guys post frequently, which makes them an awesome blog to follow for consistent and new information. They love to cover unique food trucks and new additions to the scene, as well as market trends and very, very helpful business tips.

The star of this blog is their knowledge of the industry, and the content they produce about it. You never miss a beat.

#3- Roaming Hunger

This blog is totally outside the box. They cover everything from experimental marketing to content about the wedding industry. It may seem strange, but they cleverly relate everything to continued success of food trucks. It offers you some insight about how to really get your food truck out there and thriving.

The best thing about Roaming Hunger is that they produce pieces of content that are literally made for social sharing, fetching high engagement and conversion rates- all for you.

#4- Food Truckr

Food Truckr is probably the most inspirational food truck and trailer blog out there. It’s geared at writing posts to excel your food trailer business, written by veterans in the field that really know what they’re doing.

As expected, they write tonnes of valuable content as well as news items for the mobile food industry.

#5- National Food Trucks

Now, we’re just going to note that these guys don’t update as frequently as the rest.

But man oh man- the quality and quantity of information available on this blog makes it an insanely valuable resource for food trailer owners looking for concrete stats and information. And if you’re looking for event and geographic information regarding your food trucks, this is the blog to visit.

#6- Good Fynd

Specifically geared towards marketing for food trucks, Good Fynd is the best blog to go to for marketing tips and tricks for your food trailer.

#7- Food Truck Empire

Kind of like Roaming Hunger, this blog is a little wacky as well- it’s more industry based, so content can really vary.

These posts are easy reads, and refreshing content too – trust us, you haven’t read anything like even half the stuff in this blog.

#8- Mobile Cuisine

This is the blog for all things mobile food. Just like our favorite blogs, there’s everything for food trailer owners here- design, marketing, events, industry news and business tips.

They also hold wicked contests every quarter, which can be really fun for their readers.

#9- Boston Food Truck

Full of industry news, marketing strategies and business tips, Boston Food Truck also offers seriously robust social media strategies for food trailer owners.

These guys are also equipped with a food truck finder and food truck reviews (so you can have a little spy on your competition!)

#10- Behind The Food Carts

This isn’t a blog for hard hitting news or business tips.

Behind The Food Carts is a photo centered, story telling blog that just gives you a really good and easy read.

Mobile kitchen entrepreneurs share their stories, and the blog pays tribute to the beautiful food out there.

The blog won Saveur Magazine’s “Best Culinary Travel Blog” in 2013 and has over 200,000 followers on Tumblr alone.

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Categories: COVID-19

The Future Of Food Trucks After COVID-19

COVID-19 was nothing short but a time of supreme uncertainty for almost everyone on the globe.

Even for those still working, or the heroes on the front line, economic security has been- a continues to be- a concern of everybody’s.

With entire industries coming to a complete standstill, the hospitality industry has seemed to suffer the most with 1 in 10 bars and restaurants permanently closing their doors after suffering a loss of income too big to recoup during the pandemic.

In Canada, it’s estimated that up to a third of independent restaurants won’t open back up even after the social distancing parameters have been lifted.

But the demand for meals and entertainment outside the home hasn’t died in the same way. In fact, demand has increased= even COVID-19 is a sore competitor for society’s demand for tasty food on the go.

People just reaaaaallly don’t want to be in their kitchen a whole lot.

COVID-19 Only Accelerated Food Takeout & Delivery Demand

“COVID-19 killed the food industry.”

“The worst industry to be in right now is the food and beverage industry- we can’t do anything.”

Common verbiage- but very much so incorrect.

And the stats confirm this. Skip The Dishes revenue grew an insane 11,000% during the period of COVID-19 “lockdown”. Even emerging out of periods of lock down, social distancing parameters in physical locations have still presented a consistently growing demand for take-out food.

Uber Eats was hit with so much demand, that they quickly trained up their regular ride-share staff to complete deliveries. Within one week, every participating Uber driver had delivered an order.

Yes, on top of the regular activity of Uber Eats.

Takeout demand was so high, that four infant companies emerged during COVID-19 to connect buying customers with food on the go.

The demand for food on the go has done nothing but rise in the face closed restaurants and bars. But with lockdown beginning to lift, and the hospitality industry not quite back on it’s feet, it leaves huge market for “the happy medium.”

That beautiful happy medium is quick, delicious food to go that paying customers can venture out to get. The way in which we grab our food and drinks outside the home has changed- not the need.

Seriously- during this time, a brisk walk or bike ride to grab some food and go is the mixture of convenient grub and entertainment. It’s the new “going out.”

Food Trucks & Trailers Are Coming Out Of COVID-19 Strong

Just like food delivery apps, food trucks and trailers are coming out of the pandemic quite strong.

It is absolutely fair to say that there have been restrictions set out in place that have impacted food trucks and trailers across nations. Food truck festivals have been cancelled, and highly populated areas where some food trailers frequented in very urbanized areas have been asked to relocate.

But food trucks and trailers have actually been saving graces during the pandemic, with some notable operators setting up to feed health care workers close to facilities, or across the country’s highway to feed essential truck drivers.

Food trucks and trailers, just like restricted fast food joints, hold the same ability to provide great takeout- without the overhead of a physical location.

“…that’s where we’ve kind of held an advantage. People are still out and about in the parks, the highways, you know- places like that, because they’re allowed, right? They still want that sense of normalcy where they can get food at the lake, or whatever. We’ve done pretty well….” (Jeff, food truck owner in Florida)

COVID-19 Procedures Are Seriously Attainable For Food Trailers

While we don’t want to call it an acceleration, food trucks and trailers (for the most part) experienced growth in the same way that food delivery apps did.

Sudden and unexpected, yes- but consistent, more importantly.

A big chunk of the “ease” that food trailer operators find is that COVID-19 processes- sanitization, distancing rules, capacity etc. – is either very attainable or non-applicable.

Aside from physical distancing in high traffic areas, and disruptions to potential event schedules, food trailers have it as easy as our favorite fast food joints who are drive-thru only.

But guys. Remember, there was a hole in the market before COVID-19; the need for fresh, organic, on-trend and delicious food on the go.

Once again folks, that demand has not changed.

Food Trucks & Trailers Replace Eating Options That Physical Locations Offered

Given that food trucks were consistently hitting the demand for food options outside the standard Big Mac before COVID-19, it only makes sense that this originating demand- coupled with physical locations closing- has increased.

Typically, physical restaurants are the ones to truly hop on food trends. And we’re talking dietary, preference, curiosity…physical resturants and bars still take the cake for ultimate capitalization on these trends.

Money, manpower and resources will get you far.

But listen- food trucks and trailers were already disrupting the fast food industry and are unequivocally continuing to do so.

Where & What Your Food Truck Is Makes All The Difference

Just hold on though. Just because there is a growing demand doesn’t mean that just any option will do.

It might seem like smart business sense to be aware of what your business is and what you’re providing, but we do notice a common trend of people getting lazy when they want to make a quick buck from a hot industry.

“I mean, we’ve seen some trucks shut down because they’re slapping up subpar products and doing like, no marketing. We see it, that’s why we stay on top of what we’re doing to make sure we’re hitting exactly what people are looking for…. Just because we’re in a pandemic and people are craving takeout- oh for sure, no, they are, doesn’t mean you’re automatically gonna get those sales, right?” (Jeff, food truck owner in Calgary.)

It’s true though. People are out and about, for sure, but the competitive space remains the same. There might be more demand, but this doesn’t equal subpar choices from paying customers.

Grow within the shift of how people get food outside their own kitchen- because the shift is there. The shift has happened, and from the looks of it, the shift may signify long term changes to the mobile food industry.

Grow with it, and keep your practices the same at very best. Adjust your marketing and product offerings to reflect the absence of physical restaurants. Look at your physical presence to make sure you’re hitting where the demand is.

Because again guys- the demand has changed, not decreased. Not even close.

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