Street food has always been popular in the UK. However, with food vans, the street food culture is now reaching new heights. As life is getting busier, people have less time to wait in a restaurant for their food.
A research by Food and Agricultural Organization of the United States has proven the popularity of these food vans. They suggest that 2.5 billion people eat street food every day.
People want more food vans
Don’t just follow plain statistics. Look at search terms a swell. The term ‘food van’ has jumped to 49% in search in 204. ‘Street food’ searches have gone up to 83% and the ‘street food van’ searched have accelerated to 320%.
Food vans are better for business
If you want to set up a restaurant a UK, you could end up spending 50,000 euros. This is a huge cost. A large trailer or new van should cost 10,000 to 20,000 euros. You could set up a food van at a smaller cost than a new restaurant. If you opt for second hand vans, your costs could be halved with ease.
Why set up a food van?
- Lower start-up costs
- Low rent, hardly 30 to 100 euros a day
- Flexible working hours
Disadvantages of a food van
- Local laws that prohibit selling
- Working hours could be odd
- Lower initial profits
Mercedes Vans supplier, Van Monster could be of great help to you. They have created a small checklist for getting started with your own food vans business. Follow this checklist for creating a food business you could be proud of.
Food van checklist
- Buy your own van
- Register with the HMRC as a business. You will need to do this for tax purposes.
- Register with the local authority as a food business
- Get a Food Hygiene rating
- Display your food hygiene certificate on your van.
- Get an employer’s liability and public liability insurance.
- Get safe gas equipment and electric work done by professionals
- Go digital, use social media for promotions
- Be specific about your menu
An interview with successful food business owners
We talked to Vickey and Alex from Scream For Pizza. They run a successful food van business in the Newcastle and agreed to share their experienced with us.
Why did you create a food van business?
“We wanted to create a business that is unique and helps us establish our brand with a bang. A van helped us achieving both these objectives. It helped us grow our business more quickly than a regular restaurant.”
What are the main pros and cons of running a food van business?
“What most people don’t know is that food vans come with regular repair and maintenance costs. Other than that, food vans are great as they can help you setup a food business for a fraction of the cost of a restaurant.”
What’s your favourite part about this business?
“We get to meet and interact with many great people. We get invited to many events as well. It is a very personal way of serving food to the clients and we love it.”
What is your advice for people who want to start a food van business?
“Always ensure that your food van stands out in the crowd. Make it unique and ensure that you are ready for contingency expenses. Also get all your necessary certificates and licenses on time.”
Are you feeling inspired yet? Plan your food van business now.
