Street food vans
Street food vending has been with us for centuries, providing generations of entrepreneurs with lucrative catering businesses that now, in the 21st century, trade from sophisticated street food vans. For those venturing into this growing market the experienced street trading team at MVTech can assist in numerous ways.
Street food
But first a word about street food. Not that long ago most people would have associated street food with burgers, bacon rolls, hot dogs, fish and chips, jacket potatoes, tea or ice cream cornets. This perception is now seriously outdated with the range of street food available in the UK more akin to a listing of world foods, and increasing year on year, as caterers approach us to design street food vans for an almost infinite variety of foods, some of which are, in all honesty, new to us!
So much so that standard fare such as doughnuts to kebabs and Cornish pasties to pizza could be considered a little “old hat,” but it has to be said that there continues to be a great deal of ingenuity going into cooking, flavouring, serving, and branding these well-established favourites. So, we do not anticipate a decline in the market even for these staples of the industry.
However, as our population grows increasingly diverse, plus many more consumers being more adventurous for new taste sensations, it has become common place for us to be asked to create street food vans suitable for Malaysian, Venezuelan, Thai, Indian, Mexican or Cantonese food experiences (to name but a very few examples) along with those wishing to specialise with plant based vegan or gluten free foods.
With the street food market now valued at £1.2 billion per annum and forecast to keep growing as an estimated 47% of consumers plan to eat more of it in the next year, according to Allegra Foodservice research, we see no let up in the need for street food vans. Some industry estimates believe that they currently account for up to £600 million within the overall street food market and expected to grow by 20% per annum. Thus making this an attractive market for anyone seeking to run their own profitable independent business within this sector of the food industry.
Street food vans
There are estimated to be 7,000 street food vans operating throughout the UK and Northern Ireland so with a growing market there are opportunities for many more. What makes well thought out vans so successful is their flexibility and mobility, for example during the week they can operate on trading and business estates whilst at weekends and holidays they can follow customers to festivals, markets, and city centres.
Another attraction for those seeking to create a catering business in this way is the relative lower risks and overhead costs of food vans compared with traditional fixed premises. Start-up finance is generally much easier to obtain for a van than a building and avoids the high risk of long-term commitment to leases and mortgages, not to mention often disproportionate deposit requirements.
Panel vans
The panel van is a very popular base vehicle for street food with, and from our experience, the Ford Transit and Fiat Ducato models prove the most popular. Both models are available in a range of sizes so there is one to suit every business, but in general the L2H3 and L3H3 sizes prove to be the most practical.
Serving counters can be fitted into either the side panels, entrance doorway or within the rear doors making these vans quite versatile in layout and design.
At MVTech we are more than happy to convert new vehicles or pre-owned models. We can supply, assist with a purchase or work on a client supplied van. We really do not mind. If you wish to make a purchase do check out a range of local dealerships and make use of Google search. There are usually deals to be had somewhere, so always worth a thorough search before commitment. We have some excellent dealer contacts so if you want us to help, we will.
Alternatives to a panel van conversion
Chassis cab-based vehicles.
If a panel van is simply too small for your requirements, then the next best alternative is to opt for a chassis cab conversion. Ideally go for a low floor model or platform cab such as the Ford Transit Chassis Cab which is available in a range of 5 wheelbase models and thereby offering a good range of body length options to suit different needs.
We normally build the body but if you find one with existing body, new or pre-owned, that suits your needs and budget, then we can work with that too.
Providing more cubic capacity than panel vans these models can accommodate more equipment and more storage making them ideal for those who may be attending fixed events in addition to street trading.
A “Luton” body will provide additional space above the cab so this may be something to consider as part of your discussions with us.
Vintage vans
The eponymous Citroen “H” van is without doubt the most recognisable and most frequently used vintage vehicle for street traders and they are eye catching when refurbished. However they are restricted in space and most of them are either unroadworthy and need to be transported on trailers or if fully working and legal…well let us say…a bit of a pain to drive and only practical for very short distances.
That all said they do have their place and are ideal for retailing packaged goods and serving both hot and cold drinks
Other alternatives
Treating the title of this blog with a little licence may we just mention the alternatives to a food van and just briefly mention to potential vendors of pre prepared foods that there are non-motorised options for street food vending and a perfect example of this is the traditional ice-cream cycle. These really can work extremely well and prove very cost effective for retailing prepared foods.
That said we also undertake bus conversions, horse box conversions, Airstream conversions along with trailers, kiosks and demountable cabins.
At MVTech we can make a few creative suggestions for this approach so do ask us if you are considering one of these alternatives.
A trend towards self-service?
We have assisted several of our customers to become leaders in their fields via self-service abut we do accept that it only works for a limited number of ventures.
If you are planning to retail prepacked foods it could be worth considering the cost effectiveness of opting for a self-service concept as this approach can reduce staffing costs, increase customer footfall, and thus improve profitability.
Catering Equipment on street food vans
Our equipment installation team is experienced in the purchase and installation of all types of catering equipment including Coffee machines, ovens, fridges and freezers, griddles and grills, bain maries, fryers, pizza ovens, Kebab machines, boiling tops, and heated displays.
Using our experience, we can help you work out the layout, choose the best equipment for the job and work with you to source the best deals regarding their purchase.
Weight is always going to be an issue on catering vans and an aspect we can calculate for you. An overweight van is illegal and will render the driver to fines and penalties. Best avoided!
On board storage
We always aim to incorporate sufficient during the design phase. Storage being essential for ingredients, which may well require refrigeration, and consumables such as cups, napkins, and cutlery. When you are thinking of the layout and content of any new van do remember the importance of storage space.
Powering street food vans
Traditionally we would be supplying generators for catering vehicles and trailers to provide the electrical power required. These days we are more likely to be discussing with you the use of solar panels fixed to the roof of the van and linked to onboard battery packs.
These will not always provide the required, so land line connections and generators are a feature that usually need to be incorporated into any specification. Once into the nitty gritty of the catering equipment we can advise on the practicality and cost effectiveness of solar energy which, incidentally, is a great selling point if you need to negotiate site fees with environmentally aware organisations such as local authorities and landowners.
If your catering equipment requires gas supply do not worry, we have experienced installers within our team who can advise and assist with this too.
Incorrectly installed electricity and gas is dangerous. We have skilled installation teams for these services and everything installation they install is checked and Certified via independent inspection prior to the hand over of every one of our street food vans.
The importance of branding
Whilst we are unlikely to be involved in the choice of brand names when working on new projects we can advise on the best and most cost-effective approach to how the branding is applied to the van. The options most generally available include simple vinyl lettering, a full vinyl wrap, painting, or a combination of these.
You may want illuminated signage, built in menu boards and LED lighting and if so, we can provide features including flagpoles, “A” boards, bins, and even lightweight fencing.
If you do not have access to a visualiser to create concept drawings, we can do this for you.
Quality and food hygiene makes for a good investment.
Don’t cut corners is our mantra. Quality is important and quality is what we take pride in providing as it is always cost effective in the long run of any business venture. As one of the few companies in our industry to have achieved ISO 9001 Accreditation for quality, every customer can be assured of our high standards.
We design our food vans to be easy to clean and maintain.
How MVTech can assist develop exciting new ventures
We do make simple traditional burger vans and are happy to do so, but we prefer to do an awful lot more than that. With our experience in exhibition vehicles and mobile kitchens we enjoy creating new concepts to help budding street food entrepreneurs stand out from the crowd and assist in developing their business plans. Whether you are thinking of a traditional serving approach, a new way of presenting your food or providing a self-service operation, we can assist you.
Whatever foods you intend to prepare and sell we can install the equipment you need. It really doesn’t matter if you want to sell traditional UK foods, gluten free foods, vegetarian Punjabi street food, shawarma wraps or grilled souvlaki meat wraps our team of experienced catering equipment installers are on hand to advise on what can (and very occasionally) cannot be done in a street food van.
We pride ourselves on providing sound practical recommendations where the most common problem is to do with weight. We never blindly convert vehicles and supply them overweight rendering the vehicle illegal on the road and the caterer subject to prosecution and fines along with other costly consequences.
If you have a great new idea that you want to keep quiet about until the launch then rest assured that MVTech, as a leading manufacturer of security related vehicle conversions, is used to maintaining clients confidentiality a reason for us having been awarded Cyber Essentials Certification. Your future business plans are safe with us.
Refurbishing existing catering trailers and vans
We have focused this blog on the subject of new projects but rest assured that if you have an existing trailer or vehicle or intend to purchase second hand we are more than happy to service your purchase or refurbish it. Sometimes we tweak and sometimes we completely rebuild from chassis upwards. Whatever you need we are here to help and support your business become profitable and successful.
We are available on 0116 326 0989 or via e-mail at sales@multivehicletechnology.co.uk and look forward to hearing from you. If you want it a bit more personal but unable to travel to visit, why not set up a Microsoft Teams meeting with us?
