I need your local knowledge... areas for mobile food vending (Phoenix: sales, insurance)

[Guitarmaan]

ok (as I posted previously) my wife and I are heading to Phoenix very soon. We plan to start a life, buy a home and build a business. We've researched Phoenix quite a lot and feel it suits us very much. It seems to have so many positives.

The consensus on this forum is usually base your home near your work. Well that makes sense to me. However we aim to start a mobile food business. Probably selling icecream and drinks etc, but also perhaps heated food in the evenings. So the location of our work is open to debate! And will vary a little during a weeks run no doubt.

We really need advice on this subject.

Our obvious market for icecream and drinks would be kids, and I guess that means wherever kids congregate (rules permitting) whether it be mon-fri schools or weekend hangouts. Our other target markets will be construction workers, and those construction sites will regularly change over time. I do wonder if we could also target the stadium market somehow, and any tourist spots?

So my from your local knowledge, can you recommend any stadiums with regular events that we could perhaps set up nearby & sell to? And are there good tourist spots that might be good targets, such as salt river tubing or Apache Junction? We're open to working evenings not just days, so perhaps bar & club customers might buy from us. I guess also swimming pools attract crowds, and open air markets?

I know there will be a large list of spots/areas, but if I can group the best shots into one zone, then perhaps I can pin down where best to set up home also. Maybe we should just be aiming for central Phoenix, so we can reach out to any area like Glendale or Mesa. Or perhaps one side of Phoenix has much more going on than the other where people visit?

A less attractive possibility we have to consider is if the business fails and we have to find regular employment. Again should we stay central encase that happens? Or just commit to a place (Mesa for example) and only apply for jobs on the East side of Phoenix?

Safety is always important, so I guess a lot of the South is best avoided (I'm not trying to bait anyone by saying that btw). And I know Maryvale can be rough. But equally I don't think Scottsdale is really for us. We're looking at the lower end of the housing market.

Any advice you can throw our way is appreciated! Sorry for the long post.

[Bondurant]

If you're looking for details on a mobile food business you should contact the Phoenix Street Food Coalition. Lots of food trucks here. Each city has their own requirements and regulations and that can make things complicated.

[NotQuiteNative]

Selling food outside of stadiums is going to be a competitive situation, as are the "roach coaches" that drop by construction sites, etc. You'll need to pay for the concession and bid against others who are already there.

Kids aren't really a good market for this sort of thing. Kids around here often don't go outside much. It's too hot or their parents are too afraid, or the kids are too busy with extracurriculars.

Gourmet food trucks are a sudden trend, but to make it profitable you need to know the area pretty well and when and where to be present. You also need to know how to cook very well and have a good command of social media. Oh, and a about $50K at least to put into a truck. And a good prep kitchen.

Have you looked into liability insurance and health requirements, etc?

I would think you'd want to stay close to areas where you could fall back on work in the service industry doing things like bartending and waiting tables until you can get your feet on the ground. To make that work you should stay near Central Phoenix or Scottsdale where tipping can actually be pretty reasonable.

[Guitarmaan]

"If you're looking for details on a mobile food business you should contact the Phoenix Street Food Coalition. Lots of food trucks here. Each city has their own requirements and regulations and that can make things complicated."- Bondurant
many thanks

"Selling food outside of stadiums is going to be a competitive situation, as are the "roach coaches" that drop by construction sites, etc. You'll need to pay for the concession and bid against others who are already there." - NotQuiteNative

Really? I can imagine paying for a stadium spot, but dropping by construction sites surprises me a bit. I wouldn't be wanting a static spot, I'd pass by now and then to sell icecream for example. I'd leave the lunch sales to the regular guys.

"Kids aren't really a good market for this sort of thing. Kids around here often don't go outside much. It's too hot or their parents are too afraid, or the kids are too busy with extracurriculars." - NotQuiteNative

If an icecream van drives by at the weekend, don't some kids run out and buy? Maybe they're not popular in AZ?

"Have you looked into liability insurance and health requirements, etc?" - NotQuiteNative

Not yet, it's on my to do list. I expect it to be expensive though, but that's life.

"I would think you'd want to stay close to areas where you could fall back on work in the service industry doing things like bartending and waiting tables until you can get your feet on the ground. To make that work you should stay near Central Phoenix or Scottsdale where tipping can actually be pretty reasonable" - NotQuiteNative

ok that's good to know. I'd probably aim more for a delivery type role though either to tide me over or if the food business failed. I like to be outdoors you see, whether it's hot or not. That's a big deal for me

[locolobo13]

I don't know much about the food delivery biz. In my area of central Phoenix there are a lot of food delivery people. Guys walking along pushing a hand cart labeled "Patellas", trike carts selling hot dogs or tamales, to the regular ice cream vans going up and down the street. And the kids do come out in my neighborhood.

Two things though. First there is a lot of competition. I see these carts all over the neighborhood almost all the time.

Second, it will help if you learn spanish. At least in my neighborhood. Most of the school kids can speak english but most speak spanish better than english. I'm not saying you can't start out without spanish. Just that I think it would be worth your time to learn the language.

Just my 2 cents.

[NotQuiteNative]

One idea for you: If you're from the UK and have any sort of accent (doesn't matter if Cockney, midlands, Welsh or BBC) you have an advantage with dealing with people here. Most people are under the impression that it sounds intelligent or cultured or whatever. That's why a tipped position might work great for you. Tips aren't really a reality in Europe, so it might not occur to you otherwise.

Just a thought.

[Bungle]

Originally Posted by NotQuiteNative

Kids aren't really a good market for this sort of thing. Kids around here often don't go outside much. It's too hot or their parents are too afraid, or the kids are too busy with extracurriculars.

When you say 'around here' are you speaking to your specific neighborhood or part of the valley? I ask because every evening this summer at a City of Phoenix park near my house the playground is packed and two separate ice cream trucks make regular stops.

[Guitarmaan]

"Second, it will help if you learn spanish. At least in my neighborhood. Most of the school kids can speak english but most speak spanish better than english. I'm not saying you can't start out without spanish. Just that I think it would be worth your time to learn the language". - locolobo13

It's interesting you say that, because my wife and I have discussed learning Spanish. We'd like to learn it anyway, but if it helps with business too then that's another reason to learn it!

"One idea for you: If you're from the UK and have any sort of accent (doesn't matter if Cockney, midlands, Welsh or BBC) you have an advantage with dealing with people here". - NotQuiteNative

That's encouraging to hear, because I imagine business is very competitive and the jobs market very tough right now. I once worked for the BBC actually

One option I have is to hire a truck from a vendor on a trial basis to see if I can make something of it. Some companies will hire out and supply stock also. That way I don't have to put my own money in straight away. I've no doubt there will be a lot of vendors out there vying for the same customers. But that's life generally, and the nature of competition. I am certainly prepared to put the hours and research in to give it a real shot.

I wonder if the Glendale sports and entertainment district might be a good draw if there are regular events. I'd have to find spots close enough but not so close to fall foul of trading rules there.

"When you say 'around here' are you speaking to your specific neighborhood or part of the valley? I ask because every evening this summer at a City of Phoenix park near my house the playground is packed and two separate ice cream trucks make regular stops." - Bungle

I'm interested in what you say here, because you refer to "summer". So does that mean that even though Arizona has such hot weather throughout the year, events and games still only occur during summer? I kind of assumed there would be a year round market due to the climate. Maybe I was wrong though?

[Bungle]

Originally Posted by Guitarmaan

I'm interested in what you say here, because you refer to "summer". So does that mean that even though Arizona has such hot weather throughout the year, events and games still only occur during summer? I kind of assumed there would be a year round market due to the climate. Maybe I was wrong though?

It was just a response to the comment from the other poster of it being too hot outside for kids to play during the summer months. I've spent quite a bit of time these past few months at this specific park and it always has people in it. Soccer games have been played at least four nights a week. Various vendors frequent the area.

And you are correct...events and games happen year round here.

[Guitarmaan]

Originally Posted by Bungle

And you are correct...events and games happen year round here.

Good