Street food is well-loved and enjoyed every bite of it for a long time. While being in India and thinking about street food then a great variety springs up in our mind and keeps nagging until we grab it. Food trucks are sensational street food providers in India A boom was visible in the food truck business since 2008 as at that time, the economy was in the clutches of recession and the restaurateurs picked the concept of starting a restaurant business with lesser spending in a down economy,” the online newspaper wrote. “Restaurateurs who were hesitant to drop serious cash on launching a restaurant turned to mobile trucks as a less expensive way to sell food in a down economy. In recent times, it is deemed respectable venues for starting a career in the food business.
Food trucks are also regarded as the mobile version of the restaurant business. A food truck can move to any place where the customers are more likely to be located. This makes it as one of the sizzling trends in the restaurant business. Changing consumers’ tastes and preferences and approach towards consumption of street food and beverages has resulted in a jump in demand for food truck business over the years. Manufacturers of these trucks are keened towards developing trucks keeping in mind the hygiene factor. The global food truck market has witnessed a surge due to the factors such as rising busy schedules, rise in working women population, and approach towards street food and rapid urbanization.
Two types of food trucks operate in India:
1. Small Trucks – minimal branding, less equipment, and limited menu – usually seen selling tiffins, snack items, and Chinese. These can fit in parking slots designated for one or two vehicles without sacrificing the space needed for operation.
2. Bustaurants/ Double-decker setups – ‘the Moving Cart’ and made its first run in April 2013. A joint venture of Maharashtra Tourism and the Moving Cart Company, the food bus is the second of its type, with one being run in Chennai by the same company.
Without any doubt, this division is a new craze these days; most of the time we catch sight of a food truck on the streets in India, it is estimated to be growing at a rate of 8.4% annually. According to, National Restaurant Association report, it was estimated that by 2017-18 the revenue generated from the food truck business in India would touch 2.7 billion dollars approximately, a huge amount from 650 million dollars five years back.
Cost of opening a Food Truck in India
An average food truck can cost between INR 8-10 lakhs in India. On the upper end of the selection, a well-equipped food truck can even cost up to 20 lakhs.
Requirements for starting a food truck business in India :
1. Identifying the right food truck: One can invest in a new customized vehicle or buy an old vehicle and customize on their own but choose the size that fits the requirement.
2. Choosing a proper location for the truck to operate: One needs to look for a space that has visits of young professionals and students around and with rich space to park and serve.
3. Deciding the menu – scrutinize the market for competition and go for existing menus and then try to come with something innovative.
4. Buying kitchen supplies and raw material – Try to buy new ones with warranty periods.
5. Licenses and permits: Various licenses and permits need to be obtained to set up a business, to stay free from legal nuisance.
6. POS: POS is much more than just a piece of technology that takes care of your billing and technology. It is connected to several key business functions including
CRM, analytics, and inventory. A good POS will cost around INR 25-30K (6-month pack).
7. Staff: It helps in handling the daily operations of your business, Luckily in India, the costs of hiring staff are not too much.Cost around 13-15K per month per person.
8. Marketing: Like any other business, this business also needs promotion and advertisement. It would include both offline and online promotions and worth a lot of money. The sum at least 20K a month for marketing.
Apart from the regular business which has a minimum of Rs. 8000-9000 sales per day, a food truck can also generate money from various events and catering systems. A single event or catering can make earnings up to Rs. 30,000 in a day.