Just because it’s on wheels, it isn’t fast food
The number of mobile vendors in the province continuing to grow
The large teal truck rolling down the highway featuring a decal of pink lips, curled up as if they were Elvis Presley’s, slapped onto the side, tends to turn a few heads, says Brad Gover, co-owner of Saucy Mouth,
“The (most fun) thing is the other truck drivers will give you the little wink and a wave,” Gover said. “Obviously, when you’re driving a larger truck, it’s like you’re part of a club. We used to get looks all the time, but I think people are definitely more used to it.”
Saucy Mouth is one of over a dozen food trucks now approved for the streets of St. John’s. Many are part of the Mobile Vendors Association (MVAN) of Newfoundland, of which Gover is the media and communications director.
“Our membership includes most of the vendors in the St. John’s area… both the new school and the old school. Like ourselves and Big Boy Baos and Quidi Vidi Fish and Chips, but then we also have the old guard that have been around forever, like Winky’s Wedges and Ziggy Peelgood’s,” Gover said.
Through online research, MVAN estimates there are about 15 food trucks in St. John’s and about 65 to 70, mostly mom and pop-style chip trucks, across the province. But those numbers are expected to continue to grow.
“There’s all kinds of new trucks coming this summer, and everyone is working toward getting their truck or trailer ready,” said Gover. “Hurley’s Texas BBQ is one, Snowie Newfoundland (flavoured shaved ice), Cajones is building a truck, Johnny & Mae’s (has) a second trailer. There are tons coming between the Water Street pedestrian mall (and) the Bannerman space.
“We’re planning on doing a very similar event to our Trucktober event that we did before the pandemic.”
In the last decade or so in Canada, food trucks have experienced a renaissance, freelance food writer and columnist with Saltwire Network Gabby Peyton says.
“For a long time, outside of Toronto and Vancouver, it was always associated with greasy, chip-truck kind of food,” she said. “But I think we’ve really evolved past that when it comes to food trucks,” she said.
There are several factors that can make a food truck an ideal business venture.
“For a lot of people that want to get into the industry, it’s a bit of a more economical way to do it, a way to test out your food to see if it could be successful at a restaurant,” said Peyton. “Also, it provides access to people. If you live in outport Newfoundland, you can move your truck around and give people a taste of different things.”
Traditionally, they’ve been seen as providers of food that is convenient, she said, but that attitude is changing as their menus develop.
“It allows (chefs) to focus in and really fine-tune a really good dish and then have it become an iconic dish and … a dish that people go to you for,” she said.