Kim and Colm see big future for street food in Sligo as the scene continues to flourish
THE street food scene in Sligo has been elevated to new heights in recent years. You only have to go back no more than a decade ago when food trucks were almost exclusively present at big sporting and music events where attendance well into the hundreds was guaranteed.
Food trucks can now be found dotted around Sligo most days of the week, offering their own unique menus. This trend was accelerated by the pandemic as more people began to enjoy the outdoors on a more consistent basis.
Getting in on this new trend last year were Colm and Kim Goulding who operate GG’s Foodtruck in Carraroe on the Old Dublin Road. Kim, a native of Sligo, and Colm are veterans of the Irish Defence Force and were previously living in Cork for 22 years before deciding to move to the north-west.
While working in the Irish Defence Force was their job for such a long period of their lives, love of quality food and determination to move into this industry was always present.
Kim said: “There was always a passion there for good food. It is something I had hoped to pursue for a long time and I got my qualifications through night classes ahead of retirement.” By the time of moving the family to Sligo, their food truck had also already become a reality as it awaited their arrival and in a short space of time was present at its very first event.
“We had the truck on order for when we arrived in Sligo.
“When we came to Sligo there was still some restrictions in place with Covid which meant getting started wasn’t without its challenges but we got up and running in September and had our first gig at the opening of Kloud 9 Dogz.” GG’s Foodtruck found a home on the Old Dublin Road in Carraroe where workers at the business park were seeking a quick and handy option for their lunch breaks within walking distance.
Kim explained: “We reached out to the businesses in the business park.
“There was a need for a place where people could go for a quick break to get a coffee or a sandwich without having to hop in their cars. We got a great response and were welcomed very warmly out there.
“We have built a lot of relationships out there since and that has been especially nice to experience having been away from Sligo for such a long time.”
Since coming back home, Kim said she and Colm have been impressed by what has been achieved locally in the food and drink scene. This, of course, meant that making GG’s Foodtruck stand out from the crowd was not going to be an easy feat but she insists they won’t stand still as the business grows.
“We wanted to be different, we came with the prospect of standing out as an independent business. What we are doing has clearly taken off in Sligo in recent years and that is no surprise with the growing appetite for outdoor activities of all kinds.
“The taste for street food has also blossomed in a big way, there is a great offering of food from all around the world for people to enjoy here.
“Being relatively new we have plenty of room to grow, but we won’t get to a stage where we become sedentary.
“We have worked closely with the council to expand by opening on weekends at Cleveragh Regional Park and we also hope to offer more private catering in the near future.”
GG’s Foodtruck is open at the business park on the Old Dublin Road from Monday to Friday (10am to 2pm) and at the Cleveragh Regional Park on weekends (10am to 3pm). For queries about private catering, call 087 795 3892 or email ggsfoodtruck@gmail.com. BELOW: Some of the food on offer from Kim and Colm Goulding’s GG’s foodtruck. They provide meat, vegetarian and gluten-free food.