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The growth of the
street food van Until about 20 years ago, street food was a remote concept in the UK. Luckily for Brits, however, the street food craze has been growing fast, not only satisfying our hunger for distinct cuisines but also weaving increasingly into our daily lives. CHANGING HABITS The Covid 19 pandemic put a spin on the way we eat out, with many indoor venues having to shut their doors. Business entrepreneurs spotted the opportunity to cut their rental costs significantly, attract new customers, and literally be at the market forefront by going mobile. Consumers are in favour of this trend too, with 50% of consumers already buying street food at least once a week well before the response to Covid, and 64% happy to spend more than the average lunchtime spend (ÂŁ5 in UK) on street food. 72% like the variety of flavours in street food, and the majority of street food market users are under 40 years old (83%) (Santa Maria Foodserviceâs, Street Food Report October 2016 data). 46 I www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk
THE STREET FOOD REVOLUTION With about 2.5 billion street food enthusiasts around the world who indulge in meals prepared on the go on a daily basis (Selling street food and snacks, Peter Fellows and Martin Hilmi, 2011), the street food industry is a flourishing one. Street vendors such as food booths, food carts, and market stalls offer consumers an appetising quick bite, but the one type of vendor that has been catching the eyes of many over the past 10 years, and far more recently, is the street food van. Currently, there are over 7,000 units that serve food throughout the UK at festivals, markets, and stadiums, and theyâre seeing a continuous growth of 20% year on year (startups.co.uk). Recently,
