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Upstart indies, chains roll out trendy wheeled eateries in growth drive

Upstart indies, chains roll out trendy wheeled eateries in growth drive

LOS ANGELES —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

The new wave of restaurants on wheels is a far cry from the ice cream vendors, taco trucks or pushcart operations adored in metropolitan areas across the country. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In West Los Angeles, for example, Cafe Nagomi operates out of an elegantly designed, 24-foot-long vehicle serving vegan and organic Japanese fare to its curbside customers. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In and around the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles, a “secret bakery” truck offers high-end pastry treats to followers who check the operator’s blog for its next appearance. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In San Diego, a coffeehouse in a truck plies beachfront areas to sell specialty micro-roast coffees, espresso-based beverages and blended drinks to surfers and sun worshippers. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

And the 645-unit Jamba Juice smoothie chain recently began testing a mobile unit it calls the “Fender Blender” at concerts, sports events and other special functions. The goal, said Paul Clayton, president and chief executive of the Emeryville, Calif.-based company, is to build frequency of visits to Jamba Juice stores by fostering more accessibility to their products. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Chains such as Carl’s Jr., In-N-Out Burger and Burger King for some time have been serving freshly prepared burgers, fries and drinks out of catering trucks at sponsored and catered events. Such rolling kitchens not only build sales, but also help build brand awareness, their operators say. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In other words, if guests can’t come to the restaurant, catering trucks bring the restaurant to the guests. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

“People are looking at different ways to get their product out to consumers,” said Mike Liby, executive vice president of operations development for Carpinteria, Calif.-based CKE Restaurants Inc., parent of the Carl’s Jr. chain, which operates a growing fleet of catering trucks. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

“Our trucks are used around the clock,” he added. “In fact, we end up turning down events because we don’t have the resources.” —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In California, regulatory revisions have helped drive the roving-restaurant trend. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

The heath department restrictions on outdoor cooking in Los Angeles County have made it more difficult to do tent-based catering, so catering trucks are being built that easily meet ventilation code requirements, Liby explained. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

An update of the California Retail Food Code that went into effect in July also cleared the way for catering trucks to offer more expanded menus, so long as they have the required equipment and sink access. Previous code requirements kept trucks’ menus fairly limited. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Southern California also has a long-developed culture of meals on wheels, in part because of its temperate climate. The region has a rich history of “taco trucks,” vendors serving Mexican food that travel to construction and other work sites to offer hot lunches to laborers. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Taco truck operations have spawned regional brands, such as the Los Angeles-based King Taco, a quick-service chain that began in 1974 out of a converted ice cream vehicle and now includes 17 non-mobile restaurants. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Local health officials say Los Angeles County has about 2,500 licensed foodservice vehicles in operation—more than any other county in the state. The county is also home to untold numbers of nonlicensed foodservice vehicles. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

The trend, however, is not limited to California. New York City residents love their mobile meals from food cart vendors along city sidewalks, and even high-end chefs are tapping into that market with trendy cart concepts. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In New Orleans, so many mobile vendors had moved into the area after Hurricane Katrina that parish officials earlier this year began imposing severe restrictions on catering truck operators in some areas. Officials said the move was motivated by fears that the gypsy operators would hurt sales at recently rebuilt restaurants, but many saw the move as a racially based attack on Latino taco truck operators. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In Los Angeles, Carl’s Jr. operates seven catering trucks and has been adding one to two trucks to its fleet each year. Most operate around the sprawling metropolitan area, Carl’s Jr.’s core market, where they can stay close to a corporate facility that services and cleans the trucks just as health department codes prescribe. Some of the trucks, however, will travel to events in other states for day trips. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Carl’s Jr.’s fleet “expands the reach of our brand and helps us provide support to the community,” said Liby. “It’s as much a goodwill ambassador as it is a sales driver.” —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

The burger chain’s trucks range in length from 26 feet to 31 feet and have fully equipped kitchens with refrigerator-freezers, air conditioning, ventilation, propane grills and deep fryers, as well as safety seats for employees. Drink dispensers and menu boards are built into the outside hull, next to the service window. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

The trucks generally cost about $200,000, and because the rolling kitchens suffer the bumps and potholes of Southern California roads, they can be expensive to maintain, Liby said. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Mobile restaurateurs also face a variety of other challenges. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Municipal codes vary by jurisdiction and may forbid the trucks from operating within a certain distance of schools or other restaurants. They may also require the rolling kitchens to change locations every 30 minutes. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In San Diego, for example, entrepreneur David Wasserman in May launched Joes on the Nose, a mobile specialty-coffee concept that targets its hot and cold beverages to surfers on the beach. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

However, it wasn’t until after he invested about $30,000 converting an old ice cream truck that Wasserman discovered local municipal codes prohibit commercial vehicles from beachside parking lots. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Still, Wasserman has found his kitschy, bright-orange truck is welcome across the street from the beach in many places, and at events such as surf contests, concerts and farmers markets, as well as catered events. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

His menu is based on a custom-blended coffee from the upscale Bird Rock Coffee Roaster in La Jolla, Calif. Joes on the Nose offers a range of hot and iced coffees, teas and such other drinks as the Il Coconuttio, a coconut shake with coconut whipped cream. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

After only four months, Wasserman is looking into the possibility of franchising the concept, and he envisions building a fleet of biodiesel-fueled coffee trucks. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

In Los Angeles, Taka Kuroda, owner and chef of the traveling Cafe Nagomi, spent the past two years traversing the upscale Westside, making routine lunch hour stops near office buildings. For around $10 to $13, guests can enjoy a seafood or vegetarian main dish with two sides, soup, salad and rice. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

Cafe Nagomi’s schedule is posted on a website, and Kuroda has a loyal following, though business can vary dramatically, he said. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

At night, Kuroda rents space at a licensed commissary for $1,000 per month, where he drains wastewater, cleans up and restocks. His truck, which he bought used, cost about $95,000. Kuroda has one fulltime and two part-time employees. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

He estimates his sales reached about $150,000 last year, with about half of his business coming from catered events and movie production locations. Business is growing, but Kuroda dreams of opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant. —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

“With a fixed location it takes time to build a clientele, but eventually you get established,” he said. “With a truck, you always have to keep looking for new business.” —Changes in city and state foodservice codes in California are fueling contemporary and trendy takes on an old idea: the mobile catering truck.

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