Langara College students enjoying the food trucks on campus, Oct. 14, 2021. Photo by Hollie McGowan

Young entrepreneurs find success through food trucks

An unexpected business trend emerges due to the pandemic

On Oct 20, 2021

By Hollie McGowan

Some young entrepreneurs are turning to food trucks as a viable business — capitalizing on the voids and opportunities created by the pandemic.

Social distancing and an uncertain future initially caused a drop in food truck services at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Jason Faria, owner of the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival, the declining number of food truck businesses caused many owners to sell their trucks at a discounted rate. But as quarantine measures lightened up, Faria noticed a 20 per cent increase in new trucks over the past year.

Faria said this is because food trucks are a more pandemic-friendly food service alternative to restaurants.

“They are outside, they are low contact as opposed to a restaurant where you are seated indoors near people,” Faria said.

Opportunities seized

Chris Hyungki Bang, who now owns a food truck, Bang Tastee’s, said when he was looking to start his business before the pandemic, there weren’t a lot of food trucks for sale — but that has since changed.

“During the pandemic, a lot of food trucks were on the market so I grabbed one of them for a cheap price,” said Hyungki Bang.

As the food truck business has become somewhat easier to break into, the industry is witnessing a wider demographic enter the field.

Kelly Chau, owner of The Brownie Bakers, also opened up a food truck business during the pandemic.

Chau said even though many have jumped on the baking bandwagon, not many were baking brownies. That void, she said, translated into a business opportunity, one that hasn’t always been easy.

“I joke that I went from a 9 to 5 to now working 24/7,” Chau said. “But that’s what happens when you work for yourself.”

As young entrepreneurs are turning to food trucks as a business opportunity since the pandemic, Faria said this trend will continue and there are lots of ways that food trucks will be able to thrive in the future.