In India, the idea of a food truck business or a restaurant on wheels is becoming increasingly well-liked among business owners and customers. This article will go over everything you need to know about operating a food truck in India, along with all of the advantages that come with it. Let’s begin with the following:
- Expenses
- Necessary licences
- Marketing for food trucks
Benefits of starting a Food on wheels with a truck
1. Minimal risk, low investment: If you budget correctly, a food truck should not cost you more than Rs. 10 lakhs.
2. Less dependence on resources: One major benefit of a food truck is that it requires fewer resources. Even starting with just a few resources is possible (costing you around Rs. 4000 – 8000 per person).
3. Learning begins to be experienced: This is a wonderful place to start if you want to learn about the numerous tasks in managing a food business quickly. For example, you can evaluate data analysis procedures, better understand client tastes and preferences, perform crucial operational tasks, manage marketing and promotions, and more.
4. Catering at events: In addition to your regular operations, consider forming a few collaborations and catering at events, corporate festivals, and other gatherings.
How much does it cost to start a food truck in India?
The truck is no longer only used to move items from one location to another. It is now utilized by other industries, such as a food truck made by Tata Truck that is gaining popularity. In India, a typical food truck can price between Rs. 8 and 10 lakhs. A fully equipped truck for using it as a food truck can even cost up to 20 lakhs at the high end of the price spectrum.
The full breakdown of all costs is provided below:
1. Vehicle to do business: To get started, you will need a vehicle. You can buy a new truck or use a second-hand truck. A truck will typically cost you at least Rs. 4 lakhs.
2. Equipment for operations: As a one-time investment for your food truck, you will also need to spend money on necessary kitchen supplies. This will include a stove, cooking equipment, pots, and silverware. Placing a few tables and chairs is optional, but it would allow guests to sit if desired. Your total outlay for the equipment would be about Rs. 2 lakhs.
3. Raw material: To prepare the meals, you will require a supply of stocks or raw ingredients. You would pay roughly Rs. 20000 – 30000 for that.
4. POS: point of sale system (POS) is much more than just a single technological component that handles your billing and technology. It is interconnected with several crucial business processes, including CRM, analytics, and inventory. It will cost you about Rs. 25?30k for a good POS (6-month pack).
5. Recruitment of Staff: To manage the essential daily operations of your business, you will need to engage a few resources. Fortunately, recruiting staff is relatively inexpensive in India. You can set up roughly Rs. 13,500 to Rs.15,000 per person monthly.
6. Marketing and promotion: Similar to any other firm, sales will only occur if you properly promote and advertise your enterprise. Marketing can be costly and involves both physical and internet advertising. For your marketing, you should set aside at least Rs. 20,000 every month.
What permits are required in India to operate a food truck?
A food truck needs all the necessary licences, just like any other business. The Indian government has already begun taking action against “illegal” food carts (sans licenses). The essential licences you will require when starting a food truck are outlined below.
- FSSAI License: A food truck and any other food business must have the FSSAI licence if its annual gross income exceeds 12 lakh Indian rupees. Essentially, it is a 14-digit number. These licences are different depending on how large a business’ operations are. Here is the classification you must stick to:
- Businesses with a yearly revenue of more than 20 crore rupees or those looking to engage in some import or export are eligible for an FSSAI Central License.
- For small firms with an annual revenue of less than 12 lakh rupees, the FSSAI Basic Registration is available. It is determined yearly.
- Businesses with a yearly revenue of more than 12 lakh rupees but less than 20 crore rupees are eligible for an FSSAI State License.
2. NOC: Food trucks must get a NOC from the Chief Fire Officer because they work with many gas-powered appliances, so this certification is essential.
3. Authorization from the regional municipal body: When you decide on a place for your business premises, you will need to obtain a written document approved by the local municipal body to begin setting up.
4. Vehicle licence: The RTO for commercial vehicles must issue you a licence for using a vehicle because you will be conducting your business out of one.
How can you publicize your food truck company?
It goes without saying that strong marketing and advertising will determine your company’s success. In light of this, we’ll discuss various online and offline strategies for promoting your food truck. In addition, here are a few plans for effectively marketing and promoting your business.
- Own a website and an app. Create a brand and use your website to express your story clearly. Use eye-catching graphics and deals.
- Join forces with significant Indian online food ordering platforms like Zomato and Swiggy.
- Create a credible online presence. Instagram and Facebook are used by restaurants and food trucks to promote their brands. Make sure you are present and engaged on social media.
- Creating a list of keywords for SEO purposes. Those keywords should be related to your area and centre all your content around them. Pay attention to your website’s page load times, meta tags, and directory listings so that Google can find you.
- Run online ads: You may promote your brand and enhance online sales by running ads on social media and search engines. In either case, you need to budget money and identify your customer groups. You may also include custom audience sets and use them to run your adverts.
- Many companies even produce flyers and stickers that are given to houses or stuck on the backs of cars or buses.
- Partner with regional retailers and event organisers
- Run contests and give a select lucky consumers prizes
- Get bloggers and food reviewers to visit your truck
- Watch out for all food-related events and festivals.
Conclusion
You now possess all the information required to launch your own food truck. The Indian food trucks can provide you with numerous ideas, and you can improvise depending on those concepts. Food trucks become well-liked and successful when they offer customers a positive experience while also generating strong business and income.
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
