Many people dream of running their own food business. Some people think about it because it’s a lucrative option, while others do it out of passion. Regardless of the purpose, every aspiring food business owner has to invest an equal amount of effort in setting up a restaurant. The world knows that setting up a restaurant is not easy, nor is it a low-investment business option. One can invest all their savings into a restaurant, work hard for twenty-four hours every day, and can still fail to set up a profit-generating business.
Food trucks were initially introduced during the recession of 2008. Even though the purpose of food trucks at that time was to counter the growing unemployment rates, today, it has become a full-fledged business. It was at this time; food trucks began to appear in various parts of the country, including New York, Austin, Seattle, and Los Angeles. It made people look at the food truck restaurants as an alternative to brick-and-mortar restaurants, which are costly to set up and operate. Ben Goldberg, a former owner of The Frying Dutchmen, is playing a pivotal role in boosting the food truck business in New York and surrounding areas. He founded the New York Food Truck Association – NYFTA, in 2016. The purpose of the organization is to support established and aspiring food truck owners and grow the food truck industry in New York City. However, this was not the only purpose behind the establishment of NYFTA. Ben Goldberg provides a unique way for businesses to carry out their marketing and promotional activities.
AN OUT–OF–THE-BOX MARKETING APPROACH FOR BUSINESSES
Ben Goldberg founded the New York Food Truck Association with an aim to create an organization that not only advocates but also creates additional revenue streams for its food truck members in New York. The NYFTA trucks are found across all five Boroughs of New York with more than fifty diverse mobile culinary artists. The company rents out food trucks for a variety of different purposes, including wedding receptions, corporate events, or large- scale public events. However, the services of this company are not just confined to the catering in events; it extends far beyond that. NYFTA plays a crucial role in making food trucks familiar around the country. It helps aspiring food truck business owners experiment with their businesses before they get deep into the market. Not only does the company provide a safe entrance into the food truck business, but it also helps the existing food truck owners expand their business.
FOOD TRUCKS FOR MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS
NYFTA is dedicated to supporting food truck business in New York, especially during the harsh winter months when business is slower. One of the unique ways that NYFTA provides additional revenue streams for local food trucks is by turning them into marketing platforms for major corporate brands and agencies to run experiential marketing campaigns. These activations allow food trucks to share their cuisines in alternative settings to their street vending, helping them remain active year-round.
NYFTA fully-customizes food trucks with branded wrap designs to create unique and memorable brand experiences. They provide the corporate and agency sector with a unique platform to increase brand awareness, run product sampling, introduce product launches, and attract an extensive customer base in a hands-on way. NYFTA has helped notable brands such as Ralph Lauren, Twitter, and Adidas design successful experiential marketing campaigns in New York City. In a marketing world that is harder to break into using traditional media, these food truck promotions have helped brands leverage foot traffic in NYC and draw attention in a big way.
HOSTING ANNUAL FOOD FESTS
One of the best ways to help food truck businesses grow is to introduce their cuisines in a place where they can reach a wider audience. Ben Goldberg, being a food truck owner himself, realizes how important it is for food trucks to introduce their food to a diverse audience. As Ben Goldberg aims to assist food truck owners to boost their business, he under NYFTA co-hosts annual food fests. These food fests attract food truck owners from all around the country, which is an excellent opportunity for them to spread their roots to a broader area. For the past three years, NYFTA has been hosting annual food fests in New York City.
In April 2019, NYFTA, in collaboration with the National Food Truck Association, hosted a special one-day-only NYC Food Truck. The fest took place on 13th April at Grand Bazaar NYC, which is the largest weekly shopping market. The festival brought in Cousin’s Maine Lobster Truck, Chef Samir Truck, the Guac Spot, Mac n’ Cheese Truck, Deli N’ Dogz, Neapolitan pizza, and many others. The company co-hosted similar fests in the years 2017 and 2018.
SUPPORTING LAWS THAT BOOSTS THE FOOD TRUCK BUSINESS
In addition to hosting large-scale food fests and renting out food trucks to aspiring food truck business owners, the company promotes food truck business by supporting laws that help the expansion of businesses. The Department of Health announced that it would assign letter grades to food trucks like restaurants. The New York Food Truck Association put forward a statement, “The NYFTA fully supports the letter grades on carts/trucks to ensure that our standards are held in parallel with those of restaurants. However, the NYFTA does not support any legislation that would enhance the difficulty of procuring, or operating a mobile food vending solution beyond what is required by any restaurant standard.”
NYFTA creates elite marketing and promotional campaigns, holds food fests, and provides rental food trucks. Through its services, the company aims to make food trucks a prominent part of the food industry and give all businesses a chance to market their products or services uniquely.
ABOUT THE NEW YORK FOOD TRUCK ASSOCIATION – HELPING FOOD BUSINESSES GROW
The New York Food Truck Association – NYFTA was established in the year 2015 with its headquarters in New York. The founder of the company, Ben Goldberg, used to run his own food truck in Manhattan, “The Frying Dutchmen.” After he realized he was a better marketer who could help the food truck business grow, he founded NYFTA in 2016. Currently, the company operates across all five boroughs of New York. The cuisines include Lobster Rolls, Korean BBQ, Mac ‘n Cheese, and Waffles. It is playing a prominent role in boosting up the food truck business. In addition to this, the company has worked with notable clients
including Twitter, Adidas, and several other celebrities for branded promotions.