How Do Seasons Affect the Food Truck Industry? [Answered 2023] | Prettymotors (2024)

FAQs

How do seasons affect the food truck industry? ›

Customer habits change and fewer people are willing to wait outside for food, contributing to a loss of revenue during the season. As a result, many food trucks shut down until spring. Despite the cold weather and decrease in interest, there are still ways to keep your food truck successful after the temperature drops.

The US Food Truck industry saw an average annual growth rate of 9.9% between 2018 and 2023, resulting in 36,324 food truck operations in 2023. This shows that the industry is growing and is a viable option for entrepreneurs looking to start a business.

The summer season is potentially the most profitable time of year for a food truck company. There are more outdoor events, and people naturally spend more time outside in the hot and sunny weather. However, if you are unprepared, you could miss out on huge business opportunities.

The U.S. food truck services market size was valued at USD 1.16 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2022 to 2030.

For example, in the colder months, we may tend to favor foods like soups, root vegetables, dark leafy greens like Kale, and citrus fruits like Lemons and Grapefruit while in the warmer months, we gravitate towards fruits like Summer Squash, Berries, and Watermelons.

Companies can use seasonality to help determine certain business decisions such as inventories and staffing. One example of a seasonal measure is retail sales, which typically sees higher spending during the fourth quarter of the calendar year.

Food trends in 2023 could include the rise of mood food, curry, and mushrooms as popular new additions to the American dinner table. In past years, pumpkin spice, Kimchi and Korean cuisine in general have all gained in popularity with Americans eager to try new things.

The food truck industry continues to grow, with an estimated annual growth rate of 7.5% from 2015 to 2020. For first-time restaurant owners, food trucks offer the opportunity to experiment, be creative, and potentially see great returns.

According to IBISWorld, the food truck industry has grown by an average of 7.9% annually over the past five years, with revenue reaching $1.2 billion in 2021. This growth is due in part to the increasing popularity of food trucks among consumers.

Barbeque, sliders, and tacos are the most popular foods you'll find at a food truck. However, trucks are known to offer endless options, such as wood-fired pizza, sushi, ramen, hawaiian, filipino, and more. Whether you have a craving or want to try something new, easily explore your local food truck options on our app.

When were food trucks the most popular? ›

During the first few years of their renaissance, food trucks grew substantially. By 2011, food trucks were the fastest growing sector of the restaurant industry.

Market Research. The Global Food Truck Market is valued at USD 3.94 Billion in the year 2021 and is projected to reach a value of USD 5.78 Billion by 2028. The global food truck industry is forecasted to grow to exhibit a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.6% over the forecast period.

The demand for vegan foods has increased, and food truck owners are changing their menu options. Additionally, a massive appetite for a meat-plant blend is slowly gaining popularity, increasing customers looking for healthier options.

Seasonal food is fresher, tastier and more nutritious as it hasn't travelled so far. Pesticides, waxes and preservatives are often used to preserve foods that are out of season as vegetables start losing their nutrients straight after they're picked. So the quicker they get to your plate the better.

Eating in-season produce provides more nutrition and more flavor. Produce that's not in season undergoes early picking, cooling, and heating that reduces the flavor. Fruits and vegetables in season spend less time from farm to table, so they maintain much of their nutrition and flavor.

According to dermatologists, the skin thrives most in consistent conditions. This means that every seasonal shift and change in weather acts like a shock to the system, disrupting the typical chemical balance of our skin and causing dryness and sometimes severe acne.

Demand seasonality is generally associated with a boost in sales that occur at specific times of the year, e.g. Black Friday and Back-to-School (BTS). These cyclic patterns play an important role in supply chain management, and can make it challenging for businesses to accurately plan inventory levels.

In 2023, the food industry is expected to face several challenges, including rising energy costs, inflation, the cost of living, and increased concerns about health and sustainability.

The reasons are twofold, with weather and some virulent plant diseases working in concert to cause significant and successive blows to the lettuce crop in California, where most of America's supply is grown.

What are the sustainable trends for restaurants in 2023? ›

In 2023, we expect more restaurants to invest in energy-efficient equipment, such as low-energy refrigeration units, LED lighting, and cooking appliances. These investments not only reduce carbon emissions but can also save restaurants money on their energy bills.

TECHNOLOGY. Another trend we might see in the Food Truck industry is using new technologies. For example, we will likely see more Trucks using automation, such as automated cooking and food prep equipment. This will not only speed up the cooking process but also improve the consistency of the food.

The global food trucks market size was estimated at USD 3.93 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 4.11 billion in 2021. What is the food trucks market growth? b. The global food trucks market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.8% from 2021 to 2028 to reach USD 6.63 billion by 2028.

Barbecue is consistently rated as North America's most popular – and most profitable – food truck item. Find out what kind of BBQ your customers want, and you'll be the hottest eatery on the block. With some simple spices, sauces, and seasonings, you can make any kind of BBQ your own.

There are an estimated 35,000 food trucks operating in the U.S. today, making them a hot culinary trend. Chefs and restaurant owners turn to food trucks because of their low overhead, the ability to experiment with cuisine, and low pressure ways to test out brick-and-mortar concepts.

Middle-class millennials are the target audience for food truck businesses. 43% of monthly food truck spending is attributed to people between the ages of 25 and 44, and an additional 20% is attributed to people under the age of 25.

San Francisco California

In fact the bay area's truck scene is so popular that food truck parks have transformed from a spot that you quickly grab food to a place where you actually want to hang out.

What was the first food truck called? ›

By 1936, the first modern food truck, Wienermobile, took over America, advertising the Oscar Meyer wieners. The Wienermobile toured the country selling hot dogs and became a sensation at schools, parades, orphanages, hospitals, and more.

Street food truck

At the core of the food truck movement is a love of street food – tacos, kebabs, and sandwiches are some of the most common food truck fare. Street food trucks stick to classic dishes that can be prepped and assembled quickly.

Middle-class millennials are the target audience for food truck businesses.

The food truck industry employs over 40,000 people in 2022. The number of people employed in food trucks in the US has increased by an average of 10.2% over the past five years.

Consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious, and food trucks are keeping up with this trend by offering healthy food options. Many food trucks offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, allowing customers to indulge in their favorite dishes without sacrificing their dietary restrictions.

Permits and Regulations

It's never as simple as setting up shop and dishing out tasty food. Failing to have the proper permits or certifications will lead to fines and could even keep your food truck out of commission.

Sustainable practices are continuing to be a top priority. Increased interest around healthier foods. The rise of plant-based diets. The cost-of-living crisis.

Among these factors: cities with greater percentages of college graduates and creative workers and with more diverse populations. Cities with more craft breweries and farmer's markets and with fewer fast food and chain restaurants also tend to have more gourmet food trucks.

Customer habits change and fewer people are willing to wait outside for food, contributing to a loss of revenue during the season. As a result, many food trucks shut down until spring. Despite the cold weather and decrease in interest, there are still ways to keep your food truck successful after the temperature drops.

The food truck market is estimated to be worth $2062.33 million in 2021 and is anticipated to grow to $2663.18 million by 2027 with a CAGR of 4.29%. There is a good potential for the industry to expand in the United States, with a 1.2% annual growth rate and a $1.4 billion market by 2023.

What has changed for food trucks? ›

Due to the limited foot traffic, it is estimated that between 30 – 40% of food trucks have temporarily or permanently closed since the start of the pandemic. As a result, many small business owners have shifted their target audiences to specific neighborhoods, hospitals, and factories.

Winter is a challenging time for food trucks because there is less foot traffic and consumers are less willing to wait in the cold for their food. As a result, countless food trucks decide to close during the season.

Adverse climate events impact transit time, delivery reliability, and efficiency, which affect the cost of all goods moving through the transportation system1—including food. High temperatures, extreme precipitation, and storm surges can damage roadways, runways, and railways.

Pre-pandemic, the food truck market size in the U.S. was growing at a rate of 7.9% per year on average, starting in 2017. Since then, it has stayed steady through 2022 even during a time of economic uncertainty.

The heavy weight of trucks make them less likely to slip and slide on the ice, while the tall clearance allows them to drive over high levels of snow. In fact, the taller the clearance, the better the truck will perform since there will be less drag on the underside which is usually found with deep snow.

Floods, droughts, more intense hurricanes, heatwaves and wildfires can drive down crop yields, destroy livestock, and interfere with the transport of food. Rising carbon dioxide levels from human activity can make staple crops like rice and wheat less nutritious.

Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. Climate impacts are already harming health, through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, pressures on mental health, and increased hunger and poor nutrition in places where people cannot grow or find sufficient food.

Food needs to be grown and processed, transported, distributed, prepared, consumed, and sometimes disposed of. Each of these steps creates greenhouse gases that trap the sun's heat and contribute to climate change. About a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions is linked to food.

Cons to Owning a Food Truck Business

You only have a limited amount of space to prepare and serve food, so you have to be very efficient with your menu. Additionally, because you're mobile, you can't build up the same kind of loyal customer base that a traditional restaurant has.

But before you can craft a successful food truck marketing plan, you must understand the target audience. Middle-class millennials are the target market of the billion-dollar food truck industry.