Finding the right truck or van for food truck business

If you’ve got the budget, a van makes life easier,  – but the right ones can come at a cost. ‘The vans people want are the vintage ones; Citroen H Van is the king of UK Street food, but you’re looking at around £45,000 (plus fit-out of kit) to get something that gives you some space and is mechanically sound,’

With one of these, the ‘street food elite’ will consider you for their events and you’ll get plenty of wedding work if that’s what you want, ‘Even then consider how far you want to travel; they are notoriously unreliable and slow.’

One other option is to explore second-hand vehicles. On E-bay for example, there are fitted out Citroen H Vans and VW Camper vans going in the region of £15,000 to £20,000. Of course, you’ll need to factor in any refurbishments and possibly mechanical work into these prices before you’re ready to hit the road.

If you are thinking about festivals and bigger events, consider whether a van is what you need. ‘You can invest your money in pitch fees and run from a gazebo! A modern van will cost you £30-40,000 depending on the food type you want to serve. If your food is outstanding you’ll get business, even if it’s average and you’re prepared to travel you’ll find work.’

Budget couldn’t stretch to either of these vans, so he opted for a gazebo and an oven on a trailer that he could tow with his car. He splashed out on the oven and trailer and invested around £10,000 into his setup, with the trailer offering suitable capacity for most of what he needed, and the car taking the rest of the kit and the food.