Support Your Street Food Vendor’s Journey

Vendors are on a journey from idealized passion project to sustainable business, and we have identified 3 key moments of truth within that journey. By understanding their business and how it can be developed, you will be able to find new business opportunities also as a wholesaler!

Street food vendors’ 3 moments of truth and how a wholesaler can support them:

1. Defining the concept

The vendor probably begins the business based on a spark of passion. He believes in what he’s doing and wants to see his creative imagination realized. The project is personal and highly demanding to get off the ground. The process is explorative and idealistic in terms of defining the concept, refining the menu, finding the right suppliers, and researching how and where to sell.

💡 Tips!

• Make connections with established street food organisations who make supplier recommendations to vendors during start up workshops. Connect with suppliers who are servicing vendors today and are recommended via word of mouth.
• Communicate directly via Instagram, where vendors look for inspiration, community building and advice.

2. Developing and establishing

The vendor’s passion project is developed into a business by trial and experimentation. When the product meets the market, he begins a steep learning curve – both in terms of the formalities, but also through direct and immediate feedback from consumers. The process must be optimized and scaled: the vendor may look to move out of his home kitchen and into commercial cooking and delivery premises. Ideals become less central and margins become a key driver.

💡 Tips!

• Connect and serve vendors where they are, at the small scale they need. They are under-served today, and likely to remain loyal to relationships created early.
• Sponsor a vendor in their journey to being a sustainable, established business and promote the collaboration. Access vendors at festivals; a moment when they break from regular suppliers in favour of national delivery, reduced cost and extraordinary quantities.

3. Taking it to the next level

As vendor’s business is optimized, he grows more confident with the concept and might want to take it to the next level. Opportunities include expanding through catering at festivals and private parties, sourcing spots at permanent markets, commercial collaborations, starting a totally new concept or expanding the original concept into a new direction.

💡 Tips!

• Vendors are becoming chain business owners and high street brands but retaining the street food language and approach. Help them to support menus with a new kinds of breads – vegan, brioche, bao, or naan.

Discover inspiring street food breads by Lantmännen Unibake.