the food-truck market | Brazil

1.1 Definition and scope of study

A "Food-truck" is a type of van used for the preparation and sale of food. The food-truck market is part of the broader category of street restaurants. The origin of food-trucks is in the United States, and the phenomenon took a long time to take root in Europe . Today, street food has gradually become a worldwide phenomenon and is also present in in Brazil . Food-truck has gradually lost its negative connotation of "junk food" and has extended its offer to a wide variety of cuisine and food types, in order to continue to appeal to a growing number of consumers.

In Brazil, in the context of globalization, many entrepreneurs have seen the opportunity to undertake and open their first restaurant in a different model, with direct contact with the public, without the need to acquire a commercial point or other costs related to the sector. Thus, the first food trucks appeared, first in the city of São Paulo, with many entrepreneurs copying the successful model in New York and other American cities.

However, the profits of entrepreneurs who have invested in this type of business have begun to decline due to market saturation. Yet, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), restaurant meals account for an average of 31.1% of total spending by Brazilian families and, depending on the location where the food truck is established and partnerships with other events (such as music, beer and cultural festivals), they can still generate significant profits with a relatively small investment in the food service market.