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Summary of our market study
The French food truck market is estimated at between €240 and €280 million.
The global food truck market is experiencing significant growth, particularly in the U.S., where it has reached an estimated $2.7 billionThe global food truck market
In France, the food truck industry faces challenges despite strong demand. The French food truck market has to contend mainly with restrictive municipal regulations. The market is estimated at between 600 and 700 trucks, with sales of €240-280 million.
While consumer preferences lean towards quality and culinary diversity, the French market remains unique, with localized adaptations.
Hygiene and environmental regulations have become stricter, with the emphasis on reducing disposable plastics and sorting waste. Food trucks are diversifying their offerings, offering a range of cuisines from American-inspired dishes to healthy foods, with prices generally between 10 and 12 euros per menu.
Analyzing demand trends in the French food truck market
The food truck market in France is booming. Demand is fueled by a strong desire for new fast-food experiences. The French are increasingly adept at street food. Food trucks offer a wide range of cuisines, from American-inspired dishes to diverse international flavors.
French consumers are particularly demanding, prioritizing quality and taste over cost, which food trucks are well placed to offer with their freshly prepared dishes. The segment of French consumers interested in healthy food options is significant, and food trucks are responding by incorporating salads and other healthy choices into their menus.
Food truck prices generally range between 10 and 12 euros for a menu
Over 90% of the population is ready to welcome food trucks. The demand for quality fast food is growing. In just a few years, the number of food trucks has risen to around 700.
Food trucks are proving indispensable at festivals, cultural gatherings and sporting events, where practical, mobile meal solutions are needed. Their ability to be present at temporary venues such as festivals, and even corporate events or private celebrations, offers a significant opportunity to broaden their customer base.
In France, people spend over two hours a day eating and drinking. Fast food consumption is commonplace, with a significant percentage of the French population visiting fast food establishments at least once a month.
There has been an increase in average spending and in the number of people visiting fast-food outlets. Sandwiches, pizzas and hamburgers are the preferred dishes. Food trucks are striving to offer products of equal or higher quality than conventional fast-food chains.
The demanding, experience-seeking habits of French consumers create an environment conducive to innovation and creativity.
- Kristin Frederick'sLe Camion qui Fume laid the foundations for gourmet fast food across the country.
- Cantine California, combines French ingredients with American gourmet staples.
- Eat the Road
- French Yorker offers New York-style dishes.
- Pit's BBQ
- Aklé offers Lebanese dishes
- Seasons
- le Réfectoire builds its identity around a family atmosphere
- Food Trucks Gourmet offers upscale mobile catering options
- Daddy's Wok offers Asian dishes
- Le Panier à Saladeoffers salads.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition
A "food-truck " is a vehicle equipped for the preparation and sale of meals and various catering services (snacking, drinks...). Food trucks first appeared in the United States shortly before the 20th century, with the concept of the "chuck wagon".chuck wagon"then thelunch wagon"before arriving in France thanks to American Kristin Frederick, who launched the country's first food truck in 2011le Camion qui Fume. Baraques à frites are generally fixed stands and are therefore not considered to be food trucks.
In 2022, the fast-food sector as a whole recorded growth of 27% following the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. At the same time, final household consumption in restaurants and hotels rose by 42% in the same year.
However, despite this strong household demand, food-trucks have been facing a steady decline in numbers for several years. They have to constantly innovate both in their cuisine, offering a variety of dishes, and in the design of their trucks. What's more, they are facing a significant rise in energy and raw material prices in 2022 and 2023. Lhe barriers to entry are high, particularly in terms ofacceptance of the application by the town hallor finding theideal locationnot to mention theseasonal demandwhich sets the pace for the market. Many food-trucks are also forced to close their operations for lack of abusiness model,raising doubts about the sustainability of these new types of establishment, popularized by a strong trend.
Food trucks have encountered three major challenges that have slowed their expansion in major cities: opposition from restaurant owners' unions, who accused them of unfair competition; the reluctance of municipalities to allow large numbers of trucks in their cities; and concerns about hygiene on board the trucks expressed by the French fraud control authorities.
Nowadays, food trucks focus more on organizing private events such as weddings and festivals.however, how can food trucks continue to innovate in order to capitalize on the positive craze for "street-food" and catering in general, while navigating a context marked by cost inflation and complex regulations?
1.2 The global market dominated by the United States
The first food trucks appeared in the United States, which remains the world's leading food truck market to this day. In fact, this sector is estimated at $*** million in ****, and $*.* billion in ****, representing an impressive CAGR of +**% over this period. [***]
Among the biggest companies present on the market, on the manufacturer ...
1.3 The French market
Estimating the number of food-trucks in France in **** is extremely complex. According to Bernard Boutboul, Chairman of Gira Conseil, "after the boom years of ****-****, the number has dropped from *** nationwide in **** to between *** and *** today".
As for The Food Truck Agency, this start-up has over *,*** food truck partners, operating not ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Restaurant consumption in France
Data on actual final household consumption in restaurants and mobile catering services for the year **** are not yet available. We will opt for a less detailed analysis, in order to gain a better understanding of trends in the sector.
In ****, actual final household consumption in restaurants and hotels recorded a significant ...
2.2 A demand for quality and diversity
Two consumer trends may explain the new demand for food variety among the French:
The search for new consumption occasions : consumers are looking for pleasure and discovery, and they are also looking for new places to eat, which may explain the craze for food trucks, which promote diversification of the offer ...
2.3 The French, atypical fast food consumers
The French fast-food market is considered to be a special one, due to the importance attached to catering, gastronomy and culinary traditions in the country. Fast-food chains, such as McDonald's, have had to adapt their offerings to appeal to French consumers, and their menus include many ingredients typical of French gastronomy ...
3 Market structure
3.1 The structure of the fast-food business
Fast food activity in France
We're interested here in the data provided by Ursaff on NAF code **.**C "Fast-food restaurants", which therefore includes food-truck activity.
Between **** and ****, the fast-food sector recorded a significant increase in the number of establishments, with average annual growth of *.**%. This equates to an average increase of ...
3.2 Location strategies: a distribution challenge
According to Echosin ****, Paris City Hall accepted only ** out of *** applications for food truck locations: this figure reveals the difficulty of accessing a site, and therefore the central issue of the location chosen.
In ****, a call for applications was launched by the town of Fresnes in the Val-de-Marne, with the aim ...
3.3 Festivals and temporary events: opportunities for food trucks
The great advantage of food trucks is undeniably their mobility. This makes them the ideal solution for any temporary event requiring catering services. Present near the entrances and exits of festivals, cultural gatherings or sporting events, they also have the advantage of generally producing fast, easy-to-prepare cuisine, simple to consume without ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 A wide range of products
A wide range of menu options
Food-truck formulas include fast-casual dishes such as sandwiches, pizzas, hamburgers, bagels, kebabs, salads, Breton or Oriental pancakes, salads and more. Innovative concepts also include mozzarella bars with vegetables, sushi, foreign cuisine or fresh produce cooked and served in jars. Some food-trucks also offer snacks such ...
4.2 Start-up costs and expenses
There are a number of requirements for opening a foodtruck:
The truck : It must be equipped to meet thesafety standardslaid down in the French Construction and Housing Code for ERP (***). Training: A specific **-hour training course on " food hygiene rules " is required. Legal status: There are two possible forms of legal ...
4.3 The different types of food-trucks: Towards structural innovation
The website Hedimag proposes a typology of the different food trucks that a food-trucker can choose for his activity. Among them are four new trucks:
Faced with new government and municipal vehicle regulations, as well as the growing demand for customization from food truckers, food truck manufacturers are under constant pressure ...
5 Regulations
5.1 Regulations for opening a food truck
According to LegalStartthe first step before opening a food truck is to apply for a " carte de commerçant", which is issued either by the CMA (***) if fresh produce is used, or by the CCI if the products are not processed in the food truck.
Once you've been issued with a ...
5.2 Hygiene and waste sorting regulations
Compliance with hygiene regulations
Food trucks must comply with the hygiene and safety regulations applicable to all conventional restaurants, including the following:
Regulation ***/**** : sets out all the hygiene rules governing food products, and to which catering establishments are therefore subject. Decree of December **, **** : "relating to sanitary rules applicable to the activities ...
6 Positioning the players
6. Segmentation
- Le camion qui fume (CQF development)
- Cantine California
- Eat the road
- French Yorker Food Truck
- Pit’s BBQ
- Cheesers Food Truck
- Le Réfectoire
- Aklé
- Seasons
- Food Trucks Gourmets
- Le Daddy’s wok
- Le panier à salade
- AGVM
List of charts presented in this market study
- Estimating and forecasting the size of the global food-truck market
- Actual final household consumption Restaurants and hotels at current prices
- Actual household consumption by function at current prices (Restaurants and mobile food services)
- Sales trend index for the fast-food sector
- Growth in the number of establishments in the fast-food sector (naf: 56.10C)
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