Appetiser on Instagram: With new dishes and social media strategies, Pune food trucks recovering from pandemic blues
By the autumn of 2020, it was clear to Aniket Tikhe, Nikhil Balwadkar and Vernon Cardozo that their hotel Udta Punjab would not survive the Covid pandemic. The trio closed their venture and launched a food truck called Chefs On A Wheel in October 2020 with a small and economical breakfast menu comprising a variety of omelettes, coffees, tea and fresh bun-maska, among others.
Today, Chefs On A Wheel food trucks, located in Bavdhan and Aundh, are hubs for loyal clientele of all ages who stop by after their daily walks or runs, to catch up with friends or just relax with cups of coffee.
On the other hand, Burgertron, known as much for its friendly service as for delicious burgers and fries, had to cut short its expansion plans. Starting in 2015, Burgertron had grown to five food trucks but post pandemic, it has come down to a single one, parked at Balewadi High Street. In recent months, however, the number of customers has increased so the owner, Gaurav Dhok, is planning brand-building exercises to consolidate the business.
Today, Chefs On A Wheel food trucks, located in Bavdhan and Aundh, are hubs for loyal clientele of all ages who stop by after their daily walks or runs, to catch up with friends or just relax with cups of coffee. (Express photo)
The hospitality industry was one of the worst affected during the pandemic. Like restaurants, many food trucks downed shutters for good. Those that survived feel that with their flexible set-up, smaller investments and limited menu, food trucks are uniquely positioned to bounce back. With Ganeshotsav having drawn sizeable footfall and a festive season coming up, food trucks are gearing up to make up for lost time and revenues.
“Social media has become a huge part of our marketing process. The pictures that we take and post on Instagram and Facebook let people feel like they are a part of our truck family,” Aniket Tikhe says. Reviews that customers post on social media, vlogs and blogs, too, help them increase sales and find innovative methods to reach more customers. Word-of-mouth publicity and the use of social media are the two biggest marketing techniques for food trucks that also hold promotions at events. By creating Facebook and Instagram pages for the food trucks, food truck operators send out constant reminders of popular dishes as well as news of trendy new additions to the menu. “This, in turn, is adding a new client base to existing loyal followers,” says Gautam Raddi.
Gautam Raddi, from Out of My Kitchen food truck, is getting ready to expand the menu, with additions of dishes such as Samodak, which is an innovative combination of samosa and modak. “There are other seasonally suitable dishes for the festive seasons,” Gautam says. With popularity comes long queues, which can have the effect of turning away clients, so Prajyot Bogawat, the owner of Poona food truck, is paying special attention to the sitting arrangement of their customers. “When people are coming in large numbers, it is very important that they should not wait for long. We are also working on other efficiencies so that people can get quality food that too in a shorter time,” Prajyot says.
Several operators of food trucks that started after the pandemic say that the concept appeals to customers who are looking for different types of flavours and experiences, especially at a time when standards of living and food habits are fluctuating, especially among the youth. With people returning to offices, also, there is a rise in clientele who either order delivery or come to a truck for a quick-but-relaxing bite. Millennials are among those most drawn to the vibes of food trucks.
After the pandemic, food trucks started to tie up with food delivery apps. “Nowadays, these delivery apps are constantly increasing their shares from owners, which, in turn, hamper their profits. It also decreases our customer base in the long run,” says a food truck operator. Nonetheless, if business continues to live up to the promise of recent months, food trucks will start hiring. That’s the plan at HT food truck, whose owner Harshal Tambadkar says that he is “thinking of increasing the staff size” if customers keep coming in large numbers this winter.
