Street Food: your opportunity

Opportunity

A NEW BUSINESS MODEL FOR YOUR PASSION

Are you passionate about cooking, have you always dreamed of opening your own place, of turning your passion into a job? Perhaps you already have a traditional-style food business, and you'd like to give your company a new twist? Street food may be just what you need. To start with, it’s a sector that has seen remarkable growth in recent years, a real phenomenon of a custom which is destined to last, because it follows on from the evolution in our society, where we are increasingly pushed for time, yet also increasingly exacting about the quality and provenance of what we eat. As a business model it’s undoubtedly a winner. “Healthy, sophisticated, quick and low-cost” - this is the recipe for success for Street Food. It comes from the States, where opening a Food Truck can cost up to ten times less than a traditional restaurant yet can generate the same turnover, set against paltry running costs. There are very few businesses that can give this kind of return.

AN ANCIENT PHENOMENON ON THE RISE

Street Food isn’t new, neither does it have limits. This is not a passing trend that will fade away quickly. Since the dawn of civilisation the common populace have always eaten on the streets, and this is still true today in many cultures around the world - just think about Asian countries. In a 2007 report, the FAO estimated that two and a half billion people in the world eat this way every day. Ten years later, the phenomenon has grown even more.

THE MARKET DATA

The converse is that we are seeing a considerable shrinking in the traditional restaurant sector, with reliable sources giving an 18% reduction in turnover between 2010 and 2014. Clearly bucking the trend is the emerging street food market, with extremely impressive results: 73% of Italians have eaten street food in the past year. In a study by Coldiretti, reported on the website borsaonline.it, the number of Italian consumers of Street Food was estimated at 35 million in 2014, and the trend is upwards.

the right time

The time is right, especially in Europe, and in particular Italy, cradle of the best food in the world. Street food is clearly trendy, everyone’s starting to talk about it. Travel guides are getting interested, and so are large food producers, celebrated chefs and, most important of all, the media, and not just sector specialists. Street food was there at Expo 2015, where it saw unprecedented levels of success among public and critics alike. Just five years ago the terms “Food Truck” and “Street Food” were practically unheard-of in our country. Today, on any given weekend throughout the year, our peninsula is host to around 35 festivals dedicated to street food, with an average of twenty trucks present at each, selling out to crowds of people.

this is your chance

Italy is living through historic times in many ways. The economy is slowly coming out of a prolonged period of crisis and we are seeing the first signs of stabilisation and growth. This is a time of opportunity for those who wish to take on the challenge, a special moment when anything is still possible and there’s room for everyone. Those who grasp this opportunity from the outset will gain the greatest benefit. The street food sector offers a unique opportunity, with minimal investment, to get into a market that is growing strongly in response to the demands of consumers seeking novelty, creativity and quality without spending too much. Their pockets are not deep, and they will choose carefully where to spend their money, favouring the simplest and most engaging business models and looking for taste, innovation and at the same time, traditional and local products. The opportunity is within your reach, and if you decide to take it, StreetFoody will be at your side, from planning to execution, and to help you benefit from its experience as sector leader in creating the vehicle that best suits your dream. The future is in your hands. Your success depends on you now, and your ability to prepare and serve, day after day, the very best of street food.