Adelaide City Council is looking at reducing the number of food truck permits despite the fact not all operators are open at once. Source: adelaidenow

A council committee has backed a staff recommendation to cut the proposed number of permits from 50 to 40, despite research confirming only a minority are trading on any given day.

The mobile food sellers will also pay higher fees.

Under the new fee structure, sellers will pay a flat $1000 for a six month permit, or seek a  permit valid for any 10 days over six months for $500.

A second 10-day permit would cost $350 and a third would be $150 and usable for all days in the rest of the six-month period.

For its trial scheme the council last year issued 52 permits, of which 39 are still being used, and previously recommended 50 as the upper limit for a permanent program starting in August.

Some councillors had previously called for a cap as low as 20 because of the vans’ impact on bricks and mortar businesses.

A council report tabled at the meeting said eight food vans were trading four to five days a week and a further six were trading up to three days.

There were eight trading no more than once a week and six opening monthly or less, while nine set up only at organised events where the permits are not required and two were yet to start trading.

The report said the smaller the number of permits, the higher fees would have to be set to cover the council’s administrative costs.

“The increase would result in an unviable fee for smaller and part-time vendors, potentially negatively impacting on the diversity of traders and positive public engagement and enjoyment of the mobile food vending program,” it said.

But Cr Sandy Wilkinson, who maintained the mobile sellers are getting an easy ride, pushed for fees of $3000 a year for sellers to cover the cost of an indpendent economic analysis of their impact on shops.

He proposed a maximum of 20 vans be allowed to trade on any one day.

Cr Wilkinson also proposed a review after a year to establish a scale of fees based on the commercial value of the locations where food sellers set up.

He said in Melbourne, the fees ranged from $400 to $1800 a month, and only one food truck was allowed in the CBD and eight in parklands by the city so as not to compete with bricks and mortar shops.

Council staff told the meeting that the fees proposed by Cr Wilkinson would force the less profitable stalls and carts out of business, leaving the city with only a handful of mobile traders.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/city-council-considers-limiting-number-of-food-truck-permits/story-e6frea83-1226636315242

The fate of pop-up food vans in the Adelaide CBD looks uncertain amid claims from a city councillor that the “pop-up fad” has gone too far.

Earlier this month, Adelaide City Council launched Fork on the Road as part of Splash Adelaide, a joint campaign by the council and the South Australian government to invigorate the city’s streets and laneways.

Fork on the Road aims to bring together in one place Adelaide’s food trucks, vans, bikes and stalls.

According to a report by The Advertiser, a council committee has approved guidelines for mobile vendors, after a survey of more than 950 people found an overwhelming level of support.

However, it’s since been reported the council has voted to delay the passage of new guidelines until a further report, with one councillor claiming the “pop-up fad” has gone too far.

The committee has asked for a report outlining why staff recommended capping permits at 50 vans trading under the scheme’s trial. One councillor believes this number should be cut to 20.

However, Adelaide mayor Stephen Yarwood has labelled this suggestion “ridiculously conservative”.

Csaba Egri, owner of gourmet food caravan Bodri’s Bakery & Café, says there have been complaints from fixed-premises cafés and restaurants about the impact of mobile food vans, but says these complaints should not be taken seriously.

“If you go around the city, you can hardly find more than five or six food trucks at all who are in the city every day,” Egri told StartupSmart.

“Usually you can see two or three per day, so if this would really harm these businesses then they are already in big trouble.”

Scott Williams, founder of Instant Retail and Pop Up Shops Melbourne, toldStartupSmart it would be a shame if Adelaide council withdrew its support for pop-up food vans.

“Yes, they may be a challenge to the traditional bricks-and-mortar businesses in a precinct but that’s kind of missing the point,” Williams says.

“The way I see it, if there’s an opportunity for a pop-up anything to go into a space, that’s an opportunity [worth pursuing].

“I find that the councils and the local trader associations do support this concept because it’s all to do with invigorating streetscapes, and keeping neighbourhoods interesting and vibrant.

“It can only be good for the permanent retailers because if they’ve got decent businesses, people will visit them as well.

“It’s a bit of a shame if local governments and the chambers of commerce start to withdraw their support for this because there are so many benefits.”

Adelaide’s pop-up food vans aren’t the first mobile businesses to face hostility from their fixed-premises counterparts.

Last year, online shoe retailer StyleTread opened a kiosk at a Westfield shopping centre, but was later evicted following a backlash from existing tenants.

Williams, however, says this situation is slightly different.

“If you’re a pop-up shop in a major shopping centre, centre management [shouldn’t] put a pop-up shop outside permanent shoe shops. That’s just an unwritten rule,” he says.

“It is a disadvantage to permanent traders.”

http://www.startupsmart.com.au/leadership/legal-matters/adelaide-pop-up-shops-future-under-a-cloud/201304249550.html

A vote on new rules for the growing number of food vans was deferred at the latest council meeting.

Among the proposals would be a limit on the number of trucks and where they could operate.

There could be a permit fee of $1,000 annually for each van.

Councillor Sandy Wilkinson said permanent cafes and restaurants were suffering and deserved a fairer playing field.

“My hope is that this additional information about the relative operating cost will bring out the inequity of charging people just $1,000 or even a few thousand dollars when businesses are paying something like $80,000-$100,000 to have a cafe in competition,” he said.

The council is keen to have regulations in place by the end of June.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-17/food-vans-boom-prompts-cafe-costs-check/4634014?section=sa

THE SNEAKY PICKLE FOOD TRUCK OWNERS AMANDA AND JEFF GRIFFITHS WITH REGULAR CUSTOMER KATIE STEVENS. ADELAIDENOW

A council committee approved a set of guidelines for the mobile vendors, after a survey attracting 950 responses – a council record – found overwhelming support for them.

But the number of permits to be issued remains up in the air.

In a lengthy debate, Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood passionately defended the food vans but several councillors said there were too many.

The committee voted to ask for a report outlining why staff had recommended capping permits at 50.

There are 52 food vans trading under the scheme’s trial period, a number Cr Sandy Wilkinson said should be slashed to 20.

Mr Yarwood said that would be “ridiculously conservative” and the council would be labelled “a bunch of old fashioned people out of touch with what the city wants”.

“I’ve had at least 1000 people come up to me and say this is the best thing the city ever had,” Mr Yarwood said.

“There’s 100,000 people in the city each day who love this stuff.”

Mr Yarwood said the food vans helped bring a “critical mass” of people into town that would encourage new businesses to open, rather than hurting current traders.

He said two food vans had already transformed into bricks and mortar businesses.

Cr Sandy Wilkinson unsuccessfully called for permits to be capped at 20 and for a report into the economic impact of food vans on permanent traders and their relative start-up and running costs.

“We have vacant shops in Hutt St and Hindley St,” Cr Wilkinson said.

“This could compound that situation and see more cafe operators, say in James Place, driven out of business.

“While it’s good to be seen to be promoting vitality we could in fact be doing the opposite.”

Cr Mark Hamilton agreed 50 was “a step miles too far”, while Cr Anne Moran said small business owners were “not happy” and the council should “tread cautiously before we vote the people who pay rates out of business”.

Staff gave a brief explanation to the committee that 50 permits was close to the number allowed in Calgary, Canada, which has a similar population to Adelaide.

A final decision on permit numbers will likely be made next month after a report to council.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/too-many-food-trucks-in-our-city-some-city-councillors-think-so/story-e6frf7jo-1226617413595

Ashlee Smart and her boyfriend Hayden Chooi check out BBQ on Wheels food truck’s offerings at Fork on the Road. Picture: Tricia Watkinson Source: adelaidenow

More than 30 trucks, vans, cycles and other mobile vendors gathered for the Fork on the Road event at The Depot, a new venue built for the Fringe on the site of the old Franklin St bus depot.

People chose from a huge range of food including Argentinian grills, Mexican tacos, Cambodian rolls, sand-wiches and burgers, as well as cakes, churros and other sweets. Drinks included home-made lemonade and a chilled coffee.

The event was an ideal preview for the fare that will be offered during the Fringe and Adelaide Festival, when many of these food trucks will be out and about in the city streets.

The Sneaky Pickle food truck owners Amanda and Jeff Griffiths with regular customer Katie Stevens, 38, of Morphett Vale. Picture: Dean Martin

Our team of reviewers, many contributors to The Advertiser Food Guide, were on the ground to find what is best.

Among our favourites were the Reuben-style corned beef sandwich from Sneaky Pickle, Simon Bryant’s vegetarian offerings and the inspired fruit-based iceblocks from Loca Pops.

Fork on the Road is organised by Joe Noone, a food lover who saw the success of similar festivals in the US.

He is tapping into the huge growth in food trucks since the Adelaide City Council opened the streets to them as part of the Splash Adelaide program.

Making strong use of social media through Twitter and Facebook, he has attracted thousands of people, and a growing number of trucks, to similar events in Hindmarsh and Victoria squares.

Mr Noone believes the food trucks are changing the feel of Adelaide.

“It’s bringing new activity to the city and getting people outside and into squares and different places that they might not normally go,” he said.

“They are breaking the mould of what standard lunches and dinners are.”

Ashlee Smart, 21, and her boyfriend Hayden Chooi, found their lunch at WienerBago.

“Having all the food in one place is really good,” Ashlee said.

“They don’t sell this kind of food in most other food shops.”

“I love hot dogs and a good serve of sauerkraut,” Hayden said.

“I love trying new things to eat and this is a great event to do it.”

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/street-food-revolution-comes-to-adelaide/story-e6frea83-1226573439209

Lord Mayor Clover Moore

FINDING a burger, a burrito or even yum cha on a big night out could be just a click away with a new smartphone app to help you pinpoint new food truck operators roaming the streets.

The City of Sydney is developing the app as 10 food operators begin to fit out their trucks to hit the streets in the next month.

The new food truck offerings announced yesterday will include modern Australian from a former Tetsuya’s sous chef, steamed yum cha, gourmet pizzas and vegie burgers from a truck shaped like a van with a herb garden on the roof.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said this type of truck had taken off in Los Angeles, London and other major cities by offering quality food in a quick, fun and affordable way.

“We’re taking it a step further by ensuring Sydney’s food truck operators serve high quality food and meet the highest health and environmental standards,” she said.

The city’s late-night economy manager Suzie Matthews said social media had played a big role in getting the message out about food truck locations overseas and helped them develop a cult following.

Matthews said the app would provide a real-time map, links to menus and other details.

“We expect that within the next few weeks that app will be available,” she said.

“You can track your favourite van at any time.”

The city has lodged development applications for 13 sites, including Belmore Park, Customs House forecourt and Sydney Park.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/app-helps-you-track-sydney-food-trucks/story-fn5tich0-1226253064678

MOUTH-WATERING street food feeds the need and is catching on.

NEW York street-side vendors dish up giant toasty pretzels and soft-bun hotdogs; in China it’s satays, duck wraps and steaming hot dim sims drizzled with sweet soy; Japan does sushi; and India has carts loaded with marinated meats that are ready to fast-grill and roll in flat breads.

It’s a cosmopolitan, fresh and not-always-so-fast but mobile food thing that creates great atmosphere on the streets, but also feeds the need for good food truly on the go.

In Adelaide, the theme, if not the kitchen mobility, is catching on. While inadequate laws on roadside vendors and competition have hampered the likes of our iconic pie cart, the new van on the block is the mobile Burger Theory truck, housing a mini commercial kitchen and run on sheer street food passion by Dan Mendelson and Rob Dean.

Just $5 for Pizza in a Cone, Small Chips, Soft Drink & Gelato.

The truck, affectionately named Pearl, is busy in catering mode, but the boys are still working things out with the Adelaide Council, and occasionally setting up their streetside-shop on private land in the city’s East End, only announcing Pearl’s arrival through Twitter and Facebook.

“We have a calendar on the website for when the truck sets up for semi-private events,” says Dan.

“Running the truck this way is more complex than you would think, but we are looking at adding some more items, like lamb burgers, to the menu.”

The burgers are prepared fresh, for now American-style with “Truck” sauce for $8 or gourmet Aussie with pancetta, onion confit and Adelaide Blue cheese sauce, $10, also vegetarian and vegan burritos and triple-choc cookies.

While cart-food suffers hurdles on our landscape, Norwood in particular seems to be a testing ground for a much broader mobile consumer, that is menu emanating from new hole-in-the-wall places serving up fresh food bundled so you can walk out of the door while taking the first bite.

Street Foods by SK, a new arm to the award-winning Spice Kitchen, has been tucked into a drop-in space just off The Parade, in Margaret St.

“We’re doing a special kind of cooking that can’t be replicated in a regular restaurant setting,” says owner Ragi Dey.

“The street food concept takes on different cultural influences. It replicates the foods you can buy at carts commonly found along the roadsides in India which don’t have all the restaurant trappings, so the food has to be cooked fresh, on the spot and it needs to be easy to eat.”

Ragi’s son, Chiragh, is the manager of the diner which is a giant departure from the family’s elegant Spice Kitchen. He insists street food is not to be confused with the modern perception of “junky fast food”. It’s “fresh, mainly locally-sourced food, fast curries rather than slow braises,” he says.

“We use things that can be cooked quickly, tender cuts of beef, chicken and vegetables, put together while you wait,” he says. “It’s also an all-day thing. We can be busiest from 2-4pm, which is exactly what street food is about no sitting down at meal time, but picking up food when you need something.”

Chef Jaswinder “Jassi” Singh could be mistaken for a pizza chef as he twirls Indian doughs into the air to quickly form a wrap which cooks in minutes in the tandoori oven.

His wonderful tandoori-baked and grilled breads envelop crisp salads and delicious Indian rubbed meats in wrap-style. Or, a must-try is an uthapam (pancake) lined with egg and filled with crisp salad and aromatic meat.

The menu offers a dozen versions of lassi, plus mulligatawny, a duck, potato and coconut fork-food number with lentils, plus popular

food in a bag like butter chicken pies and cardamom choc chip and orange cookies.

You can eat in but most prefer to dine on the go.

And, while traditional pizza slices might be considered walk-along food, Ric Catania, of the new Cone Topia, at 329 The Parade, Beulah Park, has made the flat meal even more portable. All the usual pizza toppings fit into his unique crusty dough cones, nice and tidy for any strolling supper.

“We make savoury cones from a yeast-free blend of flours,” says Ric. “You can have them filled with a huge range of ingredients, which are sourced fresh and locally.

“The most popular is the CT Special, which is a pizza cone filled with ham, mozzarella, bacon, onion, capsicum, olives, mushrooms and pizza sauce.

“But there are many more options like butter chicken and rice, yiros, Moroccan chicken, barbecue chicken, even ham and pineapple if you like.”

Ric, an Italian who was brought up in Adelaide, opened Cone Topia six months ago in Beulah Park, an extension of a successful business he started about 12 years ago, and still operates, in Bologna, in Italy.

“It’s a savoury extension of the ice-cream cones and waffle cones we all love, and which we sell as well,” he says.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/taking-it-to-the-streets/story-e6frefb3-1226170553998