The other day when writing about trends discussed at the Food and Society conference, I forgot to mention an important farmer’s market trend…which led me to realize I’m mildly obsessed with mobile food. So here goes, a compendium of interesting mobile food happenings:

1. Mobile farmer’s markets: Searching that phrase turns up a number of projects around the country, like at Duke University. Mobile markets bring fresh produce to neighborhoods and people who may formerly have been stuck with jingling ice cream trucks or the corner store. Farmer’s Market Today discusses the trend.
2. Mobile wood fired pizza ovens: A couple years ago I was wowed by my first glimpse at a mobile pizza oven at the Bellevue,Washington Farmer’s Market. Veraci’s pizza is not only killer with a chewy dough, but they get their toppings from the vendors right there at the market. Serious Eats tells you more.

   DIYers might enjoy a New York Times article about Dave Sclarow’s great adventures with his mobile brick pizza oven. Another reason to visit Brooklyn…as if I needed one!

3. Traveling Culinary Carnival – The Daily Candy clued me into fojol bros , a DC-based non-profit benefitting children’s charities,  “operated by a costumed character dishing international treats from a psychedelic ’60s step van.” Finally a good reason to visit DC again!
4. Mobile Espresso Bar – In Thailand I saw an awesome ’60s VW van converted into an espresso bar complete with stools and a stereo system (photos available upon request only so I can chat with anyone who’s interested).
5. Roving Mobile Street Food – Kogi BBQ is all the rage in LA…you follow them on Twitter to find out where they’ll be next.

My Takeaways

1. Mobile IS environmental. Think of the gas and effort saved when the food comes to the people instead of the people coming to the food.
2. Being mobile keeps your business interesting, if you like to meet new people, like to travel, and prefer not to be in one retail location all the time.
3. Mobile provides an important service to people who are immobile and expands their horizons by making it easy to try great new foods.
4. There are endless FUN possibilities and opportunities to reach hungry people especially at events in areas where there might not be good food.
5. The time is now! Between the ability to instantly alert people to your whereabouts, social networking, and a return to good old in person community events, the world needs more mobile food…not mobile phones.

Which of these trends is most exciting to you?

Any idea what the ins and outs of traveling around the country with your mobile food service would entail? Would you have to register in every state?