Muncie has become populated with food trucks in the last year

Since Slop on Top first rolled in, the fascination with food trucks in Muncie has been on the rise — going along with the sweeping trend seen across the nation.

According to IBISWorld, a national research business, food trucks are now a billion dollar industry. Since 2008, the food truck industry has grown by 8.4 percent and there are an estimated 30,810 food trucks in the nation.

Indianapolis has a total of 61 food trucks listed on the city’s official visitor’s site, and the booming trend is rolling to outskirt cities like Muncie.

New technology is a main reason for the growing food truck industry, making it easier for owners to operate their mobile restaurants.

Slop on Top uses an iPad and an online program as their “cash register.” The program takes a percentage of the profits, but is free to download and provides a device to slide credit and debit cards.

Puerta’s, Puerto Vallarta’s new mobile restaurant, and Slop on Top both utilize social media as their main source of marketing.

Puerta’s food truck co-owner Ricardo Garcia, has worked at Puerto Vallarta’s for roughly five years. Garcia is using his food truck as a spin-off of the restaurant he grew up working in. Puerta’s uses the same recipes as the restaurant, but has a condensed menu.

“Same people, same food, new generation,” Garcia said.

Garcia, a telecommunications major at Ball State, created new menu layouts for the truck.

As food trucks and trailers gather in the city, competition stays friendly. The three food truck owners agreed that each truck has a unique menu, so no one is stepping on any toes.

“There are a lot of streets to go around,” Slop on Top cook Erik Hinds said.

THE NEW TRUCK IN TOWN

The Rolling Luau recently joined the other food trucks in Muncie and is owned by Amanda Champs, who spent 12 years in Los Angeles as a celebrity hairstylist.

“Then I got bored,” Champs said. “So I quit my job and left for Costa Rica. Just me and my dog.”

After eight years living in Costa Rica, Champs moved back to the states, met her husband and settled down in Muncie.

Champs said her inspiration for her food truck came from the already established and booming food truck culture in Venice Beach, where the first Friday of each month, food trucks and eager patrons line the street for “First Fridays.”

Champs said that although Muncie is a few years behind on big city trends, “It was only a matter of time, until the craze hit here.”

The taste of Rolling Luau cuisine is a mixture of Champ’s travels, including Costa Rican salsa recipes and Hawaiian barbecue. Champs aims to make fresh, healthy food, incorporating vegetables from her garden and pigs she raises herself.

“I don’t want to serve food that makes people feel bad — nothing greasy and unhealthy,” Champs said.

A GAMBLE

The risks of food trucks are overlooked; with expensive startup costs, owners have to make important decisions. Garcia admits that they toppled over their initial budget for start-up costs.

“We’ve already invested $40,000 to $50,000,” he said. “The prep table alone is worth $3,000.”

The truck includes four refrigerators, a gas stove and multiple water tanks.

Champs chose a different route, by opting for a food trailer rather than a truck, but the business grew so quickly she ran out of space and needed to build a commissary behind her house for food preparation.

Bob Mattax firmly believes in buying local at Lahody Meats and the farmers market and investing in biodegradable containers, even if means making less profit. A total of 75 cents of each meal goes to the container.

“It’s not a cheap decision.” Mattax says.

Mattax admits that currently Slop on Top is losing money, but he isn’t worried.

Mattax said he was more interested in starting a legacy, and helping Muncie grow. As a Ball State alumnus, Mattax said he hopes less BSU graduates will leave after college, but stay and work in the community as a result of his efforts. He said Muncie has the potential to be more “cool,” and is dedicating his food truck effort to that cause.

“[Muncie’s] not the prettiest girl at the ball, but she has a lot of personality,” Mattax said. “Food is a good place to start. Everyone can relate to it. We all gotta eat.”