In a previous article, we talked about the big impact that 2018 Italian budget package (Budget Law) had on itinerant business sector, because of the postponing of Bolkestein directive to 2020.
The great attention drawn to this topic that interests thousands of hawkers overshadowed another point of the budget law, very important for food sector and in particular for street food.
Article 1, paragraph 291, states that from 2018 farmers can “sell their farm products, also when handled or transformed, ready to be consumed, using movable structures according to the assets of the farm also in an itinerant way in public or private areas.”
Coldiretti warmly welcomed this law and the president of the association, Roberto Moncalvo, declared that farmers are now allowed to: “sell directly their products also when derived from handling and transformation processes and ready to be consumed, from fried polenta typical of Veneto, to Olive all’Ascolana, from Sicilian Panelle, to Cruschi Lucan Pepper, from Arrosticini of Abruzzo to healthy smoothies directly from producer to consumer, also in an itinerant way.”
This action is important for food sector because it promotes the direct relation between manufacturers and consumers, in harmony with the needs of a market that is currently in love with km0 genuine products and quality dishes.
Street food: a new business opportunity for farmers and independents
For many years, Coldiretti and Campagna Amica foundation fought for offering the possibility to farmers to enter firsthand the food sector and the mobile restaurant business.
Battles in defense of this category, trying to adapt the law to the current changes in society, where a farmer is becoming a rural businessperson, leading also in wellness, health, quality of raw materials and products that reach our tables.
It was fair that also farmers could have their right to sell not only raw materials, but also finished handled products ready to be consumed. On the other hand, consumers as well had their right of a direct relationship with the producers that allow them to get benefits in terms of cost and quality of the food.
As Coldiretti explains: “now it will finally be possible to buy directly at 0km from farmers and breeders, which gives not only a guarantee of genuineness and quality but it’s also a proof of the respect of the ingredients and of the true food and beverage tradition of the Made in Italy”.
We must underline how new laws are also a way of regulating a routine that is actually already widespread during local fairs and street food events but also farmers markets, where you can find cooked food exposed and served, along with country products.
These old practices meet the needs of paying for the abovementioned activity and also satisfying the culinary curiosity.
2018: a revolutionary year for street food sector
2018 was declared international year for Italian food in the world and this will have positive results on the whole food industry. This occasion meets another important change: from 1st of January, a new European regulation on novel food became law and it will allow the selling and serving of insects.
This means that we will start eating fried crickets from Cambodia, flour worms from Thailand, roasted tarantulas from Laos, silkworms from the USA and so on, including scorpions, scrabbles and other more or less dis-tasteful animals.
It doesn’t really matter that half of Italian people considers it a not much attractive development, this is the path we are on and sooner or later this kind of food will become part of our food profile.
If we put together this change in food industry, with the new possibility offered to farmers to sell elaborated food and warm dishes directly, and we add the liberalization of the itinerant business sector postponed of 2 years, but destined to another market shock; we have all the ingredients for a true revolution of the street food sector with huge opportunities for everyone.
Food truck options for entrepreneur farmers
Street food sector is constantly expanding in the last years, it’s a market that offers all kinds of business opportunities because the offer and the selling of food and beverage is always a good chance to promote the brand and the activity, also when your business is not directly connected to food industry.
An interesting example, among many that can be mentioned, is the promotional tour that the multinational Tesla planned in 2018 to advertise their new electric cars. The automotive sector doesn’t have much in common with street food, still, they are going to use street food as an occasion to promote their core business.
Tesla collaborated with VS Veicoli Speciali to realize a street food trailer that is innovative and autonomous in terms of energy with new generation batteries.
In other cases, companies and multinationals opt to buy or rent whole fleets of food trucks in order to promote their products and services.
If companies whose core business is not street food decide to enter the food sector, there is no reason why farmers shouldn’t do it, since they have raw materials available and they can exploit the supply, distribution and selling channels that they already know, from this year can take the initiative and pursue success.
Agrofattorino is a great example of how to expand your farming business.
Buying a food truck instead of relying on temporary stalls can be a very attractive option because it can extend the range of your farm economy, providing not only the mean of transport but also the equipment to prepare food, the selling point and the communication channel, all at once.
A food truck is a modest initial investment to let farmers business evolve, incorporating the prerogatives of itinerant merchant and the itinerant restaurant owner.
