February 2023 - 22

MARKETING
Feeding a Crowd
Felix Cutrone, retail store manager at Hicks Nurseries in
Westbury, New York, says they introduced their own custombuilt
food truck as an extension of their in-store café.
" We found that, during our large events, such as our
Hicks Nurseries' roasted corn was always a
big hit with customers, so they made sure to
include it on the food truck menu.
have a food truck or two here on that day. When we're doing
events like that, I find that there's added value and added
draw because the food trucks are here. "
Considerations and Conditions
For garden centers just getting started with food trucks,
Hughes suggests being " a little bit choosy about the food
trucks you let in. Don't just let anyone because we've had
food trucks here that, once they were here, we felt like we
maybe didn't want them to come back. You may not know
that before they show up. " She also says to make sure to
check their insurance so you know that they're insured.
Hughes has found that there are two ways to go about
hiring a food truck to come on site. " Food trucks sometimes
charge to come and visit you. If you have a birthday party,
for example, they'll charge you a certain amount to come
to your birthday party. Or food trucks will pay to set up at
premium locations. When I approach food trucks, I tell them
we're not doing either of those things right off the bat. I say,
'We're not charging you to do this, but we're also not going
to pay you to come out - but it's a good activity.' And then
I give them some of our numbers of checkouts; if we had
300 checkouts on that day and we average four customers
per car, then they can expect this event to be close to 1,000
people. I give them some numbers to work with when I'm
inviting them. "
She says social media is another method for finding local
food trucks to invite. " Don't be afraid to just put it out
there on your social media, " she says. " We have now built
a network of food trucks that we know and we like. So for
2023, I'm going to approach those food trucks first to book
my best dates. Then when the rest of my dates are still
open, I will put on social media that we're looking for food
trucks. Customers are really good at replying to those posts
with tagging certain food trucks and recommending them.
And then those food trucks - because they get mentioned
in the comments - will see the post. That's a great way
to start networking with food trucks. If you haven't done
any food trucks at all yet, that's a great way to start. You
could pick a few key weekends that you would want them
to be there. And then you can post those dates right away
and people may reach out to you right away. It's easier than
going on your own and searching for specific trucks. "
22 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | FEBRUARY 2023
Fall Festival, the café could not support the crowds we
had, and we wanted to bring the food to where the
crowds were - which was outside. Being mobile allowed
us to place it in several different locations on the property
to test the most convenient spot for our customers and
their families. The food truck also gave us the ability to
offer differently prepared foods, such as chicken tenders and
French fries, which are made to order fresh and served hot. "
Deciding what to put on the menu was easy - they
simply asked customers what they wanted. " We asked our
customers what they would expect for themselves and
families, and they told us they wanted finger foods. Prior to
the truck, our roasted corn was a big hit, so we were sure to
include that. "
Hicks Nurseries' custom-built food truck
serves as an extension of their in-store café.
He says they go to different vendors to taste the items
they're considering for their menu before adding them to
their selection. Cutrone says customers enjoy having the
truck on site. " We often get asked where it is when there is
no event. "
Finding a Good Match
Whether considering hiring food trucks or building your
own, Cutrone has some tips. " If you are interested in starting
a food truck, it's important to have someone on staff that
knows the food industry. Of course, make sure you have
a business plan and a tight menu. Do a few things and do
them really well.
" If you are going to bring in a truck for special events,
make sure to see how they operate on-site and how they
act with customers. They should be able to represent your
garden center in the same brand voice. And, of course, taste
their product. Does it fit with what your customer would
expect in the offering? Is the quality good? What you offer
is a direct representation of your brand. Make sure it's a
seamless experience. "
February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2023
