Have you ever tasted food on a Food Truck?
Food Truck It is one of the styles of sales that add charm to Thai street food. Or a new feature The new dimension of street food in the past 5-6 years, but the problem of Food Truck operators is that today there is a place for sale. But tomorrow may not have a place for sale. It is an opportunity for young startups like We Chef Thailand, a start-up dealing with food sales areas, Food Truck With Nid – Winit Limcharoen are CEO & Founder Registered in the name V-Chef Thailand Co., Ltd. Has been in business for 3 years Opened a reservation space for food stalls for many places. Including major gas stations, shopping centers and eventsBoth in Bangkok and its suburbs, there are currently more than 500 Food Trucks members and aims to have 1,000 vehicles spread across the country this year.
If you have to mention Winit Limcharoen or A little Idea Owner and CEO & Founder We Chef Thailand But he has many other roles. He is both an e-commerce teacher, a modern trade business owner, and a business owner providing repair and cleaning services for brand-name bags and luggage.
Even with many hats And was known as a new generation of startups But he said he had never dreamed of reaching this point. Because hardly any food education But with a passion for food Nid is so fun to mash up the ideas in his We Chef app, and of course the first dishes will be delicious. Therefore there was trial and error And change business indefinitely The following conversation May spark many more people
Change to grow your business
Nid told about the beginning of We Chef Thailand That last year 2018 Or when 3 That year started developing a platform to open up space for people who love cooking. Can change the kitchen at home Become a career and make money with the concept “Turning the kitchen at home into work Change the skill of cooking to money”The early applications will serve as an intermediary to deliver food from the kitchen to the hands of the foodie in the form of a delivery. But after starting to experiment to the market It is the same time that the application Food Delivery Of foreign countries to compete in our home more Making him see that if this channel is more competitive Therefore looking for other channels to sell food
“Is the good fortune of We Chef Thailand On the day of the decision to change the business model We have received an important partner like PT Energy Or PTT service center To join in creating new services and to realize Pain Point Of business Food Truck With a problem of parking and selling food The gas station itself needs Traffic Or the number of people who come to use the service a lot And new experiences In entering the gas station to the customer while the seller Food Truck Need a parking space And want to eliminate the problem of starting capital Or skills that may not be enough Therefore bring these two things into ideas Together to create a platform We Chef Food Truck @PT station To connect food vendors and people who have places And connect food vendors and buyers by using digital technology to help them manage, “Nid tells the turning point of the business of We Chef Thailand
Exit on days when business is not going smoothly.
But doing business Not that the idea is good, the business will be smooth. We Chef Thailand The first stage is to build confidence in food vendors. Food Truck Because before Food Truck Generating income of only 2,000-3,000 baht per day, which is not much compared to opening a restaurant or booth at various events. It is the duty of We Chef To build confidence for entrepreneurs By trying to communicate And prove that the business Food Truck Although not having much income But have a certain income Which requires time and step by step over the problem
“It is the good fortune of We Chef Thailand That has always been given opportunities from good supporters In addition, there are also partners that take part in developing the business to keep the business away. I am encouraged, promoted and developed my ability in technology and innovation. From the National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) (NIA) Under the supervision of the National Innovation Board. And have the opportunity to become one of the startups participating in the technology business incubation program 2019 or ‘SUCCESS 2019 ‘of the Technology Entrepreneurship Development Center (BIC)“
Nid said NIA Has entered into a role in finance Knowledge of doing innovative business And application development knowledge Making it possible to build on the application development We Chef It is also creating business networks with business groups in various areas. A venue for our member entrepreneurs. Especially PTT gas stations, leading real estate projects such as Sansiri, Areeya Property, including Origin Property, etc.
From now on, you will be able to see Food Trucks everywhere.
We Chef Thailand has a key principle that is to create food distribution channels for entrepreneurs. This is a joint development between We Chef with groups or owners of different areas. A key partner, PT Gas Station, is the first location where a mobile food store settles in. By name We Chef Food Truck @Oil Station
“It can be seen that every gas station service area needs traffic. At the same time, Food Truck needs the fundamentals of water and electricity to be safe. And more importantly, there is traffic Gas station is the reason We Chef chose to do it. “
Besides having a reservation system for parking in PTT service centers, We Chef Thailand has 3 other channels for food truck operators to park their food trucks, including We Chef Food Truck @Home Is bringing the car to the park selling food in various villages Using the form of a Food Truck caravan to charm and make buyers more choices, We Chef Food Truck @Market Is to become an intermediary in management Including the creation of a market specifically for Food Truck, in the near future We Chef’s first Food Truck market will be established; and We Chef Food Truck On Event looks at We Chef as an organizer for recruiting events or events. Then sent a Food Truck restaurant under the management of We Chef to attend. Including plans to expand the use of the application with other gas stations
“At this time, it is in talks with several other gas stations. Because I thought that just one PT pump might not be enough To create awareness for the general public Because the image we want is a Food Truck that appears in every pump, every brand, and in every province nationwide. Which within this year It is expected that this phenomenon will happen. Including giving people more food, access to online systems in the form of delivery We now have partners like Robinhood’s app to help manage food delivery, no matter where We Chef Food Truck stops, ”Nid recalls the marketing approach. Keep
New goals from Food Truck to Service Truck
“Even if it started not long ago But we all have goals and hopes. ”
The executive of food startups, Food Truck, shared We Chef’s expectations and further developments.
The short-term goal is to increase the number of entrepreneurs and interested people. From the current number of 500 vehicles to 1,000 units this year.
As for the dreams of the future, the goal is to transform many Businesses come into the same business model. Or called on-love business such as service business Barber business, etc., and more importantly, to create a channel to allocate as much space for entrepreneurs as possible. The goals for the next 3 to 5 years will try to create a positive attitude towards the On-Love business. Will create an on-love business as another option for those who want to invest, want to make a career or earn income without having to pay a lot of investment anymore
“Today, We Chef Thailand has created a complete ecosystem of Ontraks business ecosystem in Thailand. Both in terms of the sales area system, sales person system, or even the buyer Can come in and use the service with ease ”
Other than this The management of the We Chef Food Truck platform also quoted the classic phrase “The Thai kitchen is the kitchen of the world. About food, we are not allergic to any nation”To describe the long-term goals that Will bring a platform made by Thai people Continue to go to the international level
When asked that in the current situation The decision to invest in a start-up business is something. How much is worth the risk? The management of We Chef Thailand replied with full strength that “Startups have come to solve problems. And of course this is the time of it “
“I still believe that every crisis has an opportunity. I personally see that in the present situation that is called a crisis. Of course, it comes with enormous opportunities. At who will see first And believe that doing a start-up business after this There is still a bright path There are still many problems that need new solutions. Come to the rescue Whether the problem is small or large at the national level Believe that someone can see the way out Would like you to try to do business here Especially It’s a good time to start a startup business if you compare COVID like a tsunami. Believed that after the tsunami passed The sandy beach will return to be beautiful again. “
For anyone who wants to start a business Let it begin with love and determination. Because doing business is not easy Sometimes there are many emotions, including sadness, which is normal. But if you choose to do this route, you must answer yourself: How much can we spend? And many people who fail to do business Because he fell in love with the idea too much
With young business people aiming for the idea to grow This idea is not wrong. But don’t look and love this idea too much. Look along the way that there are other opportunities Advice from other people’s experiences How good or bad it would be if we still do so, like We Chef Thailand, we didn’t follow the first idea. Because we have to look at the reality and accept And known to adapt
Note: This article is a part of the Startup Thailand Marketplace project. of National Innovation Agency (Public Organization) or NIA Which has promoted and supported We Chef Thailand by training, educating, and giving funding and further development to become a business that brings benefits and value to the Thai society.
“Startups have come to solve problems. And of course this is the time of it “
