Trucking on with a dream idea

The concept of a permanent food truck village on State Highway 1 has hurdles to jump, but Minaka coffee truck owner/operator Brooke McLeod hopes community support will make it happen.

Brooke says that while she’s known as a dreamer in her family circles, building a thriving food truck village just off State Highway 1 will not only invite travellers to stop but also prove popular for locals.

Brooke, who will be moving Minaka to Renwick Transport for winter as many fellow trucks winter down, says that the main barrier is the costs involved with applying for resource consent and permits.

“I spent eight years running a drive-in coffee shop in Australia before coming home, and the place I’ve been at on Grove Road is such a prime spot for bringing something exciting”, says Brooke.

“Having more residents here adds to the financial viability of covering the overheads to operate there ... the landholders Ngāti Rarua, who the Council lease the land from, said they will support with power and water if we get consents which was so nice I could have cried.

“Whether it’s having our drive-through style for coffees or allowing people to park and get lunch and dinner, it could be a real welcoming hub to bring to Marlborough for both locals keen on a feed and travellers passing through.”

Brooke knows personally how influential the space can be for a food truck business and believes there’s room for more neighbours to collectively benefit and thrive.

“Being there has given me so many leads for booking at events that now I’m booked through to December outside of my regular 6am to midday hours”, she says.

“It’s also for security too - as a one-person operation it’s not fun being on your own packing everything up to drive away as required and having the required signs, chains and cones thrown onto the railway.

“With Council redeveloping the land next to the library, there’s a few more truck owners who have said they’d be interested because this is all for supporting local businesses, so I’d love to help show off the thriving food truck scene my little hometown is building.”

If you are interested, contact Brooke on 0212505279.