Forget Food Trucks (This is So Much Better)

After nearly two decades selling cars and running a successful van conversion business, Charles Levinson and his wife Martha saw an opportunity that would change the food service landscape forever—America's first-ever mobile smoothie business. They didn’t just start a food truck business; they pioneered an entirely new way to serve customers.

What started as a single-van operation has blossomed into a thriving food truck business with franchises across Texas and Florida. The most impressive part? Their corporate van, run single-handedly by Martha, generated $246K in revenue last year with a net profit of $177K. Their franchise owners are seeing similar success, with even part-time operators pulling in $150K annually.

In this episode, Charles reveals how he turned a mobile smoothie concept into a growing food truck empire, why maintaining consistency drives success, and how their streamlined business model allows franchise owners to generate income from day one.

For anyone dreaming of owning a food truck or looking to transform their existing business into a scalable operation, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom from someone who's mastered the art of mobile food service.

Resources:

Timestamps:
00:00 - Start
00:42 - Fresh and healthy… on the go?!
01:08 - Scale of business
01:39 - Defining daily routes
01:53 - Exhausting all avenues (strategically!)
02:37 - 3-hour revenue
03:08 - America’s FIRST mobile smoothie bar
04:30 - “A scared man never wins!”
05:10 - Rookie numbers
05:55 - Startup costs
07:01 - Self-funded since day 1
07:25 - Securing capital
09:43 - Good credit = Better advantages
10:53 - Best-sellers
11:13 - 100% kid-approved
12:06 - Revenue and margins
12:47 - Fan blitz
13:41 - Only the best, no less!
14:23 - Overhead costs
14:50 - Business bible
15:51 - Advice to newbies
16:05 - Incentives and discounts
16:30 - Phone app
17:02 - Stellar customer service
17:49 - The ideal smoothie van
18:45 - Secret to (effective) branding
19:12 - Regrets and lessons learned
19:45 - Always one foot forward
20:18 - A big misconception
21:05 - Perfection through consistency
21:37 - Plug-in, clean, repeat
22:33 - Dream big, start NOW!
22:56 - Outro

#foodtruck #foodtrucks #foodtruckbusiness

[themixranger]

Every one hating on the fruit truck talking about prices and fresh fruit, but will joyfully get ripped off buying a fake McDonalds or Burger King smoothie

[peteaulit]

You can tell he was a in car sales. Funny how he managed to avoid answering questions on net margins and other costs. You don’t have to be exact but a ballpark is possible. He just didn’t want to say it. The cost for one of vehicles all decked out + insurance + general liability + running cost + employees wages and insurances = mucho dinero.
I bet they have to sell a lot of those drinks to make money.

[dadthejedi]

Great video. This concept is not new, however. In the 70s and 80s I worked construction and in a factory and there would be food trucks going around to different job sites and factories. Coffee, pastries, pre-made sandwiches, etc. We called them "chow wagons".

[aubreytacopirate]

I bought a 30 foot school bus for $7500 bluebird amazing and put another 15, 000 into it and had a taco truck could've been a smoothie truck for less

[kmarech]

Thanks for the 20 minute advertisement..

[handymanjeff]

The biggest take home for me is procrastination is the killer of billion dreams.

[Mr_ZeroFuel]

Note to the interviewer, less of the 'yeah yeah yeah' - Take notes from Diary of a CEO, the dude has top notch listening'interviewing skills.

[truthseeker]

I know this guy I worked with him at LoneStar Chevrolet in Houston Tx Cool guy

[Heiko-cm]

Fresh = half of the fruits out of the can 😂

[CathyDragon]

I just checked out their menu, they add sugar (turbinado) too most smoothies. We dont do thst in Australia, seems a bit buzaare to add sugar to fruit smoothies.

[marioalt]

Nice to see The Penguin making a side hustle in TX :))

[michaelbailey]

This is very cool. It's worth noting "we have a route that's highly profitable" isn't distinguishing from food trucks - many of them do this model. A lot of food trucks are also drinks - but he's right that these two concepts don't usually overlap. E.g. I've seen them in NYC Central Park but not office parks.

The food trucks that do this model are disproportionately successful vs stationary, in my experience, though, so even if they didn't invent the model it's a great one.

Absolutely obsessed with his excitement and attention to detail too.

[stocksdividends]

Love the positive energy of this man! Being in business myself the confidence he has in his menu and offering is amazing

[TheWalkingGamerGamingChannel]

I’m in the car business, I can say this is a hit!!

[aubreytacopirate]

Buy your truck used. 10k
Buy your equipment used
10k.
Have yourself 20k start up

I guarantee you have this thing up and running for 40, 000 or less

[aubreytacopirate]

I owned a traditional food truck for seven years Mexican food. The food storage preparation and worked it went into it. Every day was ridiculous.

The dessert trucks make a little less, but have a whole lot less moving parts

[Elsabeduplooy]

*I'm glad you made this video* it reminds me of my transformation from a nobody to good home, $34k monthly and a good daughter full of love..

[chris]

I have zero $ to my name because I just relocated here in the mainland. If I get blessed with 1 franchise like this will work my butt hard to pay it off and take the business to the next level.

[EMTru-]

I am a food/truck owner and a drinks dont really make the kinds of money as described.

[bewhimsie]

I would LOVE to do this! This is really fantastic!