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Taco Bell is partnering with fellow southern California innovator Revolution Carts to support local entrepreneurs on various Taco Tuesdays this summer. The companies will give 26 new food carts to food entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. The companies handed out 20 carts last year.
“Mobile vendors are a staple in the bustling food scene of Taco Bell's backyard in Southern California,” Taco Bell said in a press statement. “Their tacos, tamales and other offerings are vehicles of innovative food fusions, helping contribute to the diverse flavors of the city. However, these hard-working vendors often face challenges to successfully operate their family-owned small businesses, like gaining access to regulation-compliant equipment, receiving permits, and even facing harassment.”
Each cart will be health permit compliant and customized to each vendor. The recipients will also receive resources from Revolution Carts, such as access to safe vending locations and catered events, support to acquire proper permits and guidance on how to grow their businesses.
Taco Bell also is helping bring back the Ave 26 Family Night Market for three summer nights of "Taco Tuesdays in the Arts District." After originally growing its roots in Lincoln Heights, the market was required to relocate in 2021 to its current home at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena. However, the market will appear at the downtown Arts District on June 18, July 23 and August 13 from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. at 860 Traction Ave.
"We're proud to keep supporting street vendors and night markets here in Southern California, like Ave 26, where we're seeing tradition meet innovation on the frontlines of food fusion," said Taylor Montgomery, chief marketing officer at Taco Bell. "Street food creativity and culture continues to inspire us at Taco Bell as we evolve our own menu, and we're excited to continue engaging with these entrepreneurs in more ways."
This year's Taco Bell-backed recipients of Revolution Carts will receive their new carts at each of the three Ave 26 Family Night Market events. The events will feature food vendors, music, art and the opportunity to hear the cart recipients' unique stories.
"Our organization is motivated to advocate and support the mobile food economy and their people, and by partnering with Taco Bell we are able to increase our reach of support," said Richard Gomez, chief engineer at Revolution Carts. "These vendors give their customers their best every day, and it is important that we give back to them as well to show our appreciation for all their services and sacrifices they make to serve us."
Get to Know a Few of the First 2024 Taco Bell x Revolution Carts Recipients
Tacos de Canasta N&R, led by Nelson Hernandez: Nelson recently started this business after losing his job due to the pandemic. He saw a lack of tacos de canasta, also known as basket tacos, in his local food scene, so he brought the traditional Mexican dish to his SoCal community. His new cart will help his family expand the burgeoning business and ease current logistical challenges.
Cornkarts, led by Lizbet Salas Perez: Lizbet's recipes have been handed down through her family for decades, if not centuries. Her menu ranges from a chileatole soup that her grandfather would ask for as a special birthday dish to champurrado, a chocolate-based hot drink. Seeing food as a window to showcasing the culinary aspects of her Mexican heritage, she'll use her new cart to celebrate her culture with even more people.
Black Cornman LA, led by Andrew Johnson: Andrew sells elotes, hotdogs, tacos and more. He has been a vendor in LA for over five years, with additional experience hosting private events across the city. His new cart will remove his prior permitting worries and help him advance his approach of working with purpose, aiming for his recipes to bring people together.
About Revolution Carts
Revolution Carts was started by Richard Gomez, Matthew Geller, and Patrick Lennon. Three industry experts saw the need for small street vendors to get health-permitted, compliant vending carts. With over 30 years of manufacturing, grassroots advocacy, and education experience, in 2021, the team designed the first ever LA County Health Department permitted prepackaged hot holding push cart for vendors who wanted the opportunity to sell legally with the LA City Sidewalk Vending Permit. Their first sidewalk cart, "The Tamalero," is a lightweight, affordable sidewalk cart with low operational costs and is the perfect tool for new or experienced small business owners to enter the formal economy and sell at high volume. Following the Tamalero, Chief Engineer Richard Gomez designed the first health permitted Sidewalk Grill Cart to be used for onsite cooking. The Sidewalk Grill Cart will be available Summer 2024.
At Revolution, when conceptualizing new designs, the team doesn't just focus on the mechanics of the sidewalk carts they build; they use the carts as a medium to express their identity—creatively and culturally. In addition to being used for cooking, selling, and providing opportunities, Revolution's sidewalk carts also help beautify the city streets in which they roll, serving local and traditional fare from a piece of art.
More than a business, it's a passion project for three friends who believe that providing carts for vendors is only the first step in the vending cycle. Partnering with large sponsors, food distributors, and vendor technology solution platforms, Revolution Carts plans to provide resources for vendors to help guide them to the successful operation they've always dreamed of.
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