The holiday season has begun! In keeping with the spooky spirit of October, this Vendor Spotlight highlights some frightfully fun food trucks with names that make us shiver with delight. We’re also sharing some tried and true ideas about naming your current or future food biz to get your marketing off on the right foot!
This month, we’re showcasing one of our very successful food partners, Ava Skipworth, and her amazing Texas-based froyo truck, Monster Yogurt. When your tagline is “Scary Tastes Good,” you really can’t go wrong. She shared with us how she decided to name her business, as well as some wonderful tidbits about catering during the holidays.
Not only is Monster Yogurt a green and sustainable business (almost as green as their monster logo), but they also operate out of 2 brick and mortar locations… so Ava and her team are busy all year long.
Their brightly colored truck makes scary a good time. And, gets a lot of recognition for it! They’ve been featured in segments on NBC, FOX, Yelp, WFAA, Delish, and more.
It all started when Ava made the choice to leave her corporate job. “I decided to pursue my dream of creating a unique and exciting frozen yogurt experience for everyone to enjoy. Inspired by my 4-year-old son’s love for monsters and his boundless imagination, I named the truck Monster Yogurt Treat Truck to infuse a sense of joy and playfulness into the business.”
She’s built a space where families and individuals can experience the wonder and curiosity her son felt about monsters, and make some incredible memories along the way.
During this spirited (or spirit-full) season, they have some delicious popular options that make them not only a well-marketed business during the summer holidays, but all through the fall and winter as well. From flavors like Eggnog and Peppermint Fudge to Apple Cider and Nitro Cold Brew, their frozen yogurts are fit for kids and adults alike.
To stand out from the crowd even more, she put together an array of toppings that are bound to please anyone’s taste buds. Her frozen yogurt can be covered in over 80 succulent, sugary toppings. What’s the most popular you may wonder? That would be the Candy Corn—a surprising, all-year-round fan favorite. The Halloween spirit is always strong at Monster Yogurt.
Ava shared with us some delightful tidbits about catering her creamy treats during the holiday season:
“While we may experience a slowdown during the winter season, there are certainly opportunities for events that keep us busy. We embrace the unique charm and warmth that the colder months bring. Some of the events we enjoy catering during this time are intimate winter weddings, holiday parties, year-end galas… while the pace may not be as fast as during other seasons, we embrace the opportunities that winter brings. Each event during this season allows us to showcase our expertise and creativity, ensuring that every guest has a memorable and enjoyable experience.”
Holiday parties seem to fill a special place in Ava’s heart, and corporations (and their employees) adore her monstrous mouthfuls of froyo. And they’ve taken part in some really special catering occasions:
“Monster Yogurt has had the pleasure of catering numerous memorable events. One of the best holiday parties we’ve catered for was a company’s end-of-year celebration. It took place in a beautifully decorated venue with twinkling lights, festive decorations, and a cozy ambiance. The organizers went above and beyond to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. What was truly special was the personalization—various holiday-themed activities that engaged guests and encouraged interaction.”
Her experiences align with ours. When companies are looking to hire a truck for a fall or winter event, they want to welcome food trucks that will add to their ambiance and increase the fun-factor. When photo booths, hot cocoa stations, and live music are the focus, making a memorable impression is key to being invited back.
Inspired by Ava’s experience, her creative truck name, and the type of food she serves? Here are two other concise, clear, and thematically on-point trucks that spook us with their snacks:
Monster Dogs
They’re the Seattle-based hot dog pros so good they’ve been featured in People Magazine and on the Travel Channel. Owners Shawna and Said love each other just as much as they love surprising eaters with a not so spooky surprise… their infamous hot dogs smothered in cream cheese and grilled onions. Don’t knock it till you try it! This family-owned business cooks up Seattle-style sausages that are too good to miss out on. They’re the largest hot dog stand in Washington and exist to fulfill all your monstrous, late-night cravings.
Monster Munchies HTX
Ravenous for monster-sized portions of classic street food? Monster Munchies produces drool-worthy comfort food as their name suggests. Grab extra doses of everything they make and munch on down on bites that not even Frankenstein could finish.
Roaming Hunger’s tips & tricks (or treats!) for naming your food truck to market your business better than ever:
Note: These are best practices we’ve picked up over the years, and there are always exceptions to the rules.
- Name your truck something straightforward. If you’re selling pizza and burgers, naming your truck “BBQ Heroes” will create confusion and could cost you events.
- Be sure your cuisine type is in your name so customers know exactly what they’re getting.
- Decide what’s going to set you apart from competitors and try using descriptors related to your food or business in your name.
- As our “monster” truck vendors proved above, having a catchy, fun name can make your business more memorable for customers. Help them remember your brand by keeping it simple.
- Make a list of adjectives that fit your food type or business vision, and know what your mission is when it comes to your brand.
- Make sure the name you want isn’t already taken. Check Google, Facebook, Instagram, Trademark websites, anywhere and everywhere you can.
- Mess around with AI to inspire you (and edit the output).
- Test your new name out in your community and see what potential customers think.
- Keep it easy to spell and easy to say—this will help eaters remember your name.
Have a healthy and happy start to the holiday season and watch out for monsters under your truck!
_
Author: Yvonne Cone
