Meeting with Luke before Christmas, we ventured into the world of food trucks and Mexican delights as the psychology and nutrition student told us of his plans for the future. Gaining inspiration from his godfather who owned a veggie burger van at Glasto in the 80s, Luke and business partner Zak wanted to branch out and create a food business that provides the public with “food that makes you feel good”! Having travelled across Mexico and found their love for the vibrant food devoured whilst out there, the two students decided that this was the life they sought after.
Their plans had to be adapted due to truck conversion actually costing a pretty penny, Luke and Zak are still aspiring to make their dreams come true and bring Zazo (a clever combo between Zak’s first name and Luke’s surname) to life! "I realised there's a load of really streamlined options out there which don't involve kicking out a whole heavy truck with some custom-made stuff" Luke informs us, touching on the issue of funding, which most business starters experience.
Though initially part of a group of three, Luke tells us of the challenges they have faced already. Losing their engineer in the group, the team took a hit, but the members of Zazo ploughed on, confident to to tackle any obstacle they might encounter. "Set-back number one, cool, bring on the rest". Of course, the mention of money dampens the mood, but Luke’s positive outlook clears the air. “Setbacks are a part of it” Luke reveals boldly, and despite trying to plan the near future whilst both working towards graduation, it seems they are prepared to overcome any challenge coming their way!
Set-back number one, cool, bring on the rest
Positively beaming whilst answering all our burning questions, Luke told us that after working in a food truck himself, serving South Indian curries to the public, he has seen into the world of street-food on wheels. Watching the owners bulk buy endless amounts of spices and keep the fresh produce flowing, Luke tells us he wants to mix the “popular and the niche”, bringing firm favourites like chilli con carne (minus the meat) and veggie tacos.
In terms of hunting down the perfect meat alternatives, Luke explains how chilli, when done right, doesn’t actually require much adaptation, with a large variety of beans and freshly prepped veg making up the majority of the ingredients list. Jackfruit did receive an honourable mention, as it is one of the most popular meat alternatives in plant-based dishes, and we also discuss the pros of using soy protein instead of beef, which makes up a lot of Central American cooking. "We're gonna get creative trialing out some recipes in the coming months", Luke tells us. With friends and family being the recipients of "a big trial phase" of recipes and prospective dishes, all we have to say is lucky them!
As well as providing the public with nutritious and delicious dishes, these food fanatics have also thought about wider values of their business. Wanting a part of the profits to go to a food-orientated charity, Luke was inspired by his involvement with Magic Hat Café near the Laing Art Gallery, aiding their zero food waste project to cut back on the perfectly good grub we all unnecessarily discard and encouraging him to continue making a difference through contributions to the charity sector.
Creating joy through food and just having a blast
It is clear that they have the workings of a great establishment and have plenty of experience in the food industry in order to follow their passions within healthy living, ultimately building the courage to start a business from scratch. Bringing together funds from various part-time jobs and planning on getting the foundations of Zazo built this summer, it is clear that the enthusiasm is there. Like all who strive to start a business from scratch, they will definitely come across some difficult challenges, but the ultimate goal Zazo's founders want to achieve is "creating joy through food and just having a blast"!
If you have any advice, want to get involved or simply wish to know even more about Zak and Luke’s entrepreneurial adventure, please email l.zollmanthomas@ncl.ac.uk with any questions!