To get a better understanding of what a commissary is, and if you’re equipped to determine whether or not you really need one. As we mentioned earlier, that’s going to depend heavily on the local laws in your city—but it also depends on your truck’s basic needs. Commissaries might not be necessary or required for every food truck owner but they can be extremely convenient. Check out the top six benefits you’ll enjoy when you use a commissary.
Clearly, storage space is one of the greatest benefits of renting space in a commissary. You may think you are just storing your truck but utilizing the commissaries fully stocked warehouse for all of your ingredients and bulk supplies could also be very convenient. But, it’s incredibly important to have a licensed, food-safe facility in order to make sure you’re meeting all health code requirements.
Our commissary offers a range of commonly used supplies and ingredients. You can find goods such as water, ice, canned and bottled beverages, staples like bread and rice, produce, meat, dairy, snack foods, desserts, utensils, plates, napkins, gloves, kitchen supplies, cleaning products, and propane.
As we mentioned before, many cities require food trucks to be parked at commissaries overnight. Your truck needs electricity to make it through those long days driving downtown, and a commissary is a great place to recharge your truck. Though you might be able to find electrical outlets at large festivals or food truck parks, most food truck owners will be relying on their existing power and generators the majority of the time. Charging your truck regularly overnight at a commissary ensures that you retain enough power to keep trucking all day long and to make sure that any refrigerated areas you have on board stay cooled to food-safe temperatures.
Los Angeles County requires commissaries such as ours because we provide cleaning and sanitation areas and facilities to safely dispose grease, used water, and solid waste. We have washbay facilities where you can dispose of wastewater and grease to be treated and cleaned. Dumpsters are also provided for solid trash, and recycling. FoodTruckrs build up a lot of trash and recyclables in the average week, so we highly recommend finding a commissary where you can recycle as many materials as possible in order to limit your impact on the environment!
You can also use our outside wash area space to clean the equipment and kitchen tools you use each day on your truck. Generally, any surfaces that come into contact with food should be cleaned at least once every day. If a surface regularly comes into contact with potentially hazardous foods (such as raw meat), it should be cleaned at least once every four hours.
When the kitchen’s going and there are hungry people lined up outside the window, your food truck is a restaurant that just happens to be located on wheels. But at the end of the day, your truck is a vehicle first and foremost—and that means you’re going to need a mechanic. Now, you can definitely find a qualified mechanic at a local auto shop who can help you out with engine problems and oil changes, but he or she might not be equipped to handle issues with your kitchen equipment, refrigeration system, or plumbing.
Fortunately, we offer on-site mechanics who can inspect and repair your truck right there so that you never have to miss valuable time on the road. We can help make sure your truck stays up to code.
We also have spare trucks available to rent in case you suffer a major breakdown that puts you out of commission for a few days or more.
Here at AC Catering we are designed specifically for food trucks offering a range of miscellaneous services that can simplify your business and make it easier to start a food truck. We are equipped to help you with knowledge about get permits, food handling certifications, menu boards, and graphic materials for your truck. We also offer some administrative support by helping you schedule on site inspections and audits and plan for events. Commissary employees interact regularly with food truck owners and can help you find the tools you need to succeed as a food truck owner while also acting as an intermediary between you and the local health inspectors.
