To Do or Not To Do a Vegetable Truck?

hammerdown

hammerdown

Bronze
Apr 29, 2005
1,488
122
63
So a friend of mine asked me what I think of a vege truck, to bring farm fresh veges to the expats in the Cabarete and Sosua area. I thought this may be a good idea, but who better to ask than the DR1 crowd. Here is how he thinks, and let me what you think of this idea.

He is tired of hearing about how the expats get ripped off anywhere from guaguas to fruit trucks. So he figures to bring a truck of veges to condos and gated communities to sell at lower prices than supermarkets.

Instead of asking prices of veges, (who hasn't gone to vege truck and asked for the price something and the guy looks at you and then waits a couple of seconds thinking, just how much can I charge for it?) the prices will be plainly written, with a comparison with the local supermarket. Like potatoes at La Sirena are 35 pesos a pound, and his price will be 28 pesos a pound, or onions are 50 pesos a pound, his will be 40, and so on. Comparisons from Playero and Janets and La Sirena, all, but farm fresh and delivered.....

So folks, give me some feedback and I will let him read it......
 
Tamborista

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
11,745
1,344
113
Great idea, make sure your "friend" has bulletproof glass and tires when the local farmers get wind of his new business.

Publish a guide of the vegetable names and local prices as a service, and call it a day.
It could be like The Cubadave guide to eggplant.
Put GOOGLE Adsense on your page and you'll eat for free.
 
bronzeallspice

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
11,009
2
38
Give it a try. There are trucks that drive through the streets in Dominican neighborhoods everyday selling fresh fruits and veggies.

Taking the produce to expats communities is a good idea. Good Luck.:)
 
B

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
164
0
Sounds good to me, but................. I don't think it would be very wise to do the price comparison. Just simply post the price and let it be. Actually your friend could sell for the same price as the supermarkets as I doubt many expats know the supermarket prices. Plus being farm fresh and delivered to your door should be worth something. Just seeing the price posted gives one a feeling they are not getting ripped off.

The big question, is your friend Dominican? If NOT, ignore my above comment.
 
P

PeterInBrat

Gold
May 29, 2006
10,265
201
0
Most of the veg trucks also sell to the colmados. When they sell in neighborhoods to walk-ups they're going to charge more. It's fair for the service and fair to the colmados who are entitled to a mark-up as well. I don't think there's that much money in it since you'd have to pay the wholesale price of the colmados and still have to pay for gas and other car costs. I think you'd do better getting pre-orders for produce and then running a delivery service. When I was in DC a couple years back, all of the Hispanic markets had free delivery with orders over $25. I can see it more for doing runs to places that are farther away from *real* supermarkets and doing any kind of groceries. Maybe in LT as a once a week service?
 
malko

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
5,669
1,454
113
Not a bad idea if u know lots of people..........

I have been to la linea or POP sometimes, even to the beach a couple of times (!!!!) with my pickup full over platano, sugar cane, avocados, mangos, tayota, yucca etc........ and it all sells quite easy.......

My in laws have been hinting we could buy a beat up pick up so as to do it " full time".

3 problems in my mind.
#1. 150k pesos is a lot of investment, add to that gasolina and salarie(s) (from time to time, ok, but I am not spending my days driving around selling fruit and veg ).

#2. My in laws do not grow anything!!!!! Only I do. And they are crap at cleaning up the land, so they are not using my conuco.....

#3. U are hardly going to get rich.

Anyway, I hinted back to my in laws that if they set up their veggie car, I will sell them cheap fruit and veg...... but knowing them I am not holding my breath........

Good luck.
 
P

PeterInBrat

Gold
May 29, 2006
10,265
201
0
Just make sure to start right around sunrise and have giant speakers blaring out what you have. Knock out any turn signal lights to let them know you're legit:

1933_1090675704615_9155_n.jpg
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,975
944
113
Go talk to Rocky who hangs out at Rocky's in Sosua.

I recall he did the vegetable truck thing for years...
 
P

PeterInBrat

Gold
May 29, 2006
10,265
201
0
Rocky was a dog. You're thinking of Marco. I think he got he start bringing in fresh tomatoes by the truck load. Before that, they basically weren't available in Sosua. That was pre Playero of course. I think he may have had a produce place on Ayuntimiento across from Eddy's.
 
D

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
1,323
0
36
Be like the Schwan's man and come weekly. You can start with my place, 10am every Monday
 
Abuela

Abuela

Bronze
May 13, 2006
1,993
343
83
A few years ago a couple from Sabaneta had organic veggie boxes deliveries & also sold at Vecinos Saturday pulga in Cabarete. Do not think they stayed in business for very long,correct me if I am wrong.
I use the mercadito near Super Super in Sosua and do not think 33 pesos for a large cucumber, 2 large tomatoes, and six bananas is a high price. I think a gringo vendor would be hard pressed to beat those prices.
 
malko

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
5,669
1,454
113
Just stopped a veggie truck in front of my house.......
5lb potatoes, 2 lb peppers, couple of bunches of coriander, 2lb eggplant and some broccoli. Got change out of 150 pesos......
Makes u think twice making a living out of it........
 
V

VJS

Bronze
Sep 19, 2010
846
0
36
I think it's a good idea if he can make it work. Cabarete doesn't really have a place with a decent selection of fruits/veggies and when I stay there, I like to buy off the truck, except they seem to have a random schedule, so it's hard to catch one.
 
D

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,262
364
0
i think the idea in itself is good, veggie trucks do make money. but this is just enough for dominicans to survive. not really something gringos could live off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom