VGCC to offer new Food Truck Entrepreneurship training


The Chick-n-Que mobile food truck (photo provided by Queen Harris)

The Chick-n-Que mobile food truck (photo provided by Queen Harris)

Vance-Granville Community College will soon offer a series of courses specifically for entrepreneurs who want to compete in the growing food truck industry. The program is the first of its kind in North Carolina.

A partnership of VGCC’s Small Business Center and Personal Enrichment department, the Mobile Food Truck Entrepreneurship Workshop Series will be held at the college’s Franklin County Campus, located on N.C. 56, just west of Louisburg.

Queen Harris, owner/operator of the Chick-n-Que mobile food truck and restaurant in Rolesville, will serve as the instructor. Harris and her husband have been operating a food truck for more than six years and recently also opened a restaurant. They can also be found each year at the State Fair, serving up North Carolina-raised ostrich burgers among other treats. Harris will help guide participants through the steps of planning, starting and maintaining a food truck or food cart business.

The first class in the series, “The Art of Food Truck,” will be held on Monday, May 11, from 6 until 9 p.m. This workshop serves as an introduction to the program and covers the fundamentals of owning and operating a mobile food unit.

“Preparing for Success: Concept and Design” will follow on Monday, May 18, from 6 until 9 p.m. The design of the food unit, as well as budgeting and costs, are the focus of this session.

The third workshop, entitled “Administrative Necessities,” is scheduled for Monday, June 1, from 6 until 9 p.m. Participants will learn about federal, state and local regulations, zoning, licenses and permits they will need.

Finally, “Marketing for Success: Social Media/Advertising” will conclude the series on Monday, June 8, from 6 until 9 p.m.

“We are excited about these workshops, which we think will address the unmet needs of this hot market and help people succeed as small business owners,” said Tanya Weary, director of the VGCC Small Business Center.

“This series is designed primarily for someone who is interested in starting a food truck business but is not sure exactly where and how to get started,” said VGCC Personal Enrichment coordinator Emily McCormick. “This is training you won’t find anywhere else in the state.”

The cost of the program is $55 for the first class. The other three sessions are offered free of charge.

Participants in the program will also be required to sign up as clients of the VGCC Small Business Center, which is free of charge, and to complete the ServSafe food safety certification course, which will be held July 13 and July 20. A separate fee of $74 is charged for ServSafe.

For more information and to register, contact VGCC Small Business Center director Tanya Weary at (252) 738-3240 or smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or Emily McCormick at (252) 738-3385 or ped@vgcc.edu.