Regulations for a food cart

    Does anyone know the regulations for opening a food cart business in brazil?
   

    -@Canforbra

I did talk to someone a while ago about this, and it is a very subjective question, depending on your location, location of the cart, and the local municipality. Apparently some town halls are very strict in enforcement, others are very lax, and some even do not enforce the rules evenhandedly. There is no one-size-fits-all rule.

I should imagine most Brazilians would adopt a suck-it-and-see approach, just do what is clearly required from observation of other carts, then wait to be fiscalised...!

In Rio anything is possible. l once saw a guy with one of those stainless steel chicken rotisseries set up on the sidewalk outside a Mundial supermarket. So l look down and l see what appears to be an extension chord, running up the side of a light pole, and wired directly into the line. One slip and the chicken won’t be the only thing getting fried! 😂😂😂

...l see what appears to be an extension chord, running up the side of a light pole, and wired directly into the line. One slip and the chicken won’t be the only thing getting fried! 😂😂😂
   

    -@KenAquarius

I see something similar in the homeless camps in the USA, wiring cheap power cords directly into the light poles and wiring covers on street lights especially straight into the bottom access holes. I see this in Portland, San Francisco, and all of Los Angeles, right along the streets. Pretty far out stuff, above my pay grade to do

@rraypo

That is sad...

@Peter Itamaraca it’s the new reality for many cities in the USA.

@KenAquarius

Jesus.

    @rraypo
That is sad...
   

    -@Peter Itamaraca

Unfortunately, I still work in and out of the USA commuting to Brazil as I retire there. There is no way to describe how much the USA has changed in the past few years; this degree of change is not sustainable. I used to enjoy layovers in LA, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle etc. I'd plan around concerts in Seattle, Portland, and Sacramento  Now, I hate leaving the airports, some, like Portland, are downright dangerous now to be in the city. I'd much rather walk around the city of Sao Paulo than Portland now for safety. I used to work in Chicago a lot, Baltimore, and New York City often, etc. Now, I just won't go there. I grew up in San Francisco, now, I won't go there either, that city is just depressing. 

@Canforbra My first reaction when I saw this post was a reflection of decades ago when My wife and I had a Brazilian Coffee Shop and I extended it to also having a mobile cart to serve the 18-field soccer field complex for Weekend games. (We were actually called on to serve Brazilian food and coffee when MARTA came with her USA team for a game).  At that time the USA regulations included a three-compartment sink, with the wash compartment for hot soapy water, then the second compartment with clean water, and finally sanitize in the third compartment with a sanitizing solution for a third compartment a sanitizing solution. You also need a place of operations and a stationary place for the equipment as well as a food handlers permit and another license as well as a fee.

@rraypo @KenAquarius took it to another level. I don`t think you want to fry something; however, these were my younger days. If I was 25 or above it would be AN ALL-ON-LINE Operation and based on service or products. No Food or Drink. Food Carts are all Manual Labor and make for some very long days.

Roddie in Retirement

Chicago a lot, Baltimore, and New York City often, etc. Now, I just won't go there. I grew up in San Francisco, now, I won't go there either, that city is just depressing. 
    -@rraypo

Sanctuary cities are dangerous cities because of the current immigration and mental health crises.  Good ideas but impossible execution.  That's why I want out...

If I was 25 or above it would be AN ALL-ON-LINE Operation and based on service or products.
Roddie in Retirement-@roddiesho

How about an online store selling local products - such as locally produced / roasted coffee?

a) I picked up roasted beans from the Cafeina on Barata Ribeiro in Rio - wished that I could buy it online too.

b) Wished that I could buy Brazilian picanha in the USA - another export from Brazil.  Today I can only buy picanha if I order it from the butcher and I need to buy a freezer full of meat.

@Pablo888 Fentanyl. Incredibly addictive,  powerful, dangerous, and cheap. It needs to be declared a public health crisis and flow shut off immediately. If necessary bring the military to bear.

    @Pablo888 Fentanyl.
    -@KenAquarius

Heard on NBC News that enough fentanyl is smuggled into the US to kill 3x the population of the earth last year....  Not sure whether this amount is true or not but cooking fentanyl has become a trend (Breaking Bad etc..) and it's a lot easier than growing opium.  Very discouraging.

This topic has seemed to have deluged from the original question a fair bit.

Any new information about starting a food cart business in brazil??

   03/08/24  This topic has seemed to have deluged from the original question a fair bit.
Any new information about starting a food cart business in brazil??
   

    -@Canforbra

As far as I know, it requires a license from the municipal government.  Aside from the basics:  CPF, CRNM, paying the fee - the specific requirements will vary by municipality.  Some may also require CNPJ, a tax ID for businesses.

I doubt you'll find much more guidance on the subject here; your best bet would probably be the website of the city you're setting your sights on.

I will be frank here.  I’m not sure how well it will play for a foreigner to try something like this. l don't think the locals will be too happy about it. You will be seen as competition. Then there is always the issue of being robbed. You will be running what l assume will be a mostly cash business. Makes you an easy target. I am only speaking of my experience in Rio. lt might be different in somewhere like Floripa.

@Canforbra

The only new information that I can think of is - have you looked at possible food truck franchising opportunities in Brazil?  If there is one, this would be an easy way to get this business started.

However, if there is no franchising operation, may be you can get one started as the homework that you are currently doing can be re-used.

As @KenAquarius mentioned, I don't think that foreigners will do better than the locals but foreigners are better at organizing and creating opportunities for economies of scale...

Just thinking out of the box here.

@Canforbra i think it has changed from HoW to WhY.  Having done it before I don`t know that it is worth it. I agree with the response's that say look into the city and local regulations. If that is a challenge, then actually doing it will be a problem.

My competitor in the coffee business had several coffee carts at major airports in DC, MD, and VA. as well as Coffee Shop locations. In the end he eventually narrowed it down to just having his coffee retailed at Sam`s Club and Whole Foods. The carts were the first to go.

Roddie in Retirement

Why not do online ordering and home delivery?  During COVID, there were many restaurants that closed their doors, moved ordering online and then do home delivery using uberEats.

If you are planning on doing something unique, product launch using youtube / tiktok and then do home delivery has worked before.

But you have to do something that is not easy to replicate though as the whole world will know about it - which is the marketing point.

Just an idea....

@Pablo888 Good Idea!

There are food trucks in Ilhéus. There are food kiosks in many squares. Many sell hamburgers. Too many, I think. But I know nothing about the restaurant business.

I know a couple that have three burger joints and two food trucks. They had the first burger truck here in 2015.

There are a dozen burger places within a ten minute walk from my apartment.

Maybe a gas station on every corner of an intersection is a good model?

Alan

If you want to get involved in the catering or hospitality business in Brazil, in any form, you must have had some good experience before you moved here - in some form, or you will fail.

Just to think you could do better than Brazilians at their own game, is a mistake.  Be better, work harder, offer better products at a better quality and price is a good start, but they know their market intimately, and that will be a tough nut for you to crack.