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Having an ice cream, from the ice cream truck, while at the beach is a Kiwi tradition that Luke Mottern, 9, was keen to continue.
Down at Ngamotu Beach, in New Plymouth, the ice cream truck is doing a roaring trade.
Back in the 1960s Mr Whippy was probably the original food truck, but now there are food trucks selling a diverse range of food at a variety of places around Taranaki.
In New Plymouth the ice cream truck’s been called Tinklebell since 2007 when the then owner got out of the Mr Whippy franchise, current owner Steve Faulkner said.
“This time of year it’s crazy.”
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It’s a bit quieter during the winter, and he takes his truck around the streets of New Plymouth.
“I keep plodding along, so I don’t have to get a real job.”
But Tinklebell doesn’t play the traditional ice cream truck music – Greensleeves – instead it plays My Way, Faulkner, who has owned the business for nine years, said.
“The guy who got out of the franchise said ‘if I am going to keep doing this, I’m going to do it my way’, so he changed the music to My Way. And because it’s got a story I’ll never change it.”
Over on the grass closer to the beach Ferns Kai Waka and Ferns Inu Waka were selling burgers and drinks to happy customers.
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Ferns Kai Waka was selling burgers at Ngamotu beach on Friday.
Owners, Kaponga couple, Angela Brady and Andrew Hemopo, used to own the Kaponga takeaways, Brady said.
“When Covid hit we decided to pull out of that and buy our food truck.”
They have a restaurant in Eltham and take their trucks to events, including the seaside market in New Plymouth, she said.
“We do town to town, Opunake, Hāwera, a lot of South Taranaki towns. We love it.”
And Fern isn’t a person, it’s the English name for Kaponga, Brady said.
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Texas BBQ manager Britney Heal was busy preparing lunch at her food truck in Liardet Street projects.
In New Plymouth, the Liardet Street Projects has taken some food trucks off the street and put them in one place.
Texas BBQ manager Britney Heal was getting ready for the lunchtime rush.
Her boss, business owner Ash Peters, went to Texas and discovered Texas BBQ, Heal said.
“He got hooked so thought ‘I’m going to learn how to do it, how to make it, and bring it back to New Zealand’.”
There are two trucks and a trailer, with one of the trucks permanently parked in Liardet St.
“We’re here permanently Wednesday to Saturday. And the other truck and trailer are up at the Festival of Lights, seaside market, and private functions.”
Over the summer business has been really busy, she said.
So busy they haven’t taken the trailer out to do smoko runs, she said.
“Usually the trailer is parked up at certain locations so many days a week to catch up with the truckers and tradies. It’s really popular morning tea through to lunch.”
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Gamma Ray’s Jonny Marinovich has parked his food truck permanently in Liardet St.
Across the little courtyard Jonny Marinovich said his food truck Gamma Ray’s, recently named as having some of the best burgers in Aotearoa, has been open for four years.
The first summer they opened they went to the Festival of Lights and a couple of other events, but are now permanently at Liardet Street Projects.
“We’ve become too busy to move from here. Too many regulars we’d disappoint if we weren’t here. And, have a prep kitchen as well. But we still cook out of the truck.”
Marinovich has been a chef for 20 years and worked in “various places around town.”
“I got sick of working for other people so I decided a food truck was a good place to start working for myself.”