Manteca doesn’t have enough restaurants.
It is a common complaint city leaders receive.
And while the city is seeing a surge in new restaurants opening, they are hoping to help give a leg up to a local entrepreneur with a passion for cooking food.
The vehicle — more precisely a towable trailer that has a kitchen inside — is the City of Manteca Culinary Launchpad Program.
An applicant will be selected to lease the city supplied trailer for a year at $750 a month.
The goal is to provide the applicant with a year to launch their enterprise with the idea they would be positioning themselves to either acquire a food truck or open a brick and mortar restaurant.
The preference is for a Manteca resident with the requirement it will be operated primarily within the City of Manteca.
It is expected to be at various community events — with the city waiving the fees — as well as to be operated elsewhere at private events or at a specific location.
Mayor Gary Singh noted that location could be at the Library Park where other food trucks or at downtown’s most high profile intersection — Yosemite and Main where the city is acquiring the parking lot on the northwest corner.
“It’s about helping someone with a dream,” said City Manager Toni Lundgren.
The almost fully equipped food truck was purchased with leftover COVID-19 federal relief funds the city would have had to return it wasn’t spent or committed to an endeavor that was actually under way by the end of 2025 such as design for the construction of the entry arch on South Main Street.
The selected entrepreneur will receive the following benefits:
*Business support through the Small Business Development Center. Assistance with application preparation, financial planning, and business pitch development will be available upon request before submitting an application.
*Use of an almost fully equipped city-owned food trailer, including a generator, point-of-sale system, security cameras, and essential equipment.
*The food cart includes refrigeration, a food preparation station, and heating and cooling stations, suitable for items such as sandwiches, soups, salads, beverages, and similar menu offerings. It does not include a hood or stove.
*Mentorship and coaching throughout the duration of the program.
*Marketing and promotional support from the city.
*Opportunities to operate at city and city co-sponsored events with dedicated vendor space.
Mobile Food Vendor Permit fees will be waived for the selected entrepreneur.
*The selected entrepreneur will work with the City staff on identifying strategic locations to operate the business which may include dedicated space on city owned properties, such as Woodward Park, Library Park, Wilson Park, Manteca Golf Course, and City Hall facilities.
*The selected candidate will have dedicated spaces at city and city co-sponsored community events including Music on Maple, May-October; Pumpkin Fair: Oct. 3-4, Farm to Fork event, Oct. 10; Watermelon Street Fair, June 6-7; and Christmas in the Park.
Applicants must submit an application outlining their business concept, proposed menu, branding and design concepts for the wrapping of the food cart, and a financial plan demonstrating sufficient capital and a clear strategy to sustain operations for the full term of the program.
The financial plan should account for anticipated monthly expenses, realistic sales projections, and funding sources.
Following the application deadline, applicants will be asked to participate in an in-person business pitch presentation to the City of Manteca Program Committee introducing their business concept, accompanied by taste testing of their proposed menu.
The pitches will be evaluated based on creativity, feasibility, and potential impact on the local community.
Marketing and supplemental material is not required for the purpose of the pitch event but is recommended.
The application process is open through May 4.
The application can be downloaded from the city’s website on the economic development page.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email,dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
