Food trucks hit streets for summer

Times Photo by Jared Vas. EXPLORE: Various food trucks are ready for summer in Taber.

By Jared Vas
Taber Times

Not long ago, food trucks were the fresh, exciting business opportunity for anyone with a cook’s skills and an entrepreneurial spirit. They made cooking a viable path to success again – with low overhead, mobile reach, and the charm of street service. But years later, as the trend matures, a question lingers: Is the food truck dream still sustainable?

In Taber, food trucks remain a warm-weather staple. You know it’s summer when the air begins to smell of grilled meat, toasted tortillas and fresh onions. That smell can be none other than tacos! Yes, tacos are by far the most popular culinary subject in Taber.

But Taber is a small town–so how many taco trucks do we really need? Apparently, four. Out of the nine food trucks operating locally, four serve tacos – nearly half. The rest? Four don’t even serve hot food, leaving just one truck that isn’t taco-based. Is oversaturation a problem? Not necessarily. Tacos are a versatile, quick-to-prepare meal that fits perfectly with the on-the-go lifestyle food trucks cater to. But the question remains: is the market an oversaturated mess or is there still room to grow?

Each food truck in Taber has something to offer and has its own story. Whether it be a long-running staple of Taber’s cuisine, or a fresh new face ready to serve the community they form a picture of what food trucking looks like in 2025 – and what it could take to survive tomorrow.

In an increasingly crowded market, El Taco Loco stands out as an original. Maria Peters, owner of El Taco Loco, one of this town’s oldest food trucks, was able to expand and now her humble food truck has grown into a restaurant in Bow Island and a second truck that makes its way to a variety of events. In the face of this expansion, she’s noticed the changing market. Despite the growing number of taco trucks, she’s still in it for the long haul.

“Now everyone has a food truck…” Peters said. “I brought the tacos up, and I’m keeping them,” she proudly stated. Peters’ love of tacos traces back to her childhood and she brought that love when she moved to Taber over a decade ago. The competition hasn’t become too much of a threat as El Taco Loco will be attending a few events such as the Medicine Hat Stampede and Writing-on-Stone Rodeo.

But not all food trucks have been long-time fixtures in town. M&J Mexican Food, filled with optimism and energy, hit the scene earlier this year–but they’ve already made an impression. Owner Maria Dick is proof that the food truck dream is still alive and well.

Dick, a stay-at-home mother turned food truck entrepreneur, launched M&J with the goal of bringing authentic Mexican and Mennonite flavors to Taber. And while tacos are on the menu, they’re not the only focus–her best-selling item so far is actually a burger. The menu keeps evolving, recently adding nachos and micheladas–a non-alcoholic Mexican drink that Dick describes as similar to a virgin Caesar.

M&J hasn’t participated in many events yet, but Cornfest is on the radar. If the year goes well, expansion could be on the table for Dick and her growing venture.

Then there’s La Paloma Tacos–not the new kids on the block, not yet a staple, but potentially the most deliberate. Run by a mother-son duo, La Paloma focuses on authentic northern Mexican flavors, local ingredients and a clearly thought-out approach to business. Their menu features tacos, burritos, and tortas, delivering a comforting taste. The truck’s design – meant to evoke a beach sunset vibe–reflects this thoughtful approach to the dining experience, says Abraham Siemens.

Siemens has cooked since childhood and takes pride in feeding customers, especially when they return more than once a day. La Paloma’s menu structure is a little different than other food trucks. Other trucks in town sell plates of four tacos in one flavour. La Paloma brings a tasting-style menu where you can mix and match any number of tacos in different flavours whether you want just one taco, or one of each taco.

Siemens approaches the food truck business strategically, appreciating the low overhead and opportunity to build a loyal customer base. He also acknowledges that a food truck can be the steppingstone to opening a restaurant, though La Paloma isn’t rushing into that transition yet. You can usually find La Paloma parked outside Parallel Church or at various community events.

Torey Jensen, a regular at La Paloma Tacos loves all the different foods you can find on wheels. “It’s kind of a sense of community,” she said. “You get a feel for who’s in your town and what they all make.” Rylee, the little girl, added poignantly, “I like getting tacos.”

We all love getting tacos, but sometimes you need something different. That’s exactly what Kaba Kula delivers. The only hot food truck in Taber not serving tacos offers a different flavour to the mobile food scene with a blend of Russian, Canadian and Polynesian-inspired dishes. Owner Rachel Kabatoff has always loved to cook and was inspired by her mother who owned one of the first food trucks in Taber a decade ago.

“I love to make people happy with home cooking,” Kabatoff said.

Kabatoff now in her second year, describes business as increasingly busy with a growing focus on catering. “I’ve started to get more catering jobs, which I love. People are starting to recognize who I am – it’s kind of cool”

In a town where tacos are king, Kaba Kula adds much-needed variety to Taber’s mobile food scene, offering dishes that reflect Russian, Canadian, and Polynesian influences – enough for three food trucks.

Despite differences in strategy, experience, and menu, all three taco trucks share one thing: they love what they do. Whether it’s chasing a nostalgic flavor, connecting with the community, or simply serving comfort in a tortilla, there’s joy in this work.

It’s also clear why Taber has so many taco trucks. Every owner spoke about how easy and painless the setup process was. Permits, inspections, working with the town and the fire department–food truck owners reported nothing but positive interactions.

So, is there still room for food trucks in Taber’s future? The taco revolution in Taber might look crowded from the street, but inside each truck is a story and someone with passion in their heart and the will to keep the wheels turning. If there’s oversaturation, it hasn’t killed the appetite yet.