You might think that a mission statement is only something a big stuffy company would take the time to write. But this is not the case. Taking the time to think about the ultimate purpose of your business can help motivate you to continue to grow the business and provide a heightened sense of accomplishment.

Mission Statement: What is it?

According to Dictionary.com, a mission statement is defined as a formal summary of the aims and values of a company, organization, or individual. So essentially, why are you doing what you’re doing… In this case in a small food business like a food truck, restaurant, or even hot dog cart.
Now, when you think of your mission statement overall, you could think that’s pretty easy. You want to make money. You can’t argue that generating income must be a goal of a company. After all, without money the business will ultimately fail to exist. But, we recommend thinking beyond just making money when developing your statement.
If you plan to grow your small food business and begin hiring employees this is when your mission statement can really begin to yield benefits. This simple statement can help motivate employees to perform their best every day… because their work won’t be just about making money. It will be about attaining a higher goal or service that goes beyond doing work for money. Below are a few examples of mobile food businesses with mission statements that go far beyond making money:
The Grilled Cheese Truck – The Grilled Cheese Truck serves up a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches with multiple vehicles in Southern California and Phoenix. The company also has a unique mission to help veterans of our nation’s military. The first 100 trucks, the business has committed to being run by qualified by veterans. The company believes that having experience in the military translates well to operations on a food truck. With so many veteran’s struggling to find work after their military career has ended, it’s great to see an organization that identifies how skillful and valuable these individuals are.
Kona Ice – Kona Ice is a mobile shaved and ice cream truck that has over 400 franchise trucks operating successfully across the country. And while these colorful Kona Ice trucks look like nothing more than a ton of fun to kids and adults on the outside, they also have a powerful giveback program that serves as a higher mission for the company. Kona Ice help fundraising efforts for thousands of organizations across the United States each year. To date, they’ve raised over $17 million for local communities. This is a powerful mission statement for a shaved ice company.
Need more help identifying a mission statement for your business. Check out the following examples below for additional inspiration.
Mission Statement Examples:

  • Our goal is to raise $100,000 for local causes or charities in the Miami area.
  • We want both our customers and employees to feel the fun.
  • Contribute to the knowledge of other small food businesses through publication, education and funding.
  • Serve locally sourced foods that keeps money inside the community.

Even if you’re planning to build a small food business, a strong mission statement can be the guiding light that helps you persevere during difficult times. It can also become “the thing” that separates you from everyone else.