Established in 2013, The Lucky Taco food truck is the spicy brainchild of husband and wife team, Sarah and Otis Frizzell. Besotted with tacos and after a love affair with food trucks during their honeymoon to LA and Mexico in 2011, the pair set about to give keen New Zealanders a taste of the real deal – fresh, tasty and authentic soft shell tacos, served from a glittering, shiny taco truck. They’ve since expanded into the retail product market, and talked to the team about what’s new at Lucky Taco.
What is your company background, how did you start the business?
“Sarah was born in England near Liverpool and graduated with a first class B.A. with Honours in Visual Communication from Edinburgh College of Art. Fundamentally an artist, Otis has worked as a television presenter, innovator, hip hop performer, radio personality, tattooist and graphic designer.”
“Over the past four years, the award-winning taco truck has made more than 250,000 tacos for an ever increasing taco loving population. Demand has been so great that we remortgaged our house and converted the garage into a fully functioning commercial kitchen. Our well loved food truck has now expanded into a multi-award winning range of authentic Mexican products.”
What is the current product range and variants and how do these products stand out in the market?
“Products include Chipotle Chicken Taco Kit, Sizzlin’ Steak Taco Kit, Pink Pickle, Chilli Salt with Lemon’n’ Lime, which won Silver at Zest Fest USA 2016 and Bronze in 2017, Habanero Hot Sauce (the hottest in the range), Jalapeño Hot Sauce, which won GOLD in the medium heat category at Zest Fest USA 2016 and Silver at Zest Fest USA 2017. Our Chipotle Hot Sauce won Gold at Australasia’s Mr Chilli Awards 2015 and Silver at the World Hot Sauce Awards in Louisiana 2016, and most recently, the prestigious GOLD ‘Screaming Mi Mi’ Award at the NYC Hot Sauce Expo 2017.”
Has there been any recent company news?
“We have been accepted for ranging into Countdown Ponsonby & Greenlane. Still struggling to get loaded into the SAP system for New World Vic Park, although the chilled manager has accepted our chilled Taco Kits & Pickle – we are struggling to speed up this process. Our ambient hot sauce products are ranged, so waiting patiently! (If not nagging the chilled manager on a weekly basis...) Our most recent award is our GOLD ‘Screaming Mi Mi’ award at the NYC hot sauce expo 2017 for our Chipotle Hot Sauce. Very stoked to be recognised on the world stage for a product we still warehouse in our neighbours garage next door!”
What are the plans for the business moving forward, is there any expansion on the horizon?
“We have very recently expanded The Lucky Taco team. I cannot comment any further, but we do have some very exciting/tasty/spicy things in store for y’all!”
Where are your products currently available to buy, and are you looking at or wanting to expand your availability?
“They’re currently available in the fresh/chilled section at all Farro Fresh stores, Moore Wilsons, Countdown Ponsonby and Greenlane, Kokako Cafe, Renwick Roadhouse Cafe, New World Thorndon and New World Havelock North. We would LOVE to fast-track the process at New World Vic Park and have the opportunity for a local business/supplier to be on the shelf. It’s been four months since we were accepted for ranging after meeting with the chilled manager in-store but as we’ve not yet been setup into the SAP system, she can’t order product. There seems to be a hold-up on this!”
