The Dumpling Bros is a food truck business operating out of Denton, TX. The truck serves the community of Denton including the 50,000+ students at the local universities.
Since TDB’s inception in October 2015, its presence in food truck parks has accounted for the majority of its revenue and reach. The Dumpling Bros food truck is located minutes away from both the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University, and both student populations have been big supporters of TDB. Catering and requested site visits have slowly grown, as private companies and organizations have increased their requests for TDB to service their luncheons and events. The truck serves both hospitals in the city and 90% of schools in the Denton Independent School District.
Currently, TDB is restricted by a desire to serve its normal food park rotation and provide its loyal customer base with a consistent presence. With an additional food truck, TDB will be able to maximize its catering and special on-site services while continuing to support its core base. Catering and site visits comprise just 25% of existing revenue, and there is a significant opportunity for growth within both the existing market and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Aside from a small café on UNT’s campus, the next closest Korean cuisine option is over 20 miles away. In addition, The Dumpling Bros is the only Korean dumpling food truck in the state of Texas. The team plans to continue its expansion to grow its presence in the Dallas-Fort. Worth area and beyond.
TDB has also developed a frozen, pre-packaged dumpling offering. This product is currently sold from the food truck exclusively, but the team has been testing the product’s viability through both e-commerce and has begun exploratory conversations with grocery retailers.
The Dumpling Bros utilizes Internet marketing, cross-promotion, sponsorships, and word of mouth to promote the business. Most of TDB’s fans communicate with the truck through Facebook (over 2,500 followers in one year), Instagram, and Twitter. The team also attends local farmers markets and plans to attend trade shows once the second food truck is launched.
The Dumpling Bros opened for business in October 2015. Through the end of 2016, the business had grossed over $155,000 in revenue, and it plans to reach $200,000 in gross sales in 2017 with its single truck. With an additional truck, the team forecasts $450,000-$500,000 in combined gross sales by 2018 with continued growth driven by the addition of new trucks and scaling of operations.
TDB's team is comprised of 7 full- and part-time staff, including the owners. With its relationship with The Denton Freedom House, TDB is able to staff up quickly as needed.