They’re back! The owner of Belka and Strelka foodtruck Pasha is our old friend. Our cooperation began several years ago as soon as Pasha initiated a start-up. We’ve designed promo materials and exterior of the food truck. Since then Pasha’s business has grown so he commissioned us to paint his new vehicle.
Before setting his heart on street food Pasha worked for a huge children’s store chain. He had high and stable income, comfortable working conditions, friendly colleagues and nice boss, but still felt himself a round peg in a square hole. After 12 years of office work he realized that this job won’t bring him satisfaction. It was time to turn his life around.
He thought hard about what was calling him and found there were two things he liked: food and travelling. And food truck is a place where both meet! He’s developed his own roll recipes and tested them on friends. With the service of his friend whom he drew into the adventure, Pasha transformed the truck. The name Belka and Strelka was a result of a brainstorming on relish that blows you into space.
Pasha’s first food truck, a transformed yellow Mercedes-Benz postal van, served him well for 3 years. It was maintained in perfect condition and still was a feast for the eyes and stomach. But it was time to develop the business.
Buying another food truck was costly, so Pasha bought a trailer and designed interior by himself. Each vehicle got its name: the food truck was called Belka, and the trailer was called Strelka. Mercedes is a great thing but it’s a tight fit for a team. One has to work without leaving the spot, otherwise people will jostle each other. A new trailer had much more flexibility and work space, and is more convenient since it was designed with street food service in mind. The advantage it gives is mobility: Strelka keeps selling whilst Belka can go restock the fridge.
We were going to stick to white hand lettering on a black background that was the only request of the owner. We wanted to have some fun and make it look bad-ass expressive. Again we contacted Kate Zavolokina whose manner was exactly what we needed. Normal brushes are not enough for her. To make her bold energetic lettering Kate uses bottle brushes, cut distemper brushes, chopsticks and everything that make marks. She likes to do things in a big way so she writes on A1 sheets and mail us the photographs.
Kate suggested to build the composition around big galaxy-looking Os in a word COSMOS. Then she handlettered other phrases around it. We build each food truck side to meet the esthetics and the truck construction with a little bit of Photoshop magic. We wanted it to be a mouth-watering and joyful reading.
This lettering style is not a bug, it’s a feature. Sweeping writing conveys the energy of a start-up, the idea of freedom and joy. No semi-finished goods, processing food by hand, craft only. Handmade food is like first love: nothing can beat it, no one can fake it. Dynamic lettering is standing out and eye-catching.
As twins the truck and the trailer share some copy. “With our food only happiness grows”. “There’s no need to pull in your stomach after our meal”. “Let us feed you — that’ll make your mom happy”. “Mom tells no one of our food truck”.
We were all agog to check that design does its job of attracting clients. Fo’sho! People stare at Pasha’s brainchild, they make photos of it on the way and at anchore, greet him with car horns. We haven’t conducted an appetite growth research yet but we expect the effect to occur.
For Pasha it’s not the time to rest. Food truck is his starting point. His plans include getting Belka and Strelka an immovable selling point and a café in a food court— to be sure there is a flow of clients during winter time. And you won’t have to wait until spring to have your favourite roll. May the Force be with you, Pasha, we look forward to working on your next project.
