Karma Chamealeon is a food truck on a mission. Two missions, actually. One is to bring great vegan food to the street, and the other is to do business in an environmentally responsible way.
The bright lime green truck, the first fully vegan food truck in Ontario, hit the road in the summer of 2013, driven by proud owners Chase and Cindy Thompson. The Hamilton Ontario couple’s backstory is interesting: Chase loves to cook and Cindy is a people person, but before launching the truck, he was an environmental scientist and she worked in health care. Both were looking to make major changes in their careers and both dreamed of launching a business that was harm free, compassionate and sustainable. Add it all up and you get Karma Chamealeon.
The truck’s menu is dedicated to fresh, seasonal and local produce. It changes almost daily, but there are some popular stand-by items, including the sunshine burger, a home-made veggie patty topped with pineapple, chipotle mayo and cilantro aioli, served with a side of fries or slaw. The burger was chosen as one of the top vegetarian food truck menu items by blogTO. Karma’s Philly Cheeze Steak is a big hit, too, says Chase, and not just with vegans. (Chase and Cindy are vegetarians, but to be inclusive, their menu is completely vegan.)
“There was one lady who ordered the Philly Cheeze Steak from our truck week after week. One day she looked at the rest of the menu and said, “Oh, everything else you do is vegan, right? I’ll stick with the cheese steak.”
When it comes to environmental sustainability, Karma Chamealeon has taken a serious look at all parts of their business – not just the food.
“Our food is obviously 100 percent plant based and animal free,” says Chase. “We also choose only compostable and recyclable materials for the truck. We purchase carbon offsets to offset our emissions. We bring composters with us to every service. And a blue box too.”
Those who can’t get enough of the truck’s sunny, vegan food and vibe will be glad to hear the Thompsons are looking to grow their brand beyond the food truck: “We’re trying to diversify our revenue streams, especially during winter months. We’re looking at offering vegan cooking classes and maybe retailing some of our products,” says Chase.
How’s the truck business going so far?
“It’s lots of work,” Chase says, laughing. “ But I’m sure you’ve heard that from lots of people. But it’s going fantastic, to be honest. It’s great. The response is fantastic. We’ve had really good karma throughout the entire process.”