Have you heard the saying “One man’s truck donation is another man’s business dream”? No? Well, meet the Canuck Pizza Truck! The Canuck Pizza Truck is a business endeavor conceived by Ted Lafleur and his family from Ottawa, Canada. All they needed was the right truck, and they found it on Rawhide’s eBay store. Another person donated the truck to Rawhide which was then auctioned off on eBay. Ted bid on the truck and won!

He remodeled the truck, equipped it with an authentic Italian pizza oven, and spends sunny, summer days feeding happy customers. The Canuck Pizza Truck is the only pizza truck roaming Canada.

“You’re Not a French Fry Guy”

Ted dreamed of owning a food truck. He originally intended to build a french fry wagon, but when he found a pizza truck, he fell in love. Ted’s brother told him: “Ted, you’re not a french fry guy. You’re a pizza guy. Don’t fight it.” Ted listened.

Ted began researching successful pizza truck businesses. He reached out to a few, and they helped him develop a business plan. With a plan in place, all Ted needed was a truck.

The Hunt for the Canuck Pizza Truck

Ted called Vintage Truck Magazine and asked if they knew where he could find an appropriate vehicle. They directed him to a variety of websites, including Rawhide’s eBay store. Rawhide auctions off donated collectible, vintage, and classic vehicles on eBay. And as luck would have it, Ted found the perfect truck for the job on Rawhide’s store: a 1946 Chevy Stovebolt.

Ted was impressed with his Rawhide eBay purchase for a variety of reasons:

  1. Rawhide took great pictures of the vehicle from all angles, allowing him to make a decision without seeing the truck in person
  2. Rawhide employees were knowledgeable about the truck and were excited for him
  3. The truck was in great condition and came with an inspection report
  4. The price was right
  5. Rawhide customer service is excellent and made the entire process easy

Once Ted completed the purchase, the truck was shipped via New Jersey to Ontario.

eBay Purchase Fulfills a Business Dream

Turning a vintage vehicle into a fully operational pizza food truck took some work. Ted discovered that a friend’s neighbor had the right skill set, and they set about repairing the frame.

Once the frame was reinforced, Ted ordered an authentic Italian pizza oven straight from Italy. In order to enlarge the truck body to house the oven and provide work space, Ted and the renovation team placed the oven on an axle and built around it. Once everything was complete, it was time to sell some pizza!

Pizza Treatza!

Watch the food truck team in action, baking pizzas in an authentic Italian brick oven!

Ted’s wants each visitor to enjoy their experience, so they use the freshest ingredients, homemade sauce, and hand-tossed crusts.  They specialize in gourmet pizzas such as:

  • Meatza
  • Canadian
  • Greek
  • Maui
  • Broccoli, Red Pepper & Asiago
  • Artichoke & Black Olive
  • Perogy (Potato, caramelized onion, bacon)
  • Smoked Gouda & Salami
  • Margherita
  • Fungi Amore

They even take requests!

The Art of Cooking with Italian Pizza Ovens

Ted admits it took a while to get the pizzas perfect when using a 900 degree oven. A lady who grew up cooking pizzas in Italy using a similar oven happened to visit the truck. When Ted relayed a problem he was having, she advised moving the fire closer to the pizza. Problem solved. Soon, perfectly cooked pizzas were served!

For Ted, the best thing about the Canuck Pizza Truck is how it brings his family together and the excitement people have when they see the truck. Whenever the Canuck Pizza Truck is cooking pizza, it’s almost always a family affair and people always notice the truck. It’s even created many return customers! “People are intrigued by it and that’s what makes it fun!”

Find Your Inspiration at Rawhide

Rawhide’s eBay site helped get the wheels rolling for the Canuck Pizza Truck and might be just the thing to help kick-start your small business idea. Check out some of our vehicles up for auction. Maybe you’ll find your very own eBay purchase that inspires your new revenue stream for 2016.