top of page
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about buying, fitting out and running a food trailer in New Zealand
Getting Started
Starting a food trailer business involves a few key steps.
First, get clear on what you want to sell and who your customers are — your menu drives everything from trailer size to equipment. From there, you’ll need to register your food business with your local council under the Food Act 2014 and obtain a Food Control Plan or National Programme. If you plan to trade from public land, a separate mobile trading licence is also required.
Our team can help you work out the right trailer size and fit-out for your menu once you’ve got a clear picture of what you’re doing. For detailed compliance information, we recommend visiting the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) website and your local council’s environmental health department.
To give you an accurate quote, it helps to know:
• What food or drinks you plan to serve
• Your preferred trailer size or style (Square, Round, or Retro)
• Any specific equipment you have in mind
• Whether you need a standard fit-out or a custom build
The more detail you can give us, the better.
Give us a call or send us an enquiry and we’ll take it from there.
Trailer Features & Customization
All our trailers come fully fitted to NZ compliance standards. Standard features include:
Exterior
• Galvanised steel drawbar and chassis
• 2-ton coupling and swing-up jockey wheel
• 4 heavy-duty standing legs
• 14″ wheels
• Customer serving tray
• 1-year registration, 3-year WOF, and 4-year Electrical WOF (EWoF)
Interior
• 32 Amp electrical installation (7,000 watts) with 4-year EWoF
• Stainless steel 304 countertops, cabinets, shelves, and an exterior serving tray/s
• Double sinks with quality swivel tap
• 100L fresh and waste water tanks
• 10L Haier electric water heater and SeaFlo water pump
• Cash drawer with data connector
• Rangehood and extractor fans (cooking trailers)
• Under-bench commercial fridge (model dependent)
• LED interior lighting
Our Round and Square trailers are constructed from high-resistant fibreglass panels with XPS insulation.
Our Retro/Airstream models feature a high-grade 304 stainless steel exterior. All trailers use a galvanised steel chassis and drawbar construction.
You can customise your trailer with a range of upgrades, including:
• Electrical equipment: pie warmer, coffee machine, coffee grinder, bain marie, electric oven, and more
• Gas cooking appliances: fryer, griddle/hot plate, burners, oven, and more
• Gas box
• Spare wheel
• Air conditioning (custom builds)
• Direct water supply (custom builds)
Give us a call to discuss what’s right for your setup.
Trailer Specifications & Compliance
Specifications vary by model. We’ll work with you to make sure your trailer is sized and configured for your needs while meeting all NZ transport regulations.
Get in touch for model-specific details.
Yes. All our trailers are designed to meet or exceed council requirements for mobile food businesses.
They’re built to support compliance with a Food Control Plan or National Programme, including:
• Weather protection for food
• Interior surfaces (walls, floor, ceiling) that are smooth, sealed, and easy to clean
• Wash hand basin with running hot and cold water
• Benches and shelves with smooth, sealed surfaces
• Effective vermin proofing
• Ventilation to prevent excessive heat, condensation, and odours
An Environmental Health Officer from your local council will inspect the unit as part of your food business verification process.
When we handle the full fit-out for you, you can leave with complete confidence, knowing that all installations are done safely and professionally, and your trailer is fully compliant and ready to operate.
Our standard electrical configuration is 32 Amps, which includes a minimum of six 10 Amp double power points, LED ceiling lighting, an external mains power inlet socket, and interior window hatch lighting on applicable models.
This comes with a Certificate of Compliance (COC) and a 4-year Electrical Warrant of Fitness (EWoF).
Our trailers are fitted with a 10-litre Haier electric water heater. A SeaFlo water pump draws water from a 100-litre freshwater tank located under the trailer and pumps it through the system, providing both hot and cold running water to the sinks.
Yes, we can supply both electrical and gas appliances for your trailer. Each appliance is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, which varies by brand and model. We’ll provide full warranty information at the time of purchase.
For items that are not built-in, yes — but all electrical and gas appliance installation must be carried out by a certified NZ professional.
Electrical work must be performed by a Registered Electrician to comply with Electrical Safety Regulations and maintain your EWoF. All gas fittings and connections must be completed and certified by a Registered Gasfitter.
It’s your responsibility to ensure all work meets these standards and that total electrical and gas consumption doesn’t exceed your trailer’s system capacity.
We strongly recommend consulting your council and insurance provider before undertaking any of this work.
Yes. We offer professional gas appliance installation as an add-on service.
All work is carried out by a Registered Gasfitter, and upon completion you’ll receive a Gas Certificate of Compliance.
It’s an option that’s attracting increasing interest, but these are highly specialised systems and the right solution depends on your specific power needs, appliances, and budget.
This isn’t a service we offer directly — we’d recommend consulting a qualified off-grid power solutions provider.
Yes. We supply high-quality petrol inverter generators from Honda, Briggs & Stratton, and GT Power.
Inverter generators produce clean, stable power — essential for sensitive equipment like refrigerators, POS systems, LED lighting, and commercial appliances with digital controls.
They also offer strong fuel efficiency and are quiet and portable. View our generator range on the Equipment page.
Purchasing & Delivery
Yes. We work with trusted finance partners to offer straightforward financing options.
The process is simple — once you’re happy with your quote, we’ll connect you with our finance partner directly.
Visit our Financing page for full details, or give us a call to discuss your options.
Yes. Great sign writing transforms your trailer into a moving brand statement.
We work with a trusted local sign writing partner and can connect you with them as part of your build. Visit our Sign Writing page for more information.
Unfortunately, we do not offer lease or hire options at this time.
Absolutely. Every trailer includes 1-year registration, a 3-year WOF, and a 4-year Electrical Warrant of Fitness (EWoF).
Yes. We provide a 1-year back-to-base warranty on all our trailers. Please refer to our Warranty page for full details.
Unfortunately not — as a GST-registered business, we’re required to charge GST on all sales.
If you’re in business, registering for GST with Inland Revenue is straightforward and means you can claim the GST back.
Yes, we carry a wide range of trailers in stock. We’d love to show you around in person at our Mount Maunganui location.
If you can’t make it in, we’re happy to arrange a video call tour.
We’re open weekdays, but weekend viewings can be arranged by appointment.
Give us a call and we’ll do our best to accommodate you
Yes. We can arrange transport to both the North and South Islands.
Get in touch to discuss delivery to your location.
bottom of page