Mansfield has a new business rolling into town. A local couple will launch a food truck named Altered Eats to serve locally grown food to their hometown.
Co-owners Anne Massie and Aaron Schopp said they have always loved preparing and eating quality food. Schopp has worked in The Leaning Tower of Pizza for the last five years and Massie has experience serving food at The Happy Grape. Massie’s first job was in a food truck at Mid-Ohio when she was 14 years old. She said she’s always loved the food business ever since.
The two started entertaining the idea of starting a business of their own after they heard such good remarks about the food they prepared for their book club friends.
“We started having them over to our house and we cooked for them. We love cooking and people love our food,” said Schopp.
However, the business plan did not start on such a whim. Both lifelong residents of Mansfield, they have a desire to bring a culture that invites others to enjoy good food for a fair price. With their combined backgrounds and strengths, they intend to fill a gap in the local food market.
“There’s not a lot of places to eat around the Mansfield area at like eight, nine o’clock. It’s all chain restaurants at that point,” said Schopp.
Altered Eats’ food truck plans to park out in front of bars and night clubs in the area to supplement those businesses offer. They would also park for community events like First Fridays and Final Fridays in downtown Mansfield.
The truck’s menu is diverse, featuring items like tacos, sushi, soup, rice, sliders and fresh salads. Altered Eats intends to source local ingredients as often as possible, and plan visits to farm markets and local food shops to keep the menu fresh. Their menu promises, “Altered Eats is committed to serving local fresh ingredients as often as possible.”
Altered Eats will make all their own sauces and use brioche buns for the sliders from Black Bird Bakery.
How much will items on a menu with local ingredients cost? As a point of reference, tacos and sliders are all going to be priced at $3.99.
“And they’re all loaded with stuff,” added Massie.
An official opening date is undetermined as the truck is completed and readied for service. However, individuals can take a first taste of their food as the couple serves their food at Mansfield Art Center’s Art Explosion on July 26.
The two realized that having a business takes much effort, but they said none of the planning could have been done without the help from the community.
“Seriously, it’s so much work. The hardest part was crunching all the numbers. We’re both not the best with numbers, but we’ve had help from so many other businesses from the area,” said Shopp.
The entrepreneurs expressed gratitude for assistance and support from local businesses and organizations like North End Community Improvement Collaborative (NECIC), Relax, It’s Just Coffee, The Leaning Tower of Pizza, The Happy Grape, Richland Moves!, Richland Community Development Group (RCDG), the Health Department, Media Partnership, Phoenix Brewery, J&J Farm Market and many others.
For more information on Altered Eats, or to contact them for catering an event, visit their website or Facebook page. They also have a Twitter account.
