Asian food trucks have been banned from River Park at the weekly farmers market on Tuesdays and Fresno Street Eats events on Saturdays.
Food truck operators claim that an Asian restaurant in the River Park shopping center made a complaint to management requesting that the Asian food trucks no longer be allowed to sell at the center.
Driving the news: Food truck Sticky Rice on Wheels revealed last week that it had been told by River Park management that Asian food from mobile vendors is no longer welcome at the weekly events.
- Sticky Rice said the ban is “because of complaints from restaurants on site.”
- That was followed by El Jablito Food Truck, which serves Filipino food. El Jablito announced last Saturday that it has also been barred from River Park.
- El Jablito said on social media that River Park announced that the brick-and-motor Asian restaurants were hurting because of the Asian food trucks.
River Park’s response: River Park released a statement on Monday with Fresno Street Eats and the California Fresh Farmers Market Association – the organization that operates the farmers market.
- River Park said it values and supports the rich and multicultural communities of the Central Valley but has commitments to its tenants that it must “honor with integrity.”
- “This includes, for example, fostering loyalty to their brands and striving to cultivate an environment within which they can thrive,” River Park said. “To this end, the River Park farmer’s market events, and other collaborations, are designed to complement the River Park tenants, not directly compete with them.”
- River Park said it will engage collaboratively with Fresno Street Eats and the California Fresh Farmers Market Association to review all participants in the events with the goal of finding vendors to complement the tenants at River Park.
Zoom in: While River park did not say which restaurants complained about the Asian Food trucks, one restaurant group says it wasn’t them.
- Lin’s Restaurant Group owns Spicy J’s, J-Pot, J-Tea and O-iza at River Park and did not make the complaint, saying in a statement that it had “no involvement” in the ban and was not consulted.
- “As an Asian-owned business, we are proud to support the broader Asian community and stand with all local businesses working hard to share their food, culture, and passion with Fresno,” Lin’s Restaurant Group said. “Our focus remains on serving our guests and being a positive part of this vibrant and diverse dining scene. We wish all vendors and small businesses continued success and send our best to everyone navigating these challenges with heart and hard work.”
- That leaves two other Asian restaurants: Japanese soufflé and cake shop Fuwa Fuwa and global chain P.F. Chang’s.
