🌱 Click here to how you can join in a tastier, healthier future: abovefood.com/investors/ Above Food is a revolutionary company that's not just feeding us, but also fixing our food system and healing our planet. From seed to fork, they're reinventing how food is grown, made, and enjoyed. 0:00 Peak Saturation 4:05 Neighborhood Icon 13:29 Fusion Perfectionism 26:13 Ruthless Empire
@@ztac_dex hmmm, crop that is spray with pesticides, than can be washed off with water, OR crops with pesticide as part of the crop that can't be washed away and gets injested when consumed, hmmmmm tough choice there. GMO is GMO whitewashing it with different words doesn't change that fact.
@@theboringchannel2027genetic optimization has been a thing since farming has been a thing, wheat, rice, almost every crop has been selected through thousands of years of “genetic optimization”.
Those vids where you go to the different businesses themselves and explain what sets them apart while explaining what the others (in general) do are Insanely good Keep up the work man 🙏🏾
I moved from Texas to SoCal 2 years ago, and besides the awesome beaches/nightlife, these food trucks are the next best thing, man. They are an essential backbone of the economy and life here.
I thought there was a massive exodus in California? I would prefer if people left the state instead of coming here. We have enough people. Please go back to Texas.
@@SamuelClemente7718 I moved to Cali for my work years ago. It has been an upgrade in every way besides the gun laws here sucking azz. I miss my AR-15s. Besides that, Texas is a pretty depressing sh*thole by comparison geographically, socially, and recreationally. I see why it's expensive to live here now. Life's pretty cool when you don't trust the news to live your life for you 24/7. Unplug from the Demo-rat or Republic-tard matrix.
It’s because at the end of the day it’s just what capitalism demands, to put profit over everything and to continue growth for growths sake which is non sustainable and will always put you at odds with other ventures that are also looking to growth and increase profit. It does not matter the area or type of business, the model they all operate in is the same.
Not always just like what the video showed. One business serves the neighborhood and there is also an honor system in place, however it might not last long with more food trucks popping up. @ericktellez7632
I definitely think this is such thoughtful content. I can really feel the respect you have for these communities, whereas sometimes people treat them almost like tourist attractions or that the owners are uneducated because they mainly speak Spanish. They are competent business people who have a finger on the pulse of their markets and actually getting interviews from them rather than just from academic work done on them is so important.
Dude, these videos are really, really interesting. I like how they're not just promotion for these businesses, but actual analyses of what works about them, and what doesn't. It really puts a human face to business.
The fusion place really reminded me of a butcher shop and grill I used to work at in the valley (in LA), also Armenian owned. Pretty much identical business structures (fusion butcher shop + grill) with the exact same type of owner. One thing I gotta give those Armenians is that they know how to run a hell of a business. that said, the owner was a really difficult person to work for. He was constantly monitoring everything in a very uptight manner, trying to find ways to catch us doing something wrong, testing our loyalty and he would dig in to us in the most verbally caustic ways in the rare event we did slip up. He was absolutely paranoid. I understand it. He probably had a lot of bad instances in his life and didn't want to lose the quality he had worked to maintain. after a year of going through the ringer with his antics and being offered a management position in one of his growing franchises, i left because the dude was an absolute nightmare to work for. keep in mind i was working 7 hour shifts without breaks literally every single shift i worked because buddy had no respect for his workers or labor standards. these guys spending thousands on their own food every month goes beyond the quality of the food. a good boss finds the balance between excess and deficiency, and if they're anything like my old boss, they probably break the scale of the former. that kind of management results in low employee retention because no one wants to work for a basketcase who looks over your shoulder every five seconds unless they're getting paid enough to deal with that, and 16 an hour doesn't include the emotional scars of a crazy boss. in case they scan through these comments sections like my old boss would've - keep the work ethic that got you to 2 million a year, loosen up, make the work environment positive and as stress-free as possible and don't look for reasons to fire someone. make work a place that people want to show up to. the only reason i worked that job for a year was because i was a senior in high school, it was covid, and no one was hiring. thanks.
15:00 sumac is NOT dried pomegranates it’s a flowering plant related to cashews (I’m allergic to nuts and also sumac but definitely not pomegranates. So when I heard him say that I googled it just to make sure and yup that’s so incorrect)
In business and econ classes, you learn about business strategy and competitive advantage, and restaurants are the main industry given as an example of perfect competition - they're in a ruthless race to 0 economic profit. Yet we see restaurants survive and thrive, so there's definitely still a secret sauce to success. Very happy to see this video. Amazing work as always!
EXCELLENT VIDEO I have been cooking for over 52 years and have had my own cafe and roadside stands... and I learned a lot by watching this video... Thank YOU so much for sharing this.... I need to get up to the 21st Century.
That's crazy! How can you "price gouge" a taco? (22:40) You either buy it or you don't. "Price gouging" is when you NEED life saving medicine and the drug company says, "that'll be $1000 please".
When times get tough instead of revolting against the nameless and seemingly invincible corporations/institutions responsible for their misery they go after local successful businessmen, immigrants and each other simply because they are more accessible and easier to blame. This manifests itself as someone harassing their local taco restaurant instead of the executive who increased their rent, insurance and froze their wages.
Corporations are easy to blame but they are subject to the same pressures as these small businesses even if they can survive easier, usually due to economies of scale. However, I don’t expect any business to keep prices low out of the goodness of their heart just like I don’t expect consumers to pay more out of the goodness of theirs.
They definitely shouldn't named the company with the word "food" in it. Because that word alone already made people imagine unprofitable food delivery service 😂.
They say “genetic optimization” as if people are scared of the engineering part instead of the genetic part. Not that there’s anything wrong with genetic engineering, but it’s quite clear above food is greenwashed as hell and dishonest by omission.
I didn't understand the sponsorship at all. I'm used to sponsorships being to try and sell a product. This was literally just "please buy the stock" for a company that just reeks of VC scam lol.
As a born and raised Mexican Angeleno the best thing I love about LA is the sheer amount of Mexican street food! Great quality without the prices of restaurants. You can get some banger seafood from foodtrucks
So basicaly here is what I learned from the video 1) First There is your Family Man (Los Gatos ) who is mainly responsible for his Food truck and offers food which is good and at retively comparable price with other food trucks in his neighborhood,If he is not there with his food truck,someone else will take his space.If he is ill for a longer period of time or absent from his food truck then he will have to forfeit that location and look for another location to avoid conflict of interest.But one thing that differs him from people who are working for 2 Sisters(La Quera Tacos) is that he is his own boss and he can work to his own hearts content and take a break and set his own rythm.. 2) Second you have Gourmet Style Tacos ( MidEast Tacos),They have worked in this industry for a long periods and have researced well into which neighborhood to settle in to justify thier prices.They are not traditional, they are offering something new with fresh ingredients and are continously experimenting with their food providing quality for their customers at a 30% high prices as compare to other taco Stand.But they need this because they have to a) Standard Wage to their workers b) They have to pay rent ofn their location c) They have to pay Taxes. e) They cannot compromise their quality which is their only Unfair Advantage in this business,So if the Raw material costs more then they have to raise their price even more to make a profit. 3) Thrid you have the Shark Sister( La Quera Tacos) I will justify why I call them sharks.Here you have a taco stand run by two sisters and everything is good until you deep dive the rabbit hole. a) They have food trucks which are movable so NO Rent. b) If you notice their workforce they are either Latinos or Mexican,Now Both of these ethnicity are migrants and some may be legal entry in the USA but most of the unfortunate are illegal Immigrants who came looking for work in USA.So the sisters basically can pay minimalist of wage to her workers who are desparate for work and will 7 DAYS A WEEK without any holiday or supposed Pay raise for years,in Turn the sisters ensure them of providing them a roof and a job to work in and earn money. d) They sisters can exploit the workforce and and hire and fire N number of workforce because there is no short supply of migrants,Few may leave and there are hundereds waiting in line to take the place.The Stand is run by three people with very specific role to fill in so there is no problem of giving training for extensive periods ot time ,Just basic stuff is necessary because the menu is no Extravegant.. e) The Sisters are working like mafia and taking territories and stablishing dominance,NO NEW TRUCKS CAN Operate in their territories.And they hav e absolute monarchy of that area.. So my conclusion is this :- The La Quera Tacos ( Two Sisters ) Will open numerous more locations and will eventually be the winner in this,The MidEast are Doomed until they have a major Investor backing them to open new resturants,Because tomorrow they sisters are going for the Mideast Tacos,They will do it because they can and they will to establish dominanace and sabotage the Establishment because all they have to do is roll out two truck from two different directions which are going to The MidEast Tacos.And GUYS LIKE the (La Gatos) can always be intimidated because he is just one truck and can be taken care of easily by hook or crook.
Mideast tacos is targetting a different customer base and Los Gatos have a restaurant. Their taco truck location is permanent so they cant really be intimidated like other stands...
You should see the Taco gang fights too. Two food trucks enter, only one leaves. Machetes and cleavers just swinging wildly and sparks flying everywhere. Its beautiful. Just like the old country.
Man these documentaries are absolutely top tier, I love this humane approach to business, reminds me a lot of my social anthropology classes in school. This is the first time I donate to a channel and I plan on donating more in the future. Great job and keep it up!
Can I just say, phenomenal job. I echo others when I say, I enjoy these videos where you allow business owners to speak for themselves while giving us a greater context. This was absolutely fascinating and just like your video on Nightclubs, I was surprised at just how into it I was.
Dude gave the hardest backhanded compliments to Silver Lake. Basically, people there are pretentious douches who have a lot of money but somehow also have a lot of time to spend it.
" Their corner used to be an abandoned homeless encampment overflowing with litter and weeds." This is sooo inaccurate. The previous business shut down and this location was empty for a few months and then they moved into Silverlake. I should know I would pass by everyday. They make it seem as if there was a huge community of homeless people when reality you MIGHT have two homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk.
Appreciate the field spotlight you’ve been digging into as of late. It gives well deserved attention to small businesses, and their unique insights and this style of investigative reporting makes Modern MBA unique in the area of finance/business TH-cam channels. Keep up the good work team
One of the best TH-cam videos I’ve watched in a while! This could have easily been another tour of LA’s street food scene with some white guy tasting each stand’s “signature dish” while trying to speak Spanish over a five minute interview. Thanks for actually highlighting the business behind three companies who just so happen to sell the same product.
Really excellent video! Very fun to see my home neighborhood represented as well - I respect the effort to do real, boots-on-the-ground interviews. Makes it so much more engaging
Yea I found it odd that there was no push back against such aggressive pushes against the spirit of the honor (as opposed to the letter of the system). What is prevent them or others with reasonably deep pockets from absorbing short term losses to claim territory in upcoming areas extremely as much as possible? I'm going to guess that she gets some protection from people who are willing to apply a bit more physical force in that community.
@@randomyoutubebrowser5217 The population of an LA neighborhood is risk averse to fly-by-night taco stands with no reputation to back them or new gimmick. That's just common sense in avoiding illness from eating street meat. Theoretically, you can out-muscle your competition but you can't make people buy your tacos. Good product or good word of mouth go a long way in LA street tacos.
@@mrrodriguezHLP I don't disagree, but that wasn't what I was saying. Is the honor system meant to prevent a decently reputable established chain with deeper pockets from absorbing short term losses to claim territory in upcoming areas extremely aggressively as much as possible? If the answer is no, then have other companies also tried this approach or is La Guerra special for some reason? If the answer is yes, then why is La Guerra getting away with this? To be honest I don't know much about the Taco scene at all to know if La Guerra is the biggest chain or if there are other bigger chains out there also exploiting this honor system. Which then further brings to questions how this system will evolve as the market gets saturated.
I own a restaurant they primarily sells tacos Opened in 2019, I’m probably in the middle of all of these but in a worst location. I’m ready for an interview whenever you want mba :)
This was so insightful. I just move to west LA and I am from Mexico. I really struggled to find authentic tacos, where every place I've tried failed miserably. But I was measuring the taco business in LA in terms of authenticity and LA seems to like to do their own thing. I would still prefer authenticity, but now i know it's not about competence, it's about their current market, which is brutal.
I always love the amount of research that goes into these videos, and the dedication to explain and understand businesses from a wider perspective is so nice to watch. Amazing work ❤
Or maybe you're not cultured or intelligent enough to know what's worth paying for? There are a lot of taco trucks in Los Angeles that are capable and want to do better food, but diners won't pay for better ingredients/preparations so the price (and quality) stays low. It's very funny, a lot of people won't pay for quality Mexican but they'll splurge for sushi.
I kove this format. Please do more videos like this about small businesses. Maybe next time about the crowded commercial and residential cleaning business.
I’m from Mexico City and tacos la guera look like you’re in the streets of CDMX right outside a subway station about to chow down on some bomb tacos. My mouth is watering right now!!
I really appreciate these videos of different industry entrepreneurs. You’ve found good examples of small businesses that have put their own spin on their business, which to me is the entrepreneurial aspect of serving something that may be familiar already. I’m curious what kind of businesses you are interested in profiling, beyond food, or even food options themselves.
Would have loved to see a breakdown of each business’ costs. What’s their profit margin? Great stories, but curious for some more analysis and numbers (a la classic Modern MBA)
Super interesting. Thank you for the deep dive. Fascinating how different players can take different approaches, methodologies, and execution and still be able to carve out their own niche within this highly competitive market. This shows the power of creativity, follow-through, and hard work. Much respect to all the business owners hustling to grow their business. They are an inspiration. and thanks to ModernMBA this was very educational. Except now I'm hungry. LOL
These last few videos, the nightclub video, donut video and this one are AMAZING. Like I am blown away that you're just putting these on the internet instead of selling to like HBS. Make an accompanying study guide. :)
Really loved this one. Midwest tacos reallt showcase the love and care but trying to capture a higher market and reinvest in a larger community visual. Del taco reallt showing how to be business cutthroat but not sacrificing workers, community, and scale to do it. Also just recognizing the higjlight the respect abd loyalty that is built to keep spaces, workers, and customers.
This was really interesting and super informative. thank you for highlighting a business that I think too many of us take for granted. I appreciate the taco spots much more after this. Awesome video !
I go to that exact tacos la Guerra off Soto like 4 times a week. My favorite tacos in LA by far. Awesome to randomly see them pop up on my TH-cam recommended.
I don’t see what is ruthless about La Guera. They seem the most professional and respectable. They are exercising actual ambition and do continuous market research.
Thx for foing this videooo! My Dad does taco catering on the side and even though its different, they're lots of similarities, and the competition is very fierce even in the bay.
Thank you for this as I’m currently setting up a taco business. I get the same pushback on pricing as well. People don’t understand the labor that goes in
Simply a fantastic video, I respect both of the different approaches and attitudes by each vendor, Love learning about how they got to where they are now. More of this please.
In Mexico we also have super expensive tacos, places where they serve 3 tacos for 34 usd, and of course places where you get a taco for 50cents US. The best tacos are in the middle point
You know if just one mediocre LA Mexican food truck opened its doors in Michigan they could be extremely successful given how few Mexican restaurants there are but that means leaving home and establishing a foot hold in an relatively untested area. I say this because I've eaten Mexican in Michigan and believe me even a mediocre restauranter could be successful and own the market.
@@tgo007there would also be issues with the entire supply chain. Are there grocery stores that will hold the produce they need? Are there folks that can service the good truck? Are there laborers that can make the food to a good standard? Will you be able to spread the word-of-mouth and marketing
@@timothynguyen4446laborers would be the big issue. I am from a smaller college town/city in Michigan and even with our low cost of living, even all the fast food places hire at $15 an hour-> and they still can’t get fully staffed! My father’s company in the manufacturing sector starts wages at $22 an hour plus benefits and they never stop hiring.
I own a food truck myself and I loved watching this We are a stationary ghost kitchen All of our dishes are purposely, curated and organized to bring a elevated feel to breakfast. Some dishes are classic with a few tweaks to bring the experience to a new level and some of them are innovative concepts. Prices are more than gas stations and fast food but lower than true the high end fast casual Since we do breakfast the food cost is lower We focus on the Instagram crowd but get young professional walk-ups and university students
I like the report but some of what Rocio is saying in Spanish is not being subtitled correctly either by bad translation or lack cultural understanding over the deeper meaning of some words. For example, in @28:28 she says "paisano Mexicano," that means somebody that was born in Mexico and moved to the USA as an adult and not Mexican-American like the subtitles show and also following up quickly in @28:41 she says "la gente morena" is subtitled as brown people but what she really means in Mexican slang is Black people or African Americans. There are a few other things but those 2 where the most obvious mistakes and or lack of understanding what the deeper meaning, whoever is doing your translations is being literal and doesn't understand the community and it shows.
Agree with the "la gente morena" part, but she was bundling "paisas", and Chicanos together as "Mexicanos" in general. The one thing that she said that was complete BS was that their really wasn't taco trucks in LA until she got there 20 years ago. That's complete nonsense. NELA has had Taco trucks since at least the 70's.
L.A is a food mecca, I plan on getting to L.A one day, likely after I drop another 30 pounds because when I get there I plan on eating my weight in food. I wish we had Taco empires in Michigan, more Mexican restaurants are opening in my area but I would be happy if we had the same amount of Mexican restaurants as we do pizza, burger chains. I don't count Taco Bell as being food fit for consumption even though some of my family members eat it.
🌱 Click here to how you can join in a tastier, healthier future: abovefood.com/investors/ Above Food is a revolutionary company that's not just feeding us, but also fixing our food system and healing our planet. From seed to fork, they're reinventing how food is grown, made, and enjoyed.
0:00 Peak Saturation
4:05 Neighborhood Icon
13:29 Fusion Perfectionism
26:13 Ruthless Empire
Abovefood "we use genetic optimization"
which means we produce GMO products.
@@ztac_dex hmmm, crop that is spray with pesticides, than can be washed off with water, OR
crops with pesticide as part of the crop that can't be washed away and gets injested when consumed,
hmmmmm tough choice there.
GMO is GMO whitewashing it with different words doesn't change that fact.
This ad only made me want to invest in Monsanto. They're not going anywhere and have very deep pockets to keep it that way.
@@theboringchannel2027genetic optimization has been a thing since farming has been a thing, wheat, rice, almost every crop has been selected through thousands of years of “genetic optimization”.
i hear once They were used to sell drugs
These documentaries are one of the few videos I can't belive they are free to watch here on YT... Man, you're killing it, keep up the good work!
They don't show the tweaker touching your food.
That long ahs ad pays
Shhhh 🤫
I'm really liking these "in the field" type of videos. You're great at putting the actions of individual businesses into perspective.
This one was really good. 👍
Those vids where you go to the different businesses themselves and explain what sets them apart while explaining what the others (in general) do are Insanely good
Keep up the work man 🙏🏾
Agreed. This new format is next level. I don't think any other channel gives such in depth investigation
Agree 100%. It’s just sad his best videos get the least amount of views as people more likely click on companies they know.
Right? Definitely getting MBA level education for free
I moved from Texas to SoCal 2 years ago, and besides the awesome beaches/nightlife, these food trucks are the next best thing, man. They are an essential backbone of the economy and life here.
I thought there was a massive exodus in California? I would prefer if people left the state instead of coming here. We have enough people. Please go back to Texas.
Texas to California? Whoa
@@SamuelClemente7718 I moved to Cali for my work years ago. It has been an upgrade in every way besides the gun laws here sucking azz. I miss my AR-15s. Besides that, Texas is a pretty depressing sh*thole by comparison geographically, socially, and recreationally. I see why it's expensive to live here now.
Life's pretty cool when you don't trust the news to live your life for you 24/7. Unplug from the Demo-rat or Republic-tard matrix.
@@SamuelClemente7718nah yea he was fed up with low prices and no homeless people
@samuelnavas9014 you sound insufferable
It's only on modern MBA where you get to learn the tacos business also involves turf wars like the drug business.
These videos are extremely good.
Felt like a Vice documentry
It’s because at the end of the day it’s just what capitalism demands, to put profit over everything and to continue growth for growths sake which is non sustainable and will always put you at odds with other ventures that are also looking to growth and increase profit. It does not matter the area or type of business, the model they all operate in is the same.
Not always just like what the video showed. One business serves the neighborhood and there is also an honor system in place, however it might not last long with more food trucks popping up. @ericktellez7632
Both businesses are dominated by Mexicans, both businesses involve a “turf war”
Coincidence?
I definitely think this is such thoughtful content. I can really feel the respect you have for these communities, whereas sometimes people treat them almost like tourist attractions or that the owners are uneducated because they mainly speak Spanish. They are competent business people who have a finger on the pulse of their markets and actually getting interviews from them rather than just from academic work done on them is so important.
are tourist attractions not competently run businesses? what is contradictory about that?
ok bean doesn’t stop the fact that tourists are buying their food
Dude, these videos are really, really interesting. I like how they're not just promotion for these businesses, but actual analyses of what works about them, and what doesn't. It really puts a human face to business.
“Boots on the ground research” AKA we used this as an excuse to eat a lot of tacos
lmao😂❤
This is what I heard 😂
Tax write offs baby
Modern MBA redefining the game
Always
Damn it now I lost the Game.
The fusion place really reminded me of a butcher shop and grill I used to work at in the valley (in LA), also Armenian owned. Pretty much identical business structures (fusion butcher shop + grill) with the exact same type of owner. One thing I gotta give those Armenians is that they know how to run a hell of a business. that said, the owner was a really difficult person to work for. He was constantly monitoring everything in a very uptight manner, trying to find ways to catch us doing something wrong, testing our loyalty and he would dig in to us in the most verbally caustic ways in the rare event we did slip up. He was absolutely paranoid. I understand it. He probably had a lot of bad instances in his life and didn't want to lose the quality he had worked to maintain. after a year of going through the ringer with his antics and being offered a management position in one of his growing franchises, i left because the dude was an absolute nightmare to work for. keep in mind i was working 7 hour shifts without breaks literally every single shift i worked because buddy had no respect for his workers or labor standards. these guys spending thousands on their own food every month goes beyond the quality of the food. a good boss finds the balance between excess and deficiency, and if they're anything like my old boss, they probably break the scale of the former. that kind of management results in low employee retention because no one wants to work for a basketcase who looks over your shoulder every five seconds unless they're getting paid enough to deal with that, and 16 an hour doesn't include the emotional scars of a crazy boss. in case they scan through these comments sections like my old boss would've - keep the work ethic that got you to 2 million a year, loosen up, make the work environment positive and as stress-free as possible and don't look for reasons to fire someone. make work a place that people want to show up to. the only reason i worked that job for a year was because i was a senior in high school, it was covid, and no one was hiring. thanks.
Isn't that the guy from Mini Kebob in Glendale ?
I am from the Philippines who dreams of going to Mexico and eat a whole bunch of different tacos. Also love all these videos! ❤ You are awesome
we love filipinos in Mexico, hope you visit soon
15:00 sumac is NOT dried pomegranates it’s a flowering plant related to cashews
(I’m allergic to nuts and also sumac but definitely not pomegranates. So when I heard him say that I googled it just to make sure and yup that’s so incorrect)
And typically mixed with salt too.
Yeah, he's thinking Anardana
They use Iranian sumac.. not the same
Also dude looks like he’s not trying to give all the IP out haha
We definitely mis spoke and meant to say dried and ground red berries. We stand corrected, thank you for catching the error.
In business and econ classes, you learn about business strategy and competitive advantage, and restaurants are the main industry given as an example of perfect competition - they're in a ruthless race to 0 economic profit.
Yet we see restaurants survive and thrive, so there's definitely still a secret sauce to success.
Very happy to see this video. Amazing work as always!
EXCELLENT VIDEO
I have been cooking for over 52 years and have had my own cafe and roadside stands... and I learned a lot by watching this video...
Thank YOU so much for sharing this.... I need to get up to the 21st Century.
That's crazy! How can you "price gouge" a taco? (22:40) You either buy it or you don't. "Price gouging" is when you NEED life saving medicine and the drug company says, "that'll be $1000 please".
charging $5 for a taco is still criminal
Good point, also at the moment 5-6 $tacos are very common. These tacos look well worth it
@@ThugNasty1337 it's $6 USD/$8 CAD in Vancouver 😵💫 I only eat tacos in the US now.. :(
When times get tough instead of revolting against the nameless and seemingly invincible corporations/institutions responsible for their misery they go after local successful businessmen, immigrants and each other simply because they are more accessible and easier to blame.
This manifests itself as someone harassing their local taco restaurant instead of the executive who increased their rent, insurance and froze their wages.
Corporations are easy to blame but they are subject to the same pressures as these small businesses even if they can survive easier, usually due to economies of scale. However, I don’t expect any business to keep prices low out of the goodness of their heart just like I don’t expect consumers to pay more out of the goodness of theirs.
Your videos remind me of some VICE documentary’s in a really good way, this is your best video yet imo
Above food has lost 85% of its value in just one month. Merged with a SPAC, that tells you everything.
They definitely shouldn't named the company with the word "food" in it. Because that word alone already made people imagine unprofitable food delivery service 😂.
They say “genetic optimization” as if people are scared of the engineering part instead of the genetic part. Not that there’s anything wrong with genetic engineering, but it’s quite clear above food is greenwashed as hell and dishonest by omission.
who???
@@breakyoselffool The sponser of the video
I didn't understand the sponsorship at all. I'm used to sponsorships being to try and sell a product. This was literally just "please buy the stock" for a company that just reeks of VC scam lol.
As a born and raised Mexican Angeleno the best thing I love about LA is the sheer amount of Mexican street food! Great quality without the prices of restaurants. You can get some banger seafood from foodtrucks
Superb documentary. Telling people's stories is always a winner. I'd love to see you turn this into a series.
I hope you got a huge bag from Above Food for that 159 second sponsored segment.
❤
I love when sponsors match the content
Don't because if they see u in the street they driving right past u with it and yo granny with terminal 5 cancr
maybe he got stock before their ipo 😂
They from Canada, drake gonna get that shit cut cause this vid is bout LA lmao petty ass
So basicaly here is what I learned from the video
1) First There is your Family Man (Los Gatos ) who is mainly responsible for his Food truck and offers food which is good and at retively comparable price with other food trucks in his neighborhood,If he is not there with his food truck,someone else will take his space.If he is ill for a longer period of time or absent from his food truck then he will have to forfeit that location and look for another location to avoid conflict of interest.But one thing that differs him from people who are working for 2 Sisters(La Quera Tacos) is that he is his own boss and he can work to his own hearts content and take a break and set his own rythm..
2) Second you have Gourmet Style Tacos ( MidEast Tacos),They have worked in this industry for a long periods and have researced well into which neighborhood to settle in to justify thier prices.They are not traditional, they are offering something new with fresh ingredients and are continously experimenting with their food providing quality for their customers at a 30% high prices as compare to other taco Stand.But they need this because they have to
a) Standard Wage to their workers
b) They have to pay rent ofn their location
c) They have to pay Taxes.
e) They cannot compromise their quality which is their only Unfair Advantage in this business,So if the Raw material costs more then they have to raise their price even more to make a profit.
3) Thrid you have the Shark Sister( La Quera Tacos) I will justify why I call them sharks.Here you have a taco stand run by two sisters and everything is good until you deep dive the rabbit hole.
a) They have food trucks which are movable so NO Rent.
b) If you notice their workforce they are either Latinos or Mexican,Now Both of these ethnicity are migrants and some may be legal entry in the USA but most of the unfortunate are illegal Immigrants who came looking for work in USA.So the sisters basically can pay minimalist of wage to her workers who are desparate for work and will 7 DAYS A WEEK without any holiday or supposed Pay raise for years,in Turn the sisters ensure them of providing them a roof and a job to work in and earn money.
d) They sisters can exploit the workforce and and hire and fire N number of workforce because there is no short supply of migrants,Few may leave and there are hundereds waiting in line to take the place.The Stand is run by three people with very specific role to fill in so there is no problem of giving training for extensive periods ot time ,Just basic stuff is necessary because the menu is no Extravegant..
e) The Sisters are working like mafia and taking territories and stablishing dominance,NO NEW TRUCKS CAN Operate in their territories.And they hav e absolute monarchy of that area..
So my conclusion is this :- The La Quera Tacos ( Two Sisters ) Will open numerous more locations and will eventually be the winner in this,The MidEast are Doomed until they have a major Investor backing them to open new resturants,Because tomorrow they sisters are going for the Mideast Tacos,They will do it because they can and they will to establish dominanace and sabotage the Establishment because all they have to do is roll out two truck from two different directions which are going to The MidEast Tacos.And GUYS LIKE the (La Gatos) can always be intimidated because he is just one truck and can be taken care of easily by hook or crook.
Mideast tacos is targetting a different customer base and Los Gatos have a restaurant. Their taco truck location is permanent so they cant really be intimidated like other stands...
You should see the Taco gang fights too. Two food trucks enter, only one leaves. Machetes and cleavers just swinging wildly and sparks flying everywhere. Its beautiful. Just like the old country.
Man these documentaries are absolutely top tier, I love this humane approach to business, reminds me a lot of my social anthropology classes in school. This is the first time I donate to a channel and I plan on donating more in the future. Great job and keep it up!
Thank you for your support!
That guy casually catching the pineapple slices at 30:43 was INSANE
Par for the course for any authentic pastor taquería
Can I just say, phenomenal job. I echo others when I say, I enjoy these videos where you allow business owners to speak for themselves while giving us a greater context. This was absolutely fascinating and just like your video on Nightclubs, I was surprised at just how into it I was.
I've tried and love ALL of them! They're all an integral part of LA's taco shop ecosystem and they help us have the thriving food scene we do.
Love this format and the profiling of real people - and I appreciate how positive you stayed on this one, too. Fantastic work.
This channel has quickly become one of my favorites. Love your content and the hard work you put in!
Dude gave the hardest backhanded compliments to Silver Lake. Basically, people there are pretentious douches who have a lot of money but somehow also have a lot of time to spend it.
Lol that place couldn't make it in traditional Armenian or Latino neighborhoods cause they knew better.
1/3 the video was dedicated to that overpriced mediocre looking spot. Owners trying to justify it that the meat loses water
@@ardoicoLmaoo 😭 Saying that shit like it's a problem ONLY they have
@@ardoico Those douche bags wouldn't shut up about how hard they work and how victimized they are
@@ardoico I legit just skipped that part when i saw it, just another overpriced white washed version of mexican tacos
Probably my favorite video youve done so far. Great job, dude.
" Their corner used to be an abandoned homeless encampment overflowing with litter and weeds." This is sooo inaccurate. The previous business shut down and this location was empty for a few months and then they moved into Silverlake. I should know I would pass by everyday. They make it seem as if there was a huge community of homeless people when reality you MIGHT have two homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk.
Appreciate the field spotlight you’ve been digging into as of late. It gives well deserved attention to small businesses, and their unique insights and this style of investigative reporting makes Modern MBA unique in the area of finance/business TH-cam channels. Keep up the good work team
One of the best TH-cam videos I’ve watched in a while!
This could have easily been another tour of LA’s street food scene with some white guy tasting each stand’s “signature dish” while trying to speak Spanish over a five minute interview.
Thanks for actually highlighting the business behind three companies who just so happen to sell the same product.
Top 10 youtube channel. As an LA native and Armenian, this video hits home.
Have you had the opportunity to try those MedEast tacos?
This on the ground through a business lens is honestly the best way to get perspective amazing addition for the channel 🔥
All of this research into their food, and they don't know that sumac is not dried pomegranate?
That food truck is the only one that earned my business. Humble
Really excellent video! Very fun to see my home neighborhood represented as well - I respect the effort to do real, boots-on-the-ground interviews. Makes it so much more engaging
just disovered this channel and binged 3-4 vids, so much quality
Welcome!
The honor system will go out the window after the market gets saturated, as demonstrated with how that Lady defends her territory.
Yea I found it odd that there was no push back against such aggressive pushes against the spirit of the honor (as opposed to the letter of the system). What is prevent them or others with reasonably deep pockets from absorbing short term losses to claim territory in upcoming areas extremely as much as possible? I'm going to guess that she gets some protection from people who are willing to apply a bit more physical force in that community.
@@randomyoutubebrowser5217 The population of an LA neighborhood is risk averse to fly-by-night taco stands with no reputation to back them or new gimmick. That's just common sense in avoiding illness from eating street meat. Theoretically, you can out-muscle your competition but you can't make people buy your tacos. Good product or good word of mouth go a long way in LA street tacos.
@@mrrodriguezHLP I don't disagree, but that wasn't what I was saying.
Is the honor system meant to prevent a decently reputable established chain with deeper pockets from absorbing short term losses to claim territory in upcoming areas extremely aggressively as much as possible? If the answer is no, then have other companies also tried this approach or is La Guerra special for some reason? If the answer is yes, then why is La Guerra getting away with this?
To be honest I don't know much about the Taco scene at all to know if La Guerra is the biggest chain or if there are other bigger chains out there also exploiting this honor system. Which then further brings to questions how this system will evolve as the market gets saturated.
Its more unsustainable than that, 12 hour days to run, resupply and sanitize a truck can only appeal to migrant workers.
They are somewhat OG’s it’s fair play that they have more teeth, as they also have more to lose. They’re playing a different game.
Respect to all three
Always glad to see another ModernMBA video!
I own a restaurant they primarily sells tacos
Opened in 2019, I’m probably in the middle of all of these but in a worst location. I’m ready for an interview whenever you want mba :)
There is a lot of hard work that goes into your videos I appreciate the hard work and presentation.
This was so insightful. I just move to west LA and I am from Mexico. I really struggled to find authentic tacos, where every place I've tried failed miserably. But I was measuring the taco business in LA in terms of authenticity and LA seems to like to do their own thing. I would still prefer authenticity, but now i know it's not about competence, it's about their current market, which is brutal.
I always love the amount of research that goes into these videos, and the dedication to explain and understand businesses from a wider perspective is so nice to watch. Amazing work ❤
30:43 I’d eat there just for that move right there. You know the food is good when people pull out moves like that. Love it 💪🏻
That was bad ass. I had no idea it was pineapple though
These open-air pop-up restaurants on the sidewalk are absolutely illeгal. The health department shut one of them down that tried to open in my area.
Living in LA all I care about is who has the best price. The quality is within striking distance of each other.
Whichever one gives you least diarrhea
Or maybe you're not cultured or intelligent enough to know what's worth paying for? There are a lot of taco trucks in Los Angeles that are capable and want to do better food, but diners won't pay for better ingredients/preparations so the price (and quality) stays low. It's very funny, a lot of people won't pay for quality Mexican but they'll splurge for sushi.
@benmillar5844 “won’t pay for quality Mexican” … my dude true quality Mexican doesn’t make you pay
Let all the east coasters pay $12 a taco
@@benmillar5844 it street tacos not 5 star michelin restaurant 😂
Such a great video! Thank you for showing the best people in LA.
Thank you for the support!
Babe babe, wake up! Another ModernMBA video dropped!
I kove this format. Please do more videos like this about small businesses. Maybe next time about the crowded commercial and residential cleaning business.
I’m from Mexico City and tacos la guera look like you’re in the streets of CDMX right outside a subway station about to chow down on some bomb tacos. My mouth is watering right now!!
I love a good cheap taco but I’m impressed at the level of detail the Mideast tacos put in to their food and would give them a shot
Their food looked amazingly delicious
Gotta say I am loving these real individual person/business interview type videos.
I really appreciate these videos of different industry entrepreneurs. You’ve found good examples of small businesses that have put their own spin on their business, which to me is the entrepreneurial aspect of serving something that may be familiar already. I’m curious what kind of businesses you are interested in profiling, beyond food, or even food options themselves.
Would have loved to see a breakdown of each business’ costs. What’s their profit margin? Great stories, but curious for some more analysis and numbers (a la classic Modern MBA)
I agree with you @samiyam17
Theres literally margin breakdowns for all three featured restaurants. What more are you asking for?
Super interesting. Thank you for the deep dive. Fascinating how different players can take different approaches, methodologies, and execution and still be able to carve out their own niche within this highly competitive market. This shows the power of creativity, follow-through, and hard work. Much respect to all the business owners hustling to grow their business. They are an inspiration. and thanks to ModernMBA this was very educational. Except now I'm hungry. LOL
Well done! Great piece. I didn't even know it but my favorite taco stand is a La Guera stand in Venice on Lincoln.
The extra money that is getting spend on these videos really shows through. Great content
Ngl, that mid east taco place looks pretty delicious. Id try it
Loving the Food Business Videos.
Thank you!
These last few videos, the nightclub video, donut video and this one are AMAZING. Like I am blown away that you're just putting these on the internet instead of selling to like HBS. Make an accompanying study guide. :)
I love the Economics of Everyday Things, your series are so awesome.
Really loved this one. Midwest tacos reallt showcase the love and care but trying to capture a higher market and reinvest in a larger community visual. Del taco reallt showing how to be business cutthroat but not sacrificing workers, community, and scale to do it.
Also just recognizing the higjlight the respect abd loyalty that is built to keep spaces, workers, and customers.
This was really interesting and super informative. thank you for highlighting a business that I think too many of us take for granted. I appreciate the taco spots much more after this. Awesome video !
I see "Modern MBA" and "36 minutes" and I know I'm here both for a good time and a long time.
Great video, glad I watched. Very humbling and inspiring at the same time.
Absolutely amazing work. Great doc! Can't wait for more.
Damn man these video are getting better and better, great job dude love your work ♥♥
Mexican food the best. Ronald Reagan knew our worth. God bless that man🇺🇸🇲🇽💪🏾
I go to that exact tacos la Guerra off Soto like 4 times a week. My favorite tacos in LA by far. Awesome to randomly see them pop up on my TH-cam recommended.
I don’t see what is ruthless about La Guera. They seem the most professional and respectable. They are exercising actual ambition and do continuous market research.
Thx for foing this videooo! My Dad does taco catering on the side and even though its different, they're lots of similarities, and the competition is very fierce even in the bay.
Thank you for this as I’m currently setting up a taco business. I get the same pushback on pricing as well. People don’t understand the labor that goes in
It it a blessed day when we get a new MBA video.
It's awesome that you guys got GoodTimesWithScar to narrate this video
Great video! You're on fire lately 🔥🔥🔥🔥
This was another incredible video from Modern MBA.
Wow this is a impressive channel. Thanks for this! Im a businessman myself but in a different industry(building maintenance)
This is an excellent quality video. Really loved it!
this video along with the donut one were so good
now I'm really hungry for some tacos...
I like this 3 different approach view, great content thank you
Great video explaining the different business models. Very thorough and well-directed. 👍
Simply a fantastic video, I respect both of the different approaches and attitudes by each vendor, Love learning about how they got to where they are now. More of this please.
In Mexico we also have super expensive tacos, places where they serve 3 tacos for 34 usd, and of course places where you get a taco for 50cents US.
The best tacos are in the middle point
You know if just one mediocre LA Mexican food truck opened its doors in Michigan they could be extremely successful given how few Mexican restaurants there are but that means leaving home and establishing a foot hold in an relatively untested area. I say this because I've eaten Mexican in Michigan and believe me even a mediocre restauranter could be successful and own the market.
Not a for sure thing. A lot of Mexicans eat tacos and tell their foreign friends about it.
Selling tacos at a place with no Mexicans is a huge risk.
@@tgo007there would also be issues with the entire supply chain. Are there grocery stores that will hold the produce they need? Are there folks that can service the good truck? Are there laborers that can make the food to a good standard? Will you be able to spread the word-of-mouth and marketing
@@timothynguyen4446laborers would be the big issue. I am from a smaller college town/city in Michigan and even with our low cost of living, even all the fast food places hire at $15 an hour-> and they still can’t get fully staffed! My father’s company in the manufacturing sector starts wages at $22 an hour plus benefits and they never stop hiring.
This is such a wonderful resource to learn everyday business dynamics on a accessible level.
I own a food truck myself and I loved watching this
We are a stationary ghost kitchen
All of our dishes are purposely, curated and organized to bring a elevated feel to breakfast. Some dishes are classic with a few tweaks to bring the experience to a new level and some of them are innovative concepts.
Prices are more than gas stations and fast food but lower than true the high end fast casual
Since we do breakfast the food cost is lower
We focus on the Instagram crowd but get young professional walk-ups and university students
LA has amazing tacos of different fusions, born and raised in OC and I would drive out to LA just for good tacos
The quality of and insights from this video are incredible!
I like the report but some of what Rocio is saying in Spanish is not being subtitled correctly either by bad translation or lack cultural understanding over the deeper meaning of some words. For example, in @28:28 she says "paisano Mexicano," that means somebody that was born in Mexico and moved to the USA as an adult and not Mexican-American like the subtitles show and also following up quickly in @28:41 she says "la gente morena" is subtitled as brown people but what she really means in Mexican slang is Black people or African Americans. There are a few other things but those 2 where the most obvious mistakes and or lack of understanding what the deeper meaning, whoever is doing your translations is being literal and doesn't understand the community and it shows.
Agree with the "la gente morena" part, but she was bundling "paisas", and Chicanos together as "Mexicanos" in general. The one thing that she said that was complete BS was that their really wasn't taco trucks in LA until she got there 20 years ago. That's complete nonsense. NELA has had Taco trucks since at least the 70's.
This was absolutely fascinating to watch!
Good luck to all the restaurants shown in this video. That Mid East taco place looks great. Best of luck to you guys!
love what you guys are doing with your videos now
Great video, and Leos Tacos were banging. LA is a vibe
L.A is a food mecca, I plan on getting to L.A one day, likely after I drop another 30 pounds because when I get there I plan on eating my weight in food. I wish we had Taco empires in Michigan, more Mexican restaurants are opening in my area but I would be happy if we had the same amount of Mexican restaurants as we do pizza, burger chains. I don't count Taco Bell as being food fit for consumption even though some of my family members eat it.
Really interesting, love to see more of these deeper dives from you
Modern MBA, you are awesome!