Food trucks in the U.S. have taken many forms, but have long been a popular option for dining. Now as the coronavirus pandemic alters the way we interact and engage with others, these kitchens on wheels may have a new function, especially on college campuses.
Rod Keller, CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer AYRO is jumping at the opportunity to capitalize on the niche industry in a partnership with Gallery Carts. The new collaboration will combine AYRO's expertise in developing electric vehicles with Gallery's expertise in creating food delivery vehicles.
"Colleges are faced with, 'Well how do we provide food and beverage while at the same time, avoiding the mass crowds that you would typically see inside of a cafeteria?'" Keller told Cheddar.
So far, more than $500,000 has been poured into the collaboration as orders for the vehicles continue to amass. Keller said he's confident that as universities and other large campuses seek safer ways to feed their communities amid the pandemic, the need for their services will grow.
AYRO is also banking on buyers in higher education considering the long-term savings electric vehicles can provide. Keller said its electric vehicles save fleet operators at least 50 percent on fuel and energy costs.
"When people are moving cargo from one side of a university to another, or business campus, or hotel and resort, you don't need a full-sized truck with 400 miles of range running on gasoline to do that," Keller said.
Michael Cassau, Founder and CEO of Grover, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains how Grover is establishing itself in the tech marketplace with its subscription-based offering and how he plans to deploy the $330 million in new funding.
Michael Chime, Co-Founder and CEO of Prepared, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains how his platform is bringing the emergency call system into today's tech-driven era and discusses how his company plans to utilize $9.8 million it just raised in new funding.
Christine McDaniel, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to break down the long list of sanctions that the U.S. has levied against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, and the impact - or lack thereof - they are having on Russia.
Art Hogan, Managing Director and Chief Market Strategist at National Securities, joined Cheddar's Closing Bell to break down Jamie Dimon's letter to shareholders, which revealed fears about growth due to the pandemic, inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Seth Schachner, a digital business executive and the managing director of the consultancy Strat Americas, joined Closing Bell to talk all about the mega-merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery, combining to form Warner Bros. Discovery (Nasdaq: WBD), and what it means for the streaming space going forward. “I think unlike some of the other mergers that you've seen out there. I think this one has actually got a real chance to be successful and to really further the cause of streaming," he said.
With the New York International Auto show set to get underway for the first time in two years, Stephan Winkelmann, global CEO of Lamborghini, joined Cheddar News to talk about what to expect from the luxury sports car maker from the Big Apple, including a look at new car models and its esports, and NFT plans. "All of this for sure creating a buzz for the younger generations," he said. "We are directing them into our brand because this is important for us, that there is a close connection between the digital world and the real world we are living in by developing, producing, and selling cars." Winkelmann also discussed the company's outlook amid the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss her newest mini-series on REAL SIMPLE's Money Confidential podcast, called 'Taxes in 10.'
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, social media giant Meta said that it's using its technology to help the beleaguered nation Erin Egan, chief privacy officer, and Andrew Schroeder, vice president of research and analysis for direct relief, joined Cheddar News to discuss using data towards humanitarian relief. "Our goal with the program is to help organizations on the ground by sharing privacy-protected data sets to enable them to respond to crisis," Egan explained.
