Baked treats, conchas and cupcakes, offered at two new Stanislaus County food trucks
Looking for a sweet treat or a cool drink to help you get through another sweltering Central Valley summer?
Then look for the pink, in particular two new pink food trailers that have started roaming the streets of Stanislaus County. The Conchitas Truck and the Cupcake Boutique are separate businesses offering scratch-made sweets and blended specialty drinks.
But the similarities largely end there, as both trailers focus on different baked specialties.
The Conchitas Truck is the brainchild of childhood friends Anne Di Grazia and Martha Jauregui. The two women met in kindergarten and grew up together in west Turlock, attending Dutcher Middle School and Turlock High before going their separate ways for college.
Now the women, 31-year-old Di Grazia and 32-year-old Jauregui, work in political communications and spirits marketing, respectively. But both still felt very connected to their valley roots, and wanted to start a business together that reflected their backgrounds.
They fondly remembered the woman who drove around their neighborhood selling conchas, the colorful Mexican pan dulce or sweet bread, when they were growing up. So the Conchitas Truck was born.
But then the pandemic started, and COVID set their plans back a full year. The friends credit free services from the Valley Sierra Small Business Development Center with helping them get launched. So it was important to the pair to use all valley-based contractors and artisans in completing their dream.
Turlock’s Conchitas Truck uses valley-based artisans, producers
They commissioned the custom 12-foot truck from Fresno. Their conchas, which are rounded sweet rolls with brightly colored sugar crackle baked on top and shaped like a seashell, come in mini and full sizes made from scratch by a local baker in Ceres. Their distinctive graphics, with fun slogans like “Don’t Be Self Conchas,” were done by a designer from west Turlock. And their T-shirts are made by a Modesto artist.
“We grew up on the rough side of town and it is important for us to be an example. We were so blessed to have strong families,” Di Grazia said. “Our hearts are in this for the right reason, we want to be able to give back to the Central Valley. We wanted to use local products and help people who might not be given opportunities, particularly people of color.”
The truck offers offers plain conchas, in rainbow swirl colors, concha ice cream sandwiches, hot and cold coffee drinks and blended drinks that draw on Mexican flavors. Offerings run $2 to $7.50 for the conchas and $5 to $8 per drink. They offer some vegan and gluten-free options as well.
On their first day open, a week ago, the truck sold out in only four hours. The Conchitas Truck moves around throughout the week and they suggest following their Instagram feed for daily locations. You can typically find it from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays at the Turlock Flea Market at 2000 East Ave., noon to 8 p.m. Fridays across from Road Dog Cycle in Denair at 4600 Main St. and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the El Rematito Crows Landing Flea Market in Modesto at 3113 Crows Landing Road.
“Martha and I just wanted to bring joy to everyone. The last year has been so tough on everyone. We want people to feel like they’re at Disneyland in the Central Valley when they come here,” Di Grazia said.
Ceres’s Cupcake Boutique has twin sisters selling treats
While they’re both bright pink, you won’t easily confuse the Conchitas Truck and Cupcake Boutique. The latter had its grand opening at the start of the month in Ceres, with a spot next to the cannabis dispensary Jayden’s Journey, and has since been moving around to various locations in the county.
Owner and Ceres native Reyana Burciaga, 26, has been baking for about five years. She began baking for family and friends, and then started selling them as a cottage business out of her home about three years ago. The idea for the food trailer started about a year ago deep amid the COVID pandemic.
“I wasn’t interested in opening a business but my family kept saying you should,” she said.
Burciaga works for a coffee company, and when coming up with concepts for her truck decided to blend the two and add ice cream as a cool treat. She had her 16-foot trailer custom built, and does all her baking inside the small mobile space. As with most new businesses, the pandemic delayed her opening but she’s now up and running six days a week.
Her cupcakes are baked from scratch, and she adds colorful toppings to her offerings. They are sold individually, by the half or full dozen and with ice cream. She has seven rotating cupcake flavors available daily which run $2.75 a piece or $30 for a dozen. Some of her popular flavors include Oreo cookie and strawberry velvet.
The Cupcake Boutique also has an assortment of cold or hot espresso drinks and “refreshers,” blended fruit-based drinks like lemonade and mangonada flavor. Drinks run $6.50 to $7 each.
Burciaga and her twin sister, Reyna, work the truck together. Their schedule changes often, but the truck can be found from 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday next to Johnny Carino’s Italian restaurant at 3401 Dale Road or in front of Hobby Lobby at 2801 McHenry Ave., both in Modesto. Burciaga recommends people follow her Instagram account for the most accurate daily location information.
“I love baking, and I also work for a coffee company. It came to mind to do coffee and cupcakes which I hadn’t seen before. It came out really great, and I just love my business,” Burciaga said.
For more information about the Conchitas Truck visit www.conchitastruck.com and for information about the Cupcake Boutique visit www.instagram.com/cupcakeboutiquexo.
This story was originally published August 2, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
