The owners of Boston-based food truck Mei Mei Street Kitchen and Mei Mei restaurant, collectively known as the Mei Mei Group, imaginatively provide context to the definition of marketing by creating, communicating, and delivering value to their guests while managing customer relationships. The very nature of its mobile food truck creates visibility for the unique Mei Mei brand, which is making a difference on the local food scene by serving creative Chinese American cuisine.

The sibling threesome, older brother Andy, and his younger sisters Irene and Margaret (Mei), came up with the idea of a food truck to share their passion for new and exciting cuisine based on what they ate as children. Almost as important as the food itself, the siblings have incorporated practices integral to their marketing strategy and target market, which fit their vision of how to conduct business with a sustainable future. Mei Mei is Mandarin for “little sister,” and Mei Mei Group's owners use their combined experience in fine dining, farming, and entrepreneurship to develop marketing strategies, including relationship marketing, marketing research, place marketing, and target marketing.

To differentiate their food from competitors, the siblings strive to be the “best out there,” by sourcing local ingredients and working closely with farmers in the Northeast. Also important for a food truck is place marketing, which attempts to attract people to a particular area or location. Mei Mei utilizes its website, social media, Twitter, and a Street-Food app to engage customers and make them aware of the truck's location.

Mei Mei Group's 40 employees, many of whom are professed foodies, represent its brand with passion, knowledge, and pride.

Similar to creating new menu items, the company develops fun and engaging promotions to keep customers coming back to its food truck and restaurant.

The success of Mei Mei Group's food truck and restaurant evolved by effectively utilizing a series of marketing research tools. To gain a deeper understanding of how guests perceive and enjoy Mei Mei's food, the owners believe that in-the-moment real-time feedback is crucial. Improvements and changes have been made based upon online and offline feedback from customers. Before the Street Kitchen began, the Li siblings asked themselves about the types of meals they would be interested in eating. Their research also included a competitive analysis of the types of cuisine available in the Boston-area food truck scene. And they researched food trucks throughout the country to see what was going on and to learn more about the constantly evolving mobile food truck industry.

Mei Mei's food truck and restaurant serve different market segments. On weekdays, the food truck caters to those who want a quick, healthy, and affordable meal at lunchtime. Depending on the truck's location, customers range from students to professionals. The restaurant, which is located next to Boston University, serves college students who may want to grab a quick bite between classes. In the evening, the restaurant attracts more than just college students because of its creative and contemporary dinner menu. Mei Mei's business practices of using locally sourced produce and sustainably raised meats from small family farms resonate with its animalloving, health-conscious, eco-friendly customers.

Maintaining ongoing relationships with customers through social media and in person allows the Li siblings to develop even deeper connections. Listening to and responding to guests creates a better dining experience and consequently improves business for Mei Mei. It's no surprise that Mei Mei Street Kitchen has been awarded Boston's Best Meal on Wheels and Boston's Best Food Truck.

Recently, the restaurant was also named Eater Boston's Restaurant of the Year and made Boston Magazine's list of 50 Best Restaurants.

Questions for Critical Thinking

1. Discuss Mei Mei's target market based on the fact that it sources, cooks, and serves food that respects animals in the environment. What other unique features of Mei Mei's food truck or restaurant can be used to further segment the company's target market? Discuss.

2. Discuss and list ways Mei Mei Street Kitchen creates time, place, and ownership utility. How does this differ between its food truck and its bricks-and-mortar restaurant?

3. Apply the basic steps to develop a marketing strategy to Mei Mei Street Kitchen and Mei Mei Restaurant.

4. What additional marketing research or information gathering might you conduct to increase business for Mei Mei Street Kitchen? How would this differ from data gathered for its restaurant? Discuss how you would utilize both primary and secondary research for each.