This story was first published in Blueprint365, our business magazine. Click here to request your complimentary copy.
When Bess Miller moved to Barneveld, Wisconsin, 23 years ago, she constantly craved Filipino food. From kare kare to fried chicken feet, her homesickness for her hometown of Romblon manifested in the form of missing its delicacies and dishes.
“I really missed [that food] because my mom made that for me all the time,” Miller recalled. “When you went to the Asian stores [in Wisconsin], they were missing [those things]. The ingredients that you were looking for were not there.”
Twenty years later, people have more access to Filipino food around the state, in part, thanks to Miller’s business. As the owner of the Halo Halo food truck, Miller serves a blend of Asian cuisine to the Madison area, with regular posts in Mt. Horeb, Verona, and Barneveld.
“Halo halo” is a well-known Filipino dessert, and translates directly as “mix mix,” reflecting the business’ eclectic menu. Operating in the summer months through October, the truck’s offerings range from Korean hits (bulgogi and galbi bowls) and Vietnamese bites (crispy egg rolls) to Filipino favorites (pancit and lumpia), along with occasional specials like Filipino menudo and crispy pata.
In the winter months, Halo Halo also caters for private parties and corporate events, with a larger spread of Filipino cuisine. Visit here if you’re craving for delicious food.
The idea of starting a food business first came to Miller and two friends a few years ago, when they sought to build a restaurant. But then the pandemic hit, and the group decided to pivot to a food truck model.
“I didn’t have anything to share aside from my labor,” Miller recalled. As a lifelong cook, it’s always been her passion to make food for her friends. But because of financial constraints, Miller took a backseat with the project, which launched in 2020.
In 2021, the food truck’s two original owners grew tired of managing the business, and asked Miller if she’d like to take over: She paid what she could, and got to work ushering the truck into a new era.
Over the past three years, business has only grown for Halo Halo. That first year, Miller had 50 bookings, which grew to 80 the next year. This year, she’s fully booked for the entire food truck season.
And while she’s thrilled that business is booming, Miller emphasized all of the work that goes into such a busy schedule. “With a food cart, you have to put time into prepping,” she said. “[Finding] help is not easy.” One event alone requires up to five hours of food prep, which has been made a little easier by the addition of a kitchen in her new truck.
Despite Halo Halo’s growing popularity, Miller explained that it’s often difficult to get curious onlookers to try her food, which is usually completely foreign to their paletes. “My punchline is, ‘Would you like to try?’ Because describing [things] is different. You just have to see for yourself,” she said.
She accepts their curiosity with grace: “If you don’t like it after one try, I will not feel offended. I’ll be happy that you are willing to try my food.”
At times, Miller does get frustrated when customers make racist comments about Halo Halo’s offerings. While she used to keep her head down, now, she’s found the courage to speak up: “I think when we step outside of ourselves and say, ‘You cannot say that,’ you start to gain respect. They don’t know what they’re missing.”
Whether it’s financial or cultural, Miller admits that there are many struggles that come with starting a small business, especially as an immigrant. “You will face a lot of struggle, a lot of hardship. But if you enjoy what you’re doing, you can overcome any of that,” she said.
To those looking to start businesses of their own, Miller’s advice is this: “Be patient. If you have a dream and if that’s what you want to do, go for it. Wanting something it’s not easy. You have to work for it.”
