In February 2025, Nelly Belly took the national stage at the Catersource National Catering Conference in Fort Lauderdale to share their journey from traditional catering to the thriving world of food truck service. Melissa and Mark Nelson, the founders of Nelly Belly, were invited to speak on the Ignite Stage about why food truck catering is not just a trend—but the future of the catering industry.
For over 30 years, the Nelsons ran a full-scale catering operation in the Cleveland area, including a banquet center for 600 guests and food service for golf courses, marinas, and sports facilities. Despite their success on paper, their business model wasn’t sustainable. As Melissa put it during the presentation, “We were spinning our wheels—until we started spinning the right wheels on our food trucks.”
Since launching their first truck in 2013, and especially after the pivotal shift during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nelly Belly has found increased demand and higher profitability through mobile catering. From graduation parties to corporate events and weddings, clients love the convenience of food trucks—and so do the Nelsons.
Catering Conference Food Truck Presentation
At the national catering conference, Mark Nelson, VP of Nelly Belly, walked through the many advantages of operating food trucks instead of traditional catering, including:
- Lower labor costs—no need for chefs, bussers, or dishwashers at every event
- Fresh-cooked meals onsite that double as entertainment for guests
- Lower overhead for storage, licensing, and insurance
- Smaller, streamlined menus that reduce food waste and increase speed
- Increased marketing visibility—their truck is a rolling billboard
Whether serving wood-fired pizzas, piadinas, or mac and cheese, Nelly Belly’s approach is simple: make delicious food, keep it fun, and make it easy for customers. Their success has even led to franchise opportunities for aspiring food truck owners across the region.
“The food truck experience and catered experience are two different bottles,” Mark noted, “but that doesn’t mean they can’t mesh together.” By bringing flexibility, flavor, and flair to events of all sizes, Nelly Belly is helping redefine what modern catering looks like.
Want to learn more about the conference or view photos from their presentation? Visit the Catersource Magazine Summer 2025 Digital Edition.
