The convenience of an ice cream truck serving Mexican sweet bread just makes sense.
Tik Tok User @Fatboyluvr408 shared the amazing moment a Panaderia van pulled into their neighborhood and announced its presence before everyone ran out to see what Pan Dulce (Mexican sweet breads) he brought.
In the back of his van are metal drawers and trays stacked seven tiers high, filled with many delicious breads conveniently ready for you to choose from.
This Tik Tok video’s amassed over 3.5 million views and counting.
Check out her video below.
This mobile panaderia is called “Zeledons Bakery on Wheels” and is owned by one Juan Carlos Soto based out of Los Banos, California. Santos and his bakery van can be reached at (209)356-8075. You can probably DM him on Instagram, too.
According to the Panaderia Van’s Instagram, this mobile bakery has been a thing since 1996. As per one of his first videos, this hard working baker wakes up early in the morning, probably before midnight, and readies his breads for the long commute ahead of him.
With the sun rising, he then makes his way through Highway 152 to the greater Bay Area where he presumably makes several stops, unloading his bread to whoever will buy it.
Anyone who knows what that commute is like, 152 is notoriously twisty with several downhill sections speeding morning commuters like to take advantage of. I can only imagine how hard that drive is with your van filled to the brim with baked goods.
Business has to be good because his van is loaded, literally, to the roof, with Pan Dulce. Then again, he kind of has to. With no physical store to keep all his inventory, it’s better to arrive in San Jose with more than you can sell, right?
I can spy several flavors of Conchas, giant cookies (galletas,) bolillos, bolillos stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeno, banaderilla, orejas, and over a dozen other varieties I can’t even I.D.
Also, according to the sign on his door, the man’s sells tamales. What doesn’t he sell?
Donuts are great, and all, but you eat two or three and it all sort of blends together. Authentic Panaderia reflects several hundreds of years of Mexican baking nuanced by a region’s take, often with unique ingredients and baking techniques. And with the sheer variety (some boast over thousand) the flavors and experience with each one means you’ll never grow bored. Sweets like this never go out of style.
Panaderia is also affordable, typically less than 75 cents each.
A pandemic means some people, like the elderly, immunocompromised, or regular families, have cut back from their local panaderias. A mobile one just makes sense and I’m sure Zeledons Bakery on Wheels is making that proverbial paper.
The Central Valley, where I call home, is home to dozens of Panaderias, but this is the first one I’ve heard of on wheels.
Great idea, Juan.
