Avishai Shoham has a go-to breakfast order on Friday mornings, but he doesn’t have to go far to get the strong cappuccino and almond croissant he craves.
With Zing Cafe, a four-wheel service that Shoham started in 2021, locals can call a truck to schools, parks, playgrounds and other nearby locations for a fresh cup of coffee. The truck doesn’t follow a route; it comes to you when needed.
A graduate of Stanford Business School, Shoham worked in technology for years before launching Zing. When commuting between Manhattan and New Jersey, he noticed that “in the city, everyone has their own block with their favorite coffee shop. In the suburbs, you get in your car to get a coffee.”
Zing’s goal is to be “walkable and social” for Bergen locals. When Shoham picked up his kids from school, he would go through a drive-thru for coffee. He missed the ability to take a walk in the neighborhood to get one, which is easier in Manhattan.
The on-demand coffee truck offers more than just java. Shoham’s business partner, Tomer Zilkha, owns Patisserie Florentine, a French bakery with four Bergen County locations. It supplies the trucks with goodies. Also on the menu: cake jars from Chic Sugars in Englewood.
Later this year, Shoham plans to expand Zing to other counties in Jersey—as well as further south, to the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
“We are proud to be in Jersey and love the area,” Shoham. “We just wanted to build something that was right for it.”
How did Zing get started?
Avishai Shoham: My co-founder, Tomer Zilkha, brought the hospitality and culinary side, and I brought the technology and data. A lot of businesses work with DoorDash, Uber Eats and those delivery services, but by the time the customer consumes it, the order isn’t at its best. Our delivery service counters that.
How do people get to the Zing Truck?
In the app, a map with orange dots shows where the Zing Truck can go and how long it will take to get there. If the truck is already parked somewhere near you, it will show you that as well. It is a minimum of $9 if you call the truck; if the truck is called to a certain location, the app will notify those close by.
Are you looking to expand what Zing offers?
We are working with small businesses to be a part of Zing. Instead of us bringing their goods onto our truck, we are working with the local businesses to create their own mobile stores. We have a few of them launching this spring, so you won’t see just our orange Zing trucks.
What made you want to start helping local businesses?
We all love Amazon Prime and Uber Eats. That’s fine, but the problem is it takes away foot traffic from local businesses. Even corporations in the suburbs are taking a hit. Sometimes there are things that need to be experienced and people you want to interact with. I wanted to help keep that close connection with the community.
What has been your favorite part of bringing this business to people?
When I go to the truck and I hear people chatting with each other about Zing, it’s the best. When I see how I can make people’s lives a little brighter and better, that is what the best moments are.
No one knows New Jersey like we do. Sign up for one of our free newsletters here. Want a print magazine mailed to you? Purchase an issue from our online store.