Jordan Levy loves to tinker. As the owner of The Pop Nation, a gourmet popsicle food cart, he experiments with unique flavors in his commercial kitchen in San Francisco's Bayview district. He adjusts sweetness levels and plays with different spices and sensations, creating flavors like Spicy Habanero or best-selling Sea Salted Dark Chocolate.
His “office” is any number of city parks, concerts and events, like the First Sunday Afternoons at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, where food trucks, residents and tourists gather for picnics and a breathtaking view of the San Francisco Bay.
“We've learned which flavors do better at different locations, different venues, different times of day even,” he said. Cream-based popsicles like Banana Puddin’ are favored on colder days, while fruity flavors like Triple Citrus Mango, one of 35 varieties, are go-tos on warmer days.
“We're vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free, so we try to keep the ingredients really simple,” he noted. Inspired by traditional Mexican paletas, The Pop Nation’s ice pops are made with real fruit and non-dairy milks.
Doing it his way
Levy wasn’t always an entrepreneur in the pops business.
First he was in construction, then a soccer coach. But when he had the opportunity to purchase The Pop Nation from its founders in 2015, after working for the family, he was ready to take the next step as an entrepreneur.
“I was just trying to find my place in the world,” he said. “The food industry seemed to call out. I like the autonomy, creativity and I like building things. It's been a fun little journey so far.”
Here, Levy shares that journey, from startup to expansion to accepting mobile payments wherever his mobile popsicle cart happens to be.
On getting eyeballs
Marketing for The Pop Nation has been solely organic, driven by word of mouth and social posts of behind-the-scenes experiences in the kitchen and announcements of upcoming events. “I try to tag as many people I'm working next to, like my booth mates and the event hosts. And if somebody gives us a shout-out, I'll retag that, so I’m trying to just be really on the ground and get the name out there.”
— Jordan Levy, Owner, The Pop Nation
Standing out as a small food cart at public events can be challenging. “We are permitted as a food truck, but we're the smallest food truck in existence,” Levy said. He prioritizes making sure his signage is prominent at every event. “A lot of my focus is on where people's eyeballs will be going at these events, so that we don't get lost, and bringing nice balanced flavors that everybody will like,” he said.
On growth
The Pop Nation has expanded to six popsicle carts since fall 2021, when Levy reintroduced the business as events reopened after the pandemic. He collaborates with a team of independent contractors who operate the carts around the city.
“I've been feeling more confident year after year to do more events simultaneously. Some days I've had four events that started all consecutively. That’s been a challenge logistically,” he noted. Hiring full-time staff is something on his mind lately, but the business is seasonal. Winters are dedicated to rest and further tinkering.
Half of Levy’s business is dedicated to catering private events. Next stop? Retail. “It’s something I’d like to get into. People have expressed interest in getting them into retail stores locally and in the South Bay. It would be nice to have small popsicle freezers in stores,” he said.
On mobile payments
Each cart uses a digital payments reader, which helps Levy accept all forms of payment, from dip to tap to mobile. “For a small mobile vendor, it's really handy for security reasons,” said Levy about digital payments. “It’s a really quick transaction and everything is accounted for.”
More customers are using their mobile wallets across the globe, a recent trend fueled by the rise of contactless payments. “The majority of my customers will pull out their phone right away. And every once in a while, if our reader has an issue, they'll still have their card on hand. But the first reaction is definitely that they use their phone first.”
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On brand partnerships
Levy has partnered with clothing makers on customized popsicle apparel, like a belt or hat featuring popsicles on it. Connecting with other creators has been an unexpected perk of the job.
“As a business owner, you don't really have co-workers, but you do see a lot of the same faces and eventually you see that these people are also working just as hard as you, showing up every weekend and making things with their bare hands and trying to get it out there as well,” he said.
These partnerships give Levy a chance to open up to new collaborations at his own pace and share ideas as they come to him, rather than having to answer to a boss or meet specific deadlines. “No stress from the side, the top, you know?,” he added.