Fresh-cut fruit cart serving Mexican-style fruit cups coming to downtown St. Pete
/The Little Fruit Cart will debut in downtown St. Pete this october serving fresh-cut fruit cups, including the popular Mexican fruit cups served with Tajin and chamoy | The Little Fruit Cart & Party Works
Spend any amount of time in a big city and you’ll notice an array of street vendors selling everything from hot dogs to snow cones, knock-off watches to fake handbags.
One of the most ubiquitous street vendors are fruit stands (or fruteros) serving fresh-cut fruit cups sometimes garnished with toppings and spices.
The fruit stands have become a civic symbol of cities like Los Angeles and New York City. Every morning, thousands of carts fan out across the city and become part of the urban landscape.
In a few short weeks, The Little Fruit Cart will wheel its way into downtown St. Pete. It’s the first of its kind in the Sunshine City and owners Jen and Charles Little hope it’ll be a hit with residents, workers, and visitors wanting a refreshing, healthy, quick, and affordable snack.
“We want to keep our community hydrated and nourished with the freshest seasonal fruits, especially for people on the go,” Jen Little said to St. Pete Rising.
Jen and Charles Little, owners of The Little Fruit Cart | The Little Fruit Cart
The Little Fruit Cart will offer a medley of hand-cut fruit like mango, watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, bananas, and orange in addition to more exotic selections with star fruit, dragon fruit, and passion fruit.
“The available fruits will depend on what's in season. Luckily, it's fairly easy to find fresh fruit in Florida year-round,” said Jen, who has resided in St. Pete with Charles for over a decade.
The fruit cups, which will vary in size and price, are customizable with toppings like chia seeds, granola, coconut chunks, a dollop of yogurt, pomegranate seeds, scoops of peanut butter and almond butter.
Also available will be the traditional Mexican fruit cups with Tajín, a spice blend containing limes, chili peppers, and salt; and chamoy, a Mexican condiment made from pickled fruit, chilies, and lime juice.
The couple have identified fruit wholesalers in the Bradenton/Sarasota market they hope to work with.
The Little Fruit Cart will serve Mexican fruit cups with Tajín, a spice blend containing limes, chili peppers, and salt; and chamoy, a Mexican condiment made from pickled fruit, chilies, and lime juice | The Little Fruit Cart
The Littles are awaiting approval from the City to operate on specific street corners in downtown St. Pete.
“We will start with one cart and move. Our goal is to open multiple carts around the city and grow accordingly,” Jen said.
The Little Fruit Cart is expected to debut by the end of October and will operate Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until the produce is sold out.
Following the initial launch in St. Pete, The Little Fruit Cart plans to eventually serve bottled fresh watermelon and sugarcane juice (when in season).
The Littles also have plans to partner with parent-teacher associations (PTAs), organizations at local schools, and parents interested in hiring the cart for events and birthday parties.
“Instead of getting sugary snow cones, parents are looking for healthier snack alternatives for kids,” said Jen, stating the first priority is to grow a customer base in the urban core.
Follow The Little Fruit Cart on Facebook and Instagram for the opening announcement and location details.
