Mixon family to open a food truck after Bradenton farm closes. ‘It’s an adventure.’

The Mixon family isn’t done with business in Bradenton just yet.

Though Mixon Fruit Farms will be closing its doors on July 29, Janet Mixon said she and her husband, Dean Mixon, who both own the farm, plan to keep the Mixon name alive by opening a food truck this October.

Similar to the recipe for keeping Mixon Fruit Farms thriving for 84 years, Janet said the reasoning behind the decision was because of two things — community and family.

Given the strong and sentimental response from the community following the announcement of the farm’s closure, Janet said she still wanted to work and be involved with the Bradenton area — meaning a food truck would be an effective way to do so.

She also said continuing to sell a lot of ice cream will help keep their title as their grandchildren’s “favorite grandparents.”

Where and when will it be seen?

The food truck will travel to areas in the community that request its presence, which Janet said could include spring games at LECOM Park, school events and parking lots like Crowder Bros.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the people that we usually see in the spring when they come down for the Pittsburgh Pirates games and that are just here for spring. Being able to tell them that we’re going to have a food truck with the ice cream... it makes them happier.”

Once the pair hit the road this fall with Dean in the driver seat, Janet said she expects them to serve from the truck roughly three to four days per week.

Completely retiring didn’t seem like a feasible option for her, she said.

Menu items

Janet said the truck will serve many Mixon fan-favorites, such as ice cream, pressed Cuban sandwiches and different kinds of grilled cheeses.

The truck will also tailor its menu to the different locations it caters to.

Nighttime events for adults could add Mixon wine to the menu, but catering to areas like schools would serve only ice cream, according to Janet.

Logistics

Ice cream will be the main menu item offered at all locations, but Janet said the biggest difficulty was getting the right machine for the truck that could produce a lot of ice cream without issues. They also had to find a quiet generator that could handle the energy required to run it smoothly.

However, she said Orlando-based company One Fat Frog was able to figure the issue out and has begun constructing their truck.

Janet said she and Dean still have to go through standard practices like licensing processes before they can open for business.

Although a name for the food truck has not been confirmed, Janet said “The Mixon Swirl” and “The Swirl and More” are a couple of ideas she has.

Opening the truck means more than turning a profit — for Janet, it represents freedom to serve the community in more accessible ways.

“We don’t want to lose money, but we are looking to do enough that makes people happy,” she said. “We don’t want to be totally gone. It’s just that we can’t keep this going and we’re ready for something new and different. It’s an adventure.”

This story was originally published May 31, 2023 at 5:50 AM.