The souvlaki street food business is booming worldwide. From food trucks in London to market stalls in Melbourne, Greek souvlaki has become a global phenomenon. If you’re considering starting your own souvlaki business, here’s everything you need to know about equipment, setup, and production.
Why Souvlaki Is a Great Street Food Business
- Low ingredient cost, high margins — Meat on a stick is simple and profitable
- Fast service — Pre-made skewers cook in 8-12 minutes on a grill
- Universal appeal — Everyone loves grilled meat
- Minimal equipment needed — A grill, a skewer machine, and a prep area
- Scalable — Start small with events and grow to a permanent location
Essential Equipment for a Souvlaki Business
1. Skewer Machine
This is your most important investment. A good souvlaki machine ensures:
- Consistent portion sizes (critical for food costing)
- Professional appearance
- Fast preparation (make hundreds of skewers in advance)
- Food safety (less hand contact with raw meat)
For a startup, we recommend the Souvlaki Machine 25/65 (€105) — it produces 25 perfect 65gr skewers per batch, ideal for daily preparation at a food truck or small shop. As you grow, upgrade to the 100/65 model or a semi-automatic XEIR for higher volume.
2. Charcoal Grill
Authentic souvlaki is grilled over charcoal. The smoky flavor is what customers expect. For street food, you need a portable charcoal grill with adjustable height and good airflow. Pair it with quality premium charcoal for consistent heat and authentic flavor.
3. Preparation Equipment
- Refrigerated display or cooler for raw skewers
- Cutting board and knives (see our professional knives)
- Marination containers
- Wooden skewers (bamboo or hardwood, various sizes)
Production Planning: How Many Skewers Do You Need?
A typical street food operation sells 100-300 skewers per service. Here’s a planning guide:
- Food truck / market stall — 100-200 skewers per day → Manual machine (25/65 or 100/65)
- Small restaurant — 200-500 skewers per day → Semi-automatic (XEIR4)
- Catering / events — 500-2000 per event → Multiple manual machines or one automatic
- Wholesale supplier — 2000+ per day → Automatic SM3000 or SM7000
Souvlaki Recipe Tips for Street Food
- Meat choice — Pork shoulder or chicken thigh works best (not too lean, stays juicy)
- Portion size — 65gr per skewer is the traditional Greek street food standard
- Marination — Olive oil, lemon, oregano, salt, pepper. Keep it simple
- Pre-preparation — Make all skewers the night before, refrigerate, grill fresh to order
Getting Started
The beauty of souvlaki is its simplicity. You can start with a single manual skewer machine, a portable grill, and quality meat — and serve authentic Greek souvlaki anywhere in the world.
Browse our complete range of skewer machines or contact us for advice on the best setup for your specific business plan. We ship worldwide from Greece.