Father and son team welcome 3,000 customers in first two months after opening Lanarkshire food van
A young entrepreneur from Coatbridge and his dad have attracted 3,000 customers in their first two months of trading after they opened a new mobile food business in September. The pair accessed expert start-up advice and support from Business Gateway to help get their business off the ground.
Specksy’s Spuds, founded by Reece Muir and his dad Matthew in September 2025, serves up freshly prepared loaded baked potatoes from their fully equipped food van, with toppings including butter chicken, macaroni cheese, steak and garlic chilli chicken.
Reece previously worked in sales and is also a musician and Matthew had previously worked in garages.
Based in North Lanarkshire, the business aims to bring hearty, home-style comfort food to local communities and events, with a focus on quality ingredients and friendly service. The van travels to a variety of different locations across North Lanarkshire and has not yet been to the same location twice.
Since launching, Specksy’s Spuds has already gained positive feedback from customers and is planning to expand its presence at local markets, community events and festivals across the region.
The business currently operates three days a week and the pair sell out the van most days.
Reece is also focussed on promoting the business on social media, sharing videos of the menu, any specials, customer feedback and behind the scenes. His main inspiration is Spud Bros in Preston, which has seen great success on social media.
Reece, 25, had a clear idea for his business but wasn’t sure where to start. He made use of Business Gateway’s Planning to Start tool, which helped him identify the key steps needed to launch successfully and connected him with business adviser, Iona Collings, who helped him turn his idea into a reality.
Through Business Gateway, Reece received tailored start-up support including advice on writing a business plan, financial forecasting, registering his food business and ensuring food safety compliance. He also learned about the licences and regulations required for running a mobile food operation.
Reece and his dad also attended Business Gateway Lanarkshire’s in-person Start-Up Bootcamp, which gave them a solid understanding of how to plan, manage and promote their business effectively.
Reece Muir, co-founder of Specksy’s Spuds, said “I had the idea for Specksy’s Spuds for a while but didn’t know where to begin. Business Gateway really helped me break everything down into clear, manageable steps. From building a business plan to sorting out all the licences and safety checks, Iona guided me through every part of the process. The Start-Up Bootcamp was also brilliant – I found out so much useful information that’s helped me get the business off the ground. It’s been amazing to welcome so many customers and I can’t believe the response we’ve had. I can’t wait to see where it goes next.”
Iona Collings, Business Gateway adviser, said: “Reece has been fantastic to work with. He came to us with a great idea and the enthusiasm to make it happen. By engaging fully with the support on offer and putting in the work, he’s been able to turn his vision into a real business. It’s always inspiring to see young people in Lanarkshire taking the leap into starting a business and Specksy’s Spuds is a brilliant example of that.”