On Wednesday, a video surfaced purporting to show popular South Florida food trucks entering Alligator Alcatraz, the controversial new immigrant detention center in the Everglades west of Miami. At the thought that businesses were delivering food to workers or employees at the controversial facility on opening day, outrage broke out online.
As of Thursday morning, July 3, Kona Ice's official Instagram account had disabled all comments, while comments have been set to "limited" on ChurroMania's official Instagram account. Both are large franchises, the former having a national footprint, the latter an international one.
@osozalez Boycott Kona Ice, Churro Mania, Elote Lovers & Ms.Cheezious. They love our food but hate out people 😡#alligatoralcatraz #FlEverglades #everglades #florida #dadecounty #miami #NaplesFl #Naples #colliercounty ♬ Suspense, horror, piano and music box - takaya
'Booked by a Third Party Organization': Kona Ice Denies Affiliation With Truck Shown on TikTok
Kona Ice's Miami franchisee was hit with criticism on Instagram, including this from one commenter: "Did you show up at the concentration camp?" Opined another: "ICE thugs need something to keep them cool while they watch poor people suffer, I guess." Robyn and Annie Martinez, owners of Kona Ice Miami South, tell New Times, "We are aware of all the comments and negative reviews that have been posted. The Kona Ice franchisee truck that was at the detention center is not that of Kona Ice Miami South."
An hour later, a corporate Kona Ice Mainland vice president Jessica Tcholakov sent New Times the following statement:
"Kona Ice is aware of recent concerns regarding a franchisee who served shaved ice at a site connected to the Everglades detention center project in Florida. The franchisee was hired by a third-party agency, was unaware of the nature of the event, and was operating outside of their designated territory.
"This appearance does not reflect the views or positions of Kona Ice as a company. Kona Ice does not take a stance on the detention center project or any national political matters. The action of one independent franchisee does not represent the values, mission, or intent of the broader Kona Ice organization.
"As a franchisee within a larger network, we’re working closely with corporate to stay informed and mindful of event contexts and locations. Our commitment to bringing joy and positivity to the communities we serve remains as strong as ever."
A screenshot taken on Thursday, July 3, of an Instagram post by Kona Ice Miami South
Screenshot via Instagram/@konaicemiamisouth
Locally Owned Ms. Cheezious Comes in for the Harshest Feedback
A food truck operated by locally based Ms. Cheezious also appeared in the TikTok video. Ms. Cheezious is a private company and not a franchise, and those who took issue with Alligator Alcatraz didn't hesitate to share their thoughts on Ms. Cheezious' Instagram account.A sampling of the comments:
- "Never tried your concentration camp complicit food, thank God"
- "We see you supporting ICE, and you will be boycotted. Congratulations on standing with bounty hunters instead of the people that support your business day after day"
- "Serving food at a concentration camp?"
- "Are you not ashamed?"
- "Shame on you."
A screenshot taken on Thursday, July 3, of an Instagram post by Ms. Cheezious
Screenshot via Instagram/@mscheezious
Miami-Based Food Truck Elote Lovers Explains What Happened
At 3 p.m., Elote Lovers' founder Julie Larzabal sent the following statement to New Times:"I want to clarify something on behalf of my daughter, Ashley, and Elote Lovers.
Elote Lovers is a family-run business with both a storefront and multiple food trucks. While Ashley oversees the daily operations at the store, the food truck is often managed separately and has its own schedule and team.
In this case, Ashley was not aware of the event the truck was booked for and was even at another location with her food truck. She had no involvement in the decision and was completely unaware of the nature of the location until after the fact.
The purpose of this visit was to serve the community by working and serving food to our military forces, police officers, fire fighters, nurses and employees. We were not part of any celebration or the inauguration. All food trucks were in a section where all military forces, police officers, first responders, nurses and employees went to get their food."
Irony Upon Irony: Most of the Trucks in the Video Serve a Largely Latino Clientele
"What began as a small shop in Venezuela has grown into an international brand with a presence in several countries," says ChurroMania on its website. ChurroMania opened in 1997 in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, and only a year later, it became a franchise. By 1999, it had 15 franchise locations in Venezuela, and in 2001, it opened its first location in the U.S. at Dolphin Mall in Miami. By 2007, it had locations across South America, and in 2010, it launched its first fleet of food trucks in Miami.
New Times has contacted representatives of ChurroMania, including ChurroMania founder Ariel Acosta-Rubio. We will update this story as soon as we receive their responses.
