Ma Cong Bing offers food truck and shop franchises at Taiwan expo, with interest-free loans of up to NT$500,000

Taiwanese snack brand Ma Cong Bing presented two franchise packages at the 2026 Taiwan International Chain and Franchise Exhibition: a food truck package priced at NT$498,000 and a shop package at NT$1.28 million. It also offered loans of up to NT$500,000, repayable over three years in 36 interest-free instalments. For those considering a franchise in Taiwan, the key point is how the brand is using both operating formats and payment arrangements to address pressure on start-up finances.

Separate franchise prices for food trucks and shops

According to a 5 October report by SET News, Ma Cong Bing is targeting entrepreneurs with modest start-up budgets by offering food trucks and shops as distinct franchise options. The quoted prices differ by NT$782,000, but price alone cannot determine which format is better suited to an individual entrepreneur.

The operating requirements of a food truck and a fixed-location shop need to be assessed separately. Prospective franchisees should ask headquarters for an itemised breakdown of the equipment, supplies and support included in each quote, then calculate costs for their intended location. The package price should not be treated as a complete opening budget.

Headquarters covers the interest on loans

The report states that the brand offers loans of up to NT$500,000, repayable over three years in 36 instalments at zero interest, with headquarters absorbing the interest cost. This arrangement is intended to ease franchisees’ initial funding pressures; it is not the same as reducing the franchise package price.

“Up to NT$500,000” is a lending ceiling, not a guarantee that every applicant will receive that amount. Nor does zero interest remove the obligation to repay the principal. When assessing affordability, entrepreneurs should distinguish payments due before opening from monthly repayments after launch, and confirm the approval, disbursement and repayment conditions with headquarters.

Put exhibition offers into a written comparison

The 2026 Taiwan International Chain and Franchise Exhibition closed on 5 October at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre, Hall 2. Ma Cong Bing’s packages allowed visitors to compare different operating formats and financing arrangements, rather than looking at a single franchise price.

For prospective franchisees, an exhibition enquiry can be the starting point for further discussions. The amounts and repayment periods cited in the report are no substitute for a formal contract. Before signing, applicants should request a full fee schedule, check whether the loan carries any other charges, and establish what happens in the event of early repayment or termination of the franchise relationship. These are points to verify, not published terms of the offer.

Practical takeaway: calculate working capital needs before choosing a package

When comparing the food truck and shop packages, prepare a separate opening budget and monthly cash-flow forecast for each. Verify any costs beyond the quoted price, including site costs, staffing, ingredients and working capital requirements, then add loan repayments.

Interest-free financing can form part of a funding plan, but it should not replace an assessment of whether the business is viable. The practical next step is to obtain written breakdowns of both packages and their financing terms from headquarters, then decide on the basis of what you can afford.