In mid-August, a florally decorated coffee truck called Wheels & Co. Beans began full-time operations outside Robarts Library — open from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm every day. The Varsity spoke with owner Anastasiia Alieksieichuk about the trailer’s growing presence in the food truck scene on St. George Street, and gathered feedback from students regarding their satisfaction with the menu.
Originally from Ukraine, Alieksieichuk moved to Toronto two years ago due to the country’s ongoing war with Russia. She quickly noticed a gap in Toronto’s fast-paced coffee culture compared to the cafés she frequented in Europe, particularly in terms of quality and experience. This observation inspired her to open her trailer.
Alieksieichuk aims to revitalize Toronto’s customer experience by serving the local community with Wheels & Co. Beans. After originally opening the truck on Palace Pier by Lakeshore Boulevard, another food truck vendor encouraged her to bring her trailer to UTSG.
Desserts and drinks, without tax
Menu items for the fall include desserts, such as cookies for $2.50, pistachio and almond croissants priced at $6.75, and cruffins at $6.50, along with a variety of teas. Year-round offerings feature coffee roasted from Italian beans, matcha and chai lattes, and Ukraine-imported teas — plus free dog treats for pet owners.
Coffee starts at $3.75 for espressos, macchiatos, and drip coffees, while the most expensive options, like matcha and chai lattes, cost $6.50.
A regular latte and cappuccino are both $5.95. Americanos are four dollars and flat whites are $4.50. Protein shakes at Wheels, available in chocolate and vanilla flavours, are $7.50. Hot chocolate is five dollars — dairy-free milk and alternatives cost an extra dollar, and the same goes for additional syrups and flavours for drinks. Currently available flavours for coffees are vanilla, salted caramel, pumpkin spice, hazelnut, and strawberry.
All imported teas cost $4.95 and are available in the following flavours: earl grey, mint mix green, herbal mix, and jasmine. Signature teas are $5.50 each, with two flavours. The orange sea buckthorn tea is a mix of cranberries, orange, sea buckthorn, lemon, and cinnamon while the cherry raspberry tea is a blend of cherry, apple, raspberries, and black tea.
Alieksieichuk describes herself as open to suggestions from customers for new menu items, either via email or in person, to better reflect their diverse tastes.
The student experience
The Varsity spoke with students who have ordered at Wheels to learn about the customer experience.
Raniyah Patel, a third-year U of T undergraduate studying health and disease, immunology, and religion, wrote in an email that the floral decor of the truck and visual presentation of the desserts initially attracted her to Wheels & Co. Beans. She appreciated the wider selection of flavours — such as coconut and salted caramel — but she noted that cafés and other coffee trucks around campus also offer unique options, with lower prices.
For example, coffee truck Caffe’in near Sidney Smith Hall offers Spanish lattes, while 18feet Espresso Bar & The Cheong in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy building sells dalgona lattes. 10 DEAN’s — a popular hangout for U of T students on Spadina and College — prices for croissants can range from six to seven dollars depending on flavour.
Patel compared the prices at Wheels & Co. to those of a fully-functioning café, despite the lack of seating and ambience for enjoying the drink. Wheels charges $6.50 for a chai latte, which is 50 cents more than 10 DEAN. In comparison, Starbucks charges $5.75 for a grande iced chai latte.
Raniya Khan, a third-year U of T history and political science double major, tried Wheels’ iced chai latte with added alternatives. While she appreciated the staff’s quick service and friendliness, Khan doubts she will return due to the expensive prices.
Harnoor Gill, a third-year U of T undergraduate, tried the matcha latte. She was surprised that the honey drizzle was self-serve rather than served by the barista. Like Khan, the menu drew her to the truck, but she noted less costly options around campus with stronger flavours.
Despite having prices that are similar to cafes, Wheels and Co. Beans’ variety of flavours and floral decor offer a unique café experience on the go.
