Pork carnitas, fresh greens, queso, pico, guacamole, a 6oz. all-beef patty and chipotle mayo. Those are all the ingredients nestled in a bun called The Messy Mexican – a bestselling burger on the menu at Taco Bros in downtown Truro. Taco Bros is a Mexican restaurant based in Truro that serves tacos, burritos, taco bowls, nachos and – yes, burgers, too – to hungry customers walking through their doors on Prince Street. Taco Bros owner and founder Claudio Rambelli traveled a winding road before deciding to settle down in Colchester County. Born in Rome, Italy, he has lived in England and then Scotland before moving to Canada 13 years ago. He craved a slower pace of life to grow his family – Claudio now has a 16-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter, who both love being at the restaurant. “My family is proud of me,” he smiles. “That’s what keeps me going.” A passionate storyteller, Claudio has a distinctive Italian-British accent. “The restaurant is open seven days a week and we use the food truck May to November to cater events like weddings, festivals and corporate catering. I think I’m addicted to chaos,” he laughs. “I always need to be doing something.” Back in 2020, Claudio began researching food trucks and that’s when he reached out to Alana Hirtle, a Business Analyst with CBDC NOBL in Truro. She helped him secure the funding he needed to purchase a food truck and get his business rolling. “Alana explained that it was quite straightforward,” Claudio remembers. “I sent the business plan and financial plans to her, and it was approved within a few weeks. I was super excited – over the moon! It was the best thing that had happened to me in years.” Describing Alana as “the voice of reason,” Claudio still connects with her for advice from time to time. “I’m extremely vocal on how much I appreciate Alana and the CBDC – they tell me what I need to hear versus what I want to hear – that’s so important to a small business!” he explains. “Alana wants to see the local business community flourish - she really cares.” After securing a loan to purchase the food truck and raw ingredients for the tacos, Taco Bros saw such success that they moved into a brick-and-mortar restaurant a year later. Claudio says that after the initial CBDC loan to start the business, it has grown naturally, and for that, he is thankful. “When Claudio approached us for a loan to start the Taco Bros food truck in 2020, we were excited by his wealth of foodservice experience; that’s sometimes not the case for food related applications.” says Alana Hirtle. “We’re so happy to support Claudio and Taco Bros as they fill a tasty niche in the local foodie scene.” Claudio started his working life as a waiter in Italian restaurants, not knowing that years later he would be opening his own restaurant in Truro, a town he’s proud to call home. “I have a passion for food - I love cooking, it’s in the blood. I enjoy meeting people and cooking for people,” he says.