NASHVILLE,  TN – It’s been a year since Dan Stephenson quit his day job to run Dan’s Gourmet Mac & Cheese full time.

This summer he’s taking another big leap: He’s looking for a group of college kids willing to make a three-week trek up the East Coast in a Dan’s Gourmet food truck.

Stephenson has two goals for the food truck tour. The first is to give the students business experience while helping cover rising college tuition costs.

Stephenson, who graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2006, said he understands the value and cost of a college education. That’s why all the profits from the tour will be put toward the students’ tuition.

Stephenson’s second goal for the food truck is to drum up attention for his company, which has been selling a lot of gourmet mac and cheese lately. Since Stephenson started it as a side project 3½ years ago, Dan’s Gourmet has expanded out of the Nashville Farmers’ Market to the frozen aisles of grocery stores across the country.

“A year ago, we were in about 10 grocery stores in two states,” he said. Today, the company sells its products in groceries in 35 states.

During the trip, the students will have full control over the business aspects of the food truck, he said.

They will be expected to drive the food truck, named Mac Attack, through the major East Coast cities from July 26 to Aug. 16 selling product. During the trip, they will be responsible for running all aspects of the food truck business, including social media marketing, budget management and licensing.

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