BB-INT007 — Jasmine Oduro

Instagram. Someone I follow posted a photo of the smoked brisket taco — it was a really good photo, very specific, not the generic overhead shot. Just a close-up of the taco on the wrapper, you could see the texture of the brisket and the brightness of the salsa. I saved it, looked up the account, found the nearest truck, went that weekend.

It delivered. That's honestly not always the case — a lot of food looks better on Instagram than it tastes. The brisket was genuinely good. The pickled onions. The tortilla quality, which people don't always think about. I took my own photos that day and posted them.

Consistency. Every time I've been, the brisket is the same. The quality hasn't dipped. For a small food operation, that's actually hard to achieve. I've seen food trucks start well and then the quality slides — maybe the chef changes, maybe they cut corners. BorderBlend hasn't done that, as far as I can tell.

Also — the brand feels honest to me. The fusion identity. It's not trying to pretend it's something it's not. "Mexican-Korean fusion" — they just say what it is. I respect that. Some fusion food brands are embarrassed about the fusion and try to position themselves as "elevated street food" or something, which is basically euphemism for overpriced. BorderBlend doesn't do that.

I follow the account. I watch stories. When they post something that catches my attention I engage — comment, share to my story occasionally. I'm not a superfan who comments on everything. I engage when the content deserves it.

What gets engagement from me: specific food content. A close-up of something being assembled. A behind-the-scenes snippet of the prep. A story that explains why a menu item exists. What doesn't get engagement: generic motivational content, "Monday vibes" type posts, anything that feels like content for content's sake.

There was a video on the national account a few months ago that showed the smoked brisket being made — the whole smoking process, the temperature, the time it takes. That was genuinely interesting. You could tell there was craft behind it. That's the content that makes me want to go back and pay for the food, because I understand what I'm paying for.

A few posts that have tried to engage with cultural moments in a way that felt a bit — reaching. There was something during a cultural heritage month that posted a general statement about celebrating diversity. It was fine, not offensive, but it felt generic coming from a brand that is itself a cultural hybrid. They have a richer story to tell than that. When they lean into the specific fusion story it's compelling. When they post generic solidarity content it feels like every other brand.

Not really. I'd like to know more about the ingredients — specifically the beef for the brisket, and whether there's any thought given to sourcing. Is it local? Is there anything to say about the suppliers? In Montreal there's a strong culture around food provenance — knowing that something comes from a specific farm or region matters to my customer group. BorderBlend hasn't gone there much. I'd engage with that content if it existed.

Honestly? More consistency on the Instagram from the local truck account. The national account posts regularly but the local Montreal account goes quiet for weeks at a time. When I'm deciding where to eat on a Saturday, a recent Instagram story showing the truck is open and what looks good that day is a genuine influence. The absence of that content makes me slightly less likely to make the trip.

Just that I think they're actually doing something real with this brand. The food is honest and it's good. The potential for the social content to match that level of honesty is there — it's not always realised, but when it is, it works. I'd like to see more of the story they actually have.