Turning Your Passion For Food Into A Business: What You Need To Consider Before Launching Your Company

Do you have a passion for whipping up delicious meals that you would like to translate into a potentially lucrative career path? If so, then you may be considering starting your own catering business. But is this really the right option for you, and do you have what it takes to forge your own niche in the competitive catering industry? 

To help you make an informed decision that could change the course of your career, read on to discover the important factors you should consider before launching your catering company. 

Honing Your Skills

Even if you are something of a whizz in the kitchen, capable of concocting mouth-watering recipes for your family and friends, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are capable of catering to larger numbers of people. It may go without saying, but cooking meals for 200 guests or festival attendees is far more complex than preparing a meal for your relatives. There are also other aspects you need to consider, such as the customer service skills required, and the financial and legal elements. 

If you are worried that you may not currently have the skills and resources required to provide the right service, the good news is that there are courses available that will teach you all you need to know. Understandably, the course type you can take will depend on the finances, and the time you have available; to help boost your knowledge, you may want to consider seeking out some catering work experience to give you a taste of what is involved in running this kind of business.

Finding Your Specialty

One of the major hurdles that new catering businesses face is competition. There are a wide variety of catering companies already operating, many of which have carved out their own unique niche in the industry that enables them to keep turning a profit and gaining new business. 

In order to stand a chance against such stiff competition, you need to find your catering company’s own unique selling point (or USP). This will help you stand out from the crowd and develop your client base. Not sure how to find your USP? It’s a good idea to conduct some research into your local catering market and assess what the competition is already offering. This will enable you to pinpoint potential gaps that you could exploit. 

For example, perhaps you have a talent for whipping up regional or cultural specialities that aren’t readily available, or maybe you have the capability to produce artisan products at competitive prices. Alternatively, perhaps you can offer food, supplies and decorations for special events, offering more of a holistic service that is sure to prove appealing to customers who don’t want the hassle of hunting down individual suppliers. 

Once you have established your niche, you will probably find that you simultaneously determine which market you will be most likely to flourish in: corporate or private. You can then begin preparing a more detailed business plan and establishing the foundation of your catering business model. 

Honing Your Business Plan

To give your new catering company a fighting chance, it’s highly recommended that you dedicate time and effort to sketching out a detailed business plan. This plan will serve as your roadmap and will help you to set achievable goals and develop strategies for how to make them happen. 

Some of the details you should include in your catering business plan include: 

• Your own experience and qualifications. 
• The details of any co-founders or staff members you have hired. 
• Your business ethos and aims.
• Financial information, including a cost breakdown and projections. 
• Strengths and weaknesses.
• Details about your local competition. 

If you need to seek outside investment to help get your business off the ground, the information included in your business plan could make all the difference when it comes to convincing investors to get onboard. 

Getting Kitted Out

Once you’ve sorted out your business plan, it’s time to lay the groundwork for your business. This includes buying in all of the necessary equipment and if you’re going to be running a mobile business, purchasing a van or a trailer. 

The equipment and utensils that you need to buy will depend on what kind of food you will be preparing. It’s important to write a detailed list of everything you think you will need; once you have weighed up your budget, you can then go back and revise this list in accordance with how much money you have to spend. 

The Legal Side

When you work in the food business, you face a range of potential risks related to public health and safety. This includes the possibility of your own employees injuring themselves as well as the very real risk of causing illness or allergic reactions among your consumers. As a result, it’s vital that you have the appropriate licensing and insurance coverage before you start cooking. This includes registering your business and applying for appropriate licenses, for example, if you plan to sell alcohol. 

When it comes to insurance, you can find a well-rounded catering liability insurance policy with the help of an established provider such as Mobilers. Mobilers’ catering liability insurance can offer you the protection that includes Food Safety Act legal defence costs, coverage for accidental damage to property, Contingent Motor Liability, and more. 

You also need to be prepared for food safety inspections, which can be carried out by your local council at any time, with no warning. Consequently, it’s vital that you make sure that every aspect of your catering business is in accordance with regulations. This includes guaranteeing that your food is safe for consumption, that your kitchen or van is clean and in good working order, that you provide clear information on the ingredients, and that you keep detailed records on the provenance of your food. 

Spreading The Word

Last but certainly not least, it’s time to focus on marketing. Spreading the word about your business can be done effectively both using physical and online advertising. However, you can also use word-of-mouth by offering free samples of your most tempting specialities, and if you can wrap that food in custom greaseproof paper, that’s even better!

Once you have enticed people with your product, focus on wowing them with exceptional customer service. Before you know it, you will hopefully have begun developing a strong consumer base that will help your fledgling catering business take off.