How to Start a Catering Business
Start a Catering Business and Create a Brand for Yourself.
If you can start a catering business, the growth rate can be a surprise to you. You must have heard that an hungry man is an angry man. Does this signal anything to you? In a simple interpretation, it means that anyone who does not eat will naturally be angry. Everyone needs food to sustain himself. Without food in the stomach, every other activity suffers. With this knowledge, you will not need much persuasion to be convinced that if you start a catering business, there will always be market for it.
Why Should You Start a Catering Business?
You may be wondering why some people choose to start a catering business. Here are some of these reasons:
- It is profitable. You buy ingredients in bulk and serve large number of time at a time.
- Unlike restaurants, you don’t need to be tied down to a regular hour.
- It can be operated from home.
- It can be run part -time.
- It does not require large capital.
- Wastage is low as you only prepare menu based on requests. At times you can predetermine the number of quests to serve.
- You don’t need to hire many hands especially if you are providing buffet where people have to serve themselves.
What Do You Need to Start a Catering Business?
Experience
No matter how tempting it may look, if you want to start a catering business, you need to be someone who can cook delicious meals. You cannot depend on others to provide the meals for you. However, ability to cook very well may not mean you can successfully handle catering business as you will be cooking in a large quantity this time around. It will be a good idea to work with an established caterer as an apprentice in order to hone your experience. As part of your learning process, you can attend weddings and other functions where foods are being served. You can also volunteer to lend a helping hand to friends and relations who have one ceremony or other to perform. While helping them, you will also be gaining valuable experience.
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Good Hygiene
Anybody that want to start a catering business should be someone of good hygiene. Your premises have to comply with necessary regulations. It must also be suitable for the purpose of your business. It must allow you to prepare foods safely. You have to be neat and able to take care of your environment and ensure pests control. Catering business is not for lazy people. All your cooking utensils should be clean and properly arranged to avoid contamination. If you want to start a catering business, your premises should have good ventilation, good drainage and lightings.
Equipment
If you want to start a catering business, you will need to invest in some equipments such as electric hot plates or induction cookers, freezer/refrigerator, delivery van, oven/microwaves, dinnerwares, serving bowls, knives, spoons and forks, pots, pans and other kitchen equipments. In case you don’t have enough capital to buy the equipments, you can decide to rent. As your business grows, you can buy them later.
Marketing
You need to create awareness about your catering business. The following can be a good way to market your business.
- Words of mouth within neighbourhood and local associations.
- Establish an online presence by developing a simple and attractive website. Things are changing very fast now. Most of business transactions are concluded on the internet. For instance, you need to get to a restaurant before you can have your meal. But now, people can just be at the comfort of their home and search for restaurants online with website like restaurants near me now. If you visit the site, you can locate the closest restaurants and then place your order. Don’t forget that some of these restaurants also offer catering services.
- Create Facebook Page, Instagram and Twitter Account.
- Brochures containing pictures of foods.
- You can place adverts on events and wedding journals.
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Compliance With Relevant Regulatory Bodies.
Food and Health sectors are usually regulated. Before you start a catering business, find out the necessary regulatory bodies and ensure you register with them. Failure to do this may be a breach of laws.
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