Lots of my friends run catering and food-based businesses which is great as I love food! Eating it and talking about it.
I know first hand that the events industry is not for the faint-hearted, long hours and last-minute orders are the normality for caterers. As I have seen and heard about their experience setting up a catering company I thought I should share and shine some light. So, based on what I know here is how to set up a Successful Catering Business.
Here are my 5 Top Tips on How To set up a Successful Catering Business
1. The Set Up
Food business registration is required for selling, cooking, storing, preparing, and distributing food. An environmental health inspection will need to be completed at your business premises to ensure your food preparation facilities are up to the hygienic standards required for preparing food for public consumption. Get the right cover with a catering business insurance plan so, you and your clients have the right level of cover. Finally, don’t forget to register your business with HMRC to make sure you are paying the correct tax. Now that’s all the boring stuff out of the way, let’s get cooking.
2. Equipment and Organisation
The food and drink need to be accompanied by the appropriate catering equipment such as crockery glassware, cutlery and linen. Decide if you want to buy your crockery and glassware or hire it from an event hire company. If you are going to buy your catering equipment, then think about how you will transport the glasses, plates and cutlery to and from the events. Also, think about the storage solutions you are going to need such as GlassJacks for string glassware. The best way to streamline your catering service is to be organised and well-stocked.
3. The “A” Team
Do you need staff to support you? Try to bring new members into the team before you get too busy, so you have the time to train them. Having the right team is crucial to your success so, make sure to take the time and recruit the right people.
4. Be Clear and Confident
Set out to your clients what you can offer them from the beginning. It’s best to recommend what you can provide to achieve the best dining experience for your client and their guests. Equally, listen and understand your client’s needs and make your plan based on their needs and your skills. Make sure you have worked out the time and production cost involved before you quote your clients.
5. Be yourself and make it personal
People who go into catering do it for their passion for food. Most caterers have a niche that is essential for enjoying every working day. Try to stick to your speciality and personal strengthens and not feel pressured to cover all types of catering to compete with the local competition. It’s so easy to lose the love of what you do. Research your target market and try to understand how you can best supply it.
Different catering specialists costs and time frames will vary, which affect the overall cost of their services. For example, wedding cake makers spend hours on end to create a single masterpiece in preparation for the big day whereas a corporate catering company supplying a drinks party with canapes will make and serve the food within the hour. Wedding receptions, dinner parties and garden parties require lots of planning and organisation before the event. Feeling confident about managing your time based on the individual client requirements is key.
Thank you for reading my blog about “how to set up and run a successful catering business in five simple steps”. I hope you found this useful. If you are on this exciting journey, then I want to wish you all the best. Please leave your comments below and feel free to share this blog with your friends. I would love to hear about your experience in setting up a catering business. Read more of my Catering Blogs Here
