For anyone thinking of starting their own business, there are many things to consider. These include finance, location and the type of business you are setting up in order to make money. All of these things apply to anyone looking to start out in the catering industry.
Whether you want to open a high-end restaurant, a local cafe or an outside catering business, the considerations are the same. For example, who will be preparing and cooking the food? Recent research reported in Hospitality and Catering News found that there is currently a shortage of qualified chefs, so if you will not be doing the cooking, then you will need to consider where and how you will recruit your staff.
Financing the Business:
Options for funding small businesses include bank loans and grants as well as borrowing against personal property, borrowing from friends and family or asking them to invest in exchange for a stake in the business. The government has published some guidance on how to go about sourcing finance for a small business.
Equipment:
Whatever type of catering business you start, there will always be equipment that is essential if your business is to succeed. For those opening cafes or restaurants, that will include tables, chairs, crockery and cutlery. However, all catering ventures will need commercial catering equipment such as commercial refrigeration and air condition units. As this sort of equipment is expensive, it is a good idea to find out what the best types are. For example, you could go to Empire Drinks and Refrigeration and see what other people are saying about the equipment you are interested in. They are also a draught soft drink supplier so this can help with saving both money and time.
Location:
Location is also a key factor, and its importance should not be underestimated, particularly if you are opening a cafe or restaurant. Ensure that you look at the competition, and if there is no competition then ask yourself why. Is it because that area does not get busy and there is no passing trade?. If you are unsure, then try to lease premises on a short-term lease in case things don’t work out.
Hopefully, there are some useful pointers here for anyone thinking of starting a catering business and some ideas of the sorts of things that need to be considered.