How to start catering business
Unlike years ago, catering is now a big business. Event planners and even individuals now hire out their catering jobs when they are hosting people at an event. Though catering is a service that provides you a chance to showcase your talent and creativity in the aspect of cooking and service delivery but you really […]
Unlike years ago, catering is now a big business. Event planners and even individuals now hire out their catering jobs when they are hosting people at an event.
Though catering is a service that provides you a chance to showcase your talent and creativity in the aspect of cooking and service delivery but you really don’t have to be a super cook to make a success of catering business. All you need is to engage the services of local cooks who can do the cooking while you supervise them.
Again, it is not capital intensive. In fact, you can start a catering business from home absolutely with no money and you don’t even need an office. Your client’s advance payment is enough to start the business and rent all the equipment you need.
Mrs Olabisi Diete-Spiff, the owner of Enrich Catering Services said it is imperative to have passion for providing sumptuous meals and to be well-organised as well as being able to work long difficult hours for you to run a successful catering business.
As a caterer, you are either self-employed or a business owner and you decide your income.
Catering is one of those businesses that don’t need much marketing or advertising. In fact, you rarely see caterers advertise their services. This is because they always have a steady flow of clients through referrals and word of mouth marketing done by satisfied customers.
The reputation of your catering business lies in the good taste of your food. Your clients will be grading your performance through the taste of the food you prepared for them.
Getting customers and managing them is another secret to help keep your catering business successful. Diete-Spiff reveals that she started with her personal contacts and referrals from clients she has worked for to get customers for the business. “ I also established relationships with event planners, food vendors, bridal ships and photographers to get more customers,”she said.
Diete-Spiff said the major challenge of running a catering business is pressure to meet targets. The continuous increase in the price of food stuffs, goods and services and unstable power supply is also another challenge.
The capital to start the business depends on how big you want to start, “I started with less than a million naira and I have invested my profit back into the business to acquire right equipments for a quintessential job”.
Tips for success
– Formalise your business concept by selecting a business name and writing a business plan. You can hire cooking utensils, dishes, cutleries, wine and glass cups, chafing dishes, coolers, burners so you may not need to buy them.
The good news is that the success rate of catering businesses can be higher than a restaurant because the overhead is much lower and employees are only needed for planned events.
-Network with event planners and wedding coordinators: Caterers are one of many services hired by event planners. Don’t be afraid to work for these people and give them a discount for your services. They essentially serve as outside salespeople for your company, and the discount you provide them is basically their commission for bringing you on board.
-Promote yourself as a catering expert: Social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook are excellent ways to begin promoting your business and establishing a group of “friends” and “followers.”
-Stay focused on your catering business: You should be creative, but also remember that you are a business. The art of catering is one of the most fun and important parts of the business, but always remember you are in business and need to keep track of the books and paperwork.