How to start catering business without capital

Are you interested in starting a catering service? Catering is a service that provides you a chance to showcase your talent and creativity in the aspect of cooking and service delivery. It is not capital intensive. In fact, you can start a catering business from home with absolutely no money, and you do not even […]

Are you interested in starting a catering service? Catering is a service that provides you a chance to showcase your talent and creativity in the aspect of cooking and service delivery.

It is not capital intensive. In fact, you can start a catering business from home with absolutely no money, and you do not even need an office. Your client’s advance payment is enough to start the business and rent all the equipment you need. These are the views of Mrs.Olabisi Diete-Spiff, owner of Enrich Catering Services.

Mrs.Spiff said it was imperative to have passion for providing sumptuous meals and to be well organised, as well as being able to work long difficult hours in order to run a successful catering business.

As a caterer, you are either self-employed or are a business owner and you decide your income.

Catering is one of those businesses that do not 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 by word of mouth marketing done by satisfied customers.

The reputation of your catering business lies in the good taste in your cooking. Your clients will be grading your performance through the taste of the food you prepare for them.

Getting customers and managing them is another secret to help keep your catering business successful. 

Diete-Spiff revealed that she started with her personal contacts and referrals from clients she had worked for to get customers for the business. “I also established relationships with event planners, food vendors, bridal shops and photographers to get more customers,”she said.

Diete-Spiff said the major challenge of running a catering business was pressure to meet targets. The continuous increase in the price of foodstuff, goods and services and unstable power supply are also a 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 the right equipment for a quintessential job.”

What you need to start

Formalise your business concept by selecting a business name, write out a business plan and get cooking utensils: dishes, cutlery, wine and glass cups, chafing dishes, coolers and burners; or you can hire them.