Business idea help and funding North West UK

[Deleted User]

What about if you work from home to start with and provide a delivery service?

I heard you can use websites like JustEat to process orders and as long as your kitchen is registered with the local Council you are fine!

Maybe a very cheap idea, well I say cheap but I don't think there is such thing in business these days :-)

moonquack78

Julius1984 wrote: »

the place I live is very diverse with plenty of Indian and Pizza and Kebab places but none that really serve good home cooked food and something that compared to the rest is quite nutritious and more like home cooking as far as fresh ingredients and no additives and so forth
:

Would this still not count as competition? There is that one place which you consider to offer overpriced not very good quality food, but perhaps one of the reasons for this is that people in your area if eating out would prefer a pizza or a kebab.

[Deleted User]

You can never be too sure.

I opened a diverse unit offering Indian food and it worked fairly well, we charged inflated prices because our target customer were not people that visited the local Indian Sweet Shops and so didn't care of the price just the food and convenience.

However that said, we could not take away the custom of the local burger van offering burgers and chips and bacon - people who wanted that food wanted that food and there was nothing that could temp them away from it.

So what I'm probably trying to say is that sometimes you can offer whatever at any price, but if they like pizza and want pizza they will have pizza and not your food.

You have to be very sure that your food is wanted and if you can't be sure that is where your risk arises.

Julius1984

Most of the food isn't too spicy. The jerk can be made in different heat strengths and although it's Jamaican quite a bit is soups and stews which just contain jamaican ingredients more than the heat side of it.

There's definately room for it I've asked and people have said they go there because there's nowhere else. We do have quite a large afro Caribbean community and would also appeal to everyone else as we'd do "english" meals too but just a few

As fas as the doing it from home this is something I've thought about and building money up that way but how do you go about doing that? Legalities? insurance? ect? is it do-able?

[Deleted User]

Easy to do, you need to look for liability insurance, look at product and general public liability. If you are using someone to deliver (not you) take out employee liability to protect any risk - you never know they may get attacked in a block of flats or something.

As for the kitchen itself, you need to look at "safer food, better business", you can find the pack on .gov website or follow the links to the food standards agency website.

Here is a link, look at all of the packs but the most important is the above;

http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/sfbb/

Look at all sections in the pack and start to prepare your kitchen, you may need to remove things that you like to keep in there are arrange things very differently. You may also need to start sticking up signs and notices - but who cares it's for a good cause.

Once you are happy you call the Council and register. Remember once you csll they can visit to inspect you - some never do and some want to visit the next day. I'd be sure to be prepared first because it doesn't look good to refuse them access.

I think you have to register 28 days before you start business, and if they have not inspected you within that time you can start to trade regardless.

Most LA'S now operate "scores on the doors" or something similar, wherby you are rated for various things including safety, training and processes. Remember if you haven't already you need to take your level 2 food hygiene course - can be booked online for a few quid.

You will need to look at processes and workbooks, but use the "safer food better business" pack to help (it really does help).

I currently have 5 stars or a score of 5 which is the best. So if you need any tips please let me know. I just followed everything to the book - I also realised that your paperwork means more than anything else when being inspected.

Julius1984

Thanks so much I'll check all this out.

How easy is it to register with Just Eat and the likes?

I think if it ends up looking like I'll go into a lot of debt then I'm going to be better starting off this way and doing a delivery lunch service and then meals at night from home and be scrupulous with the income and do it that way as to build up (hopefully) a customer following and then save for premises.

I've looked at the courses and my local college runs one for £63 and there are some online but how good are these and are they recognised by the local council?

I'll be sure to ask for any further advice (I'm sure I'll need it)

Percy1983

Julius1984 wrote: »

Thanks so much I'll check all this out.

How easy is it to register with Just Eat and the likes?

I think if it ends up looking like I'll go into a lot of debt then I'm going to be better starting off this way and doing a delivery lunch service and then meals at night from home and be scrupulous with the income and do it that way as to build up (hopefully) a customer following and then save for premises.

I've looked at the courses and my local college runs one for £63 and there are some online but how good are these and are they recognised by the local council?

I'll be sure to ask for any further advice (I'm sure I'll need it)

This does seems a good plan and a reasonably low risk one at that.

[Deleted User]

Again - easy!

But not as cheap as one would expect.

Set up costs are around the £500 mark and there is a monthly fee, I don't know what it is.

Another option is hungryhouse and here are some contact details;

Anna Meyer zu Venne

[EMAIL="avenne@hungryhouse.co.uk"]avenne@hungryhouse.co.uk[/EMAIL]

As for courses, you can use the online courses and they are accepted. There is no legal requirement to take accredited training, the law simply says you should be trained, however it's often the best option. I stick with City & Guilds approved courses, that way I can use the logo and accreditation on my paperwork and adverts. They cost around £19 online and again you can print the cert or request a printed copy for a small fee.

HTH

Julius1984

Thanks I shall do some enquiries. Think I'm going to stick with the business plan and put it forward with the hope of funding but have the back up plan of doing it from home and/or getting a van and saving the profits up that way

Thanks again I shall also look into the courses and get as much info as possible

[Deleted User]

Well Good Luck! You do need lots of luck these days, even the best ideas are hard to get going with things as they are.

Just remember to have a plan B - just in case and I'm sure you will do fine.

I also notice that there is demand for your product as far as hot food catering is concerned - for example in place of a traditional cold buffet.

I'd like to link to my website to demonstrate what I mean, but unfortunately I'm not allowed :-(