Food Business

Fireflyaway

I've always wanted to try having my own business and thought a food business might be good. Not a cafe with lots of over heads but a mobile van. Either travelling about, pitching somewhere or attending events.

I know it will mean working anti social hours and I suspect my income will drop but I think I'd regret not trying.

I have no idea what food to go for! Unfortunately I don't have an old family recipe! I also don't know how to investigate where I could pitch / where isn't allowed etc.

Does anyone have an idea or know how I could find out?

TELLIT01

You've have to be licenced by the local authority so they should be your first point of contact about places you can and can't pitch. You certainly can't just pull up in a local layby and start selling.
Have you actually investigated the costs of setting up a mobile business? I don't know the figures but it won't be cheap. I'm also guessing that you will need the vehicle and equipment tested, approved and regularly checked which will add more cost.
One thing I do know is that it isn't easy making money in the food sector. There are lots of established businesses out there, and many garages etc will be able to sell food with a much smaller profit margin than you would need.

~Beanie~

Most people who start a business usually choose something that they have some knowledge of, you don't seem to know anything at all about this one.

This website looks like a good place to start: https://www.ncass.org.uk/mobile-catering-home/content/starting-up

DCFC79

Business parks can be a good place to pitch up, when I say business parks I don't mean retail parks but industrial estates.

Les79

Well, I've always thought that there may be some market gap at football stadiums (any division)...

Now yes, I'm aware of there being LOADS of food vans outside the venue but, in my experience, many of the vans only offer things like hot dogs and burgers.

I sort of feel that there may be some scope to have a van which offers something a bit different like:

- Regional dishes (for example, scouse in Liverpool)
- Pies
- Slightly healthier foods (noodles etc)

It would also probably be best if you work hours between, say, 5pm and 11pm (before and after kickoff).

Ultimately, though, but whatever way you approach this possible business you will mainly need to work the hours which meet market demand. If you won't then you risk not making enough money.

I think you'd need to identify your market as well. Business parks can be great too, but would the food you offer attract these people? If you are targeting allegedly smarter people then will they go to a van for their lunch? Or will they maybe use a subsidised canteen on site? In contrast, if you are on a business park with working class people then they'll consider you van as a huge asset and will go there almost daily.

Fireflyaway

Thanks everyone, that's helpful.
I like the idea of being based at a football stadium. A colleague of mine is always moaning about the poor food on offer at games.
There are several food vans in our town that go round business parks so maybe too much competition there.
I'm thinking of events such as air shows, horse shows etc. I'm guessing you probably have to pay a lot to pitch up at those locations though.
There is a man in my town who sells jacket potatoes. Nice and simple but he always has as queue. He is very chatty and interacts with the customers. I have to admit I don't think I'd be good at that aspect!

TELLIT01

You don't think you will be good at interacting with customers but you want to set up a business where you will have to interact with customers??!! You have no idea what type of food you will sell, or where you will sell it. I'm making a wild guess that you haven't put together any sort of business plan with a breakdown of costs and income to even see if it could be profitable.
You really do need to take several steps back and re-evaluate things before you lose a lot of money on a venture which seems doomed from the start.

Savvy_Sue

Fireflyaway wrote: »

He is very chatty and interacts with the customers. I have to admit I don't think I'd be good at that aspect!

I think it's worth giving some thought to that: I know when I'm getting coffee / snacks / a meal that I prefer places where the staff seem friendly, and finding it hard to interact with your customers might make this a less than ideal area of work for you.

Give some thought to why you think a food business would be good. Do you like food? Do you have creative ideas? Do you enjoy preparing, cooking and cleaning up afterwards? Would you be better creating food for other people to sell? What would your USP be?

If you still come back to food, get some experience - evening or Saturday job in a cafe / pub / burger van. Even if that's not your niche, it will give you an idea of what's involved.

Running your own business is hard. Running a business you're not passionately committed to is even harder.

DCFC79

Fireflyaway wrote: »

Thanks everyone, that's helpful.
I like the idea of being based at a football stadium. A colleague of mine is always moaning about the poor food on offer at games.
There are several food vans in our town that go round business parks so maybe too much competition there.
I'm thinking of events such as air shows, horse shows etc. I'm guessing you probably have to pay a lot to pitch up at those locations though.
There is a man in my town who sells jacket potatoes. Nice and simple but he always has as queue. He is very chatty and interacts with the customers. I have to admit I don't think I'd be good at that aspect!

Football/Rugby stadiums are a good choice to pitch up outside, maybe find out how much it would cost to pitch up outside the grounds, it could be cheap but you wont know until you contact them.

Same with airshows and horses shows, find out how much it would cost for a licence or if possible to get one.

If you dont think you would be good with the interaction then are you sure its a route you can/should go down ?

suki1964

You can't just rock up to a football stadium and start selling, you have to apply for a licence from the council, and they aren't easy to come by. They only allow a certain amount of vendors and the regulars will have had their licences approved and issued well in advance

Same as anywhere where you expect a food van to be, only so many licences offered

A basic small ( pulled by a car ) kitted out 2nd hand trailer will set you back anything upwards of £7k

Then you need your own premises or wherever you intend to prepare food/store food inspected by the council and you need your food hygiene certificates

But first of all you need to have a clue about what you intend to sell and who your target market is.

Comms69

Fireflyaway wrote: »

Thanks everyone, that's helpful.
I like the idea of being based at a football stadium. A colleague of mine is always moaning about the poor food on offer at games.
There are several food vans in our town that go round business parks so maybe too much competition there.
I'm thinking of events such as air shows, horse shows etc. I'm guessing you probably have to pay a lot to pitch up at those locations though.
There is a man in my town who sells jacket potatoes. Nice and simple but he always has as queue. He is very chatty and interacts with the customers. I have to admit I don't think I'd be good at that aspect!

The problem is how would people in a stadium get to you? Once you're out, you're out.


Do you have market days where you could buy a pitch?