Lunch delivery business

David1570

Dear friends


I have been thinking of starting a lunch delivery business from my home with my wife. My target customers would be office and school workers. I will be making fresh food at home such as sandwich, pasta, salad, wrap, baguette and fruit salad etc., and deliver to business with my own car.


After spending a lot of time researching about this type of business, I have prepared a plan as outlined below.


Can someone advice me if I am heading in the right direction? Any advice and answer to my questions below would be extremely helpful.





Step1: Preparing A5 size leaflet with small introduction of my business plan followed by survey questions about a) type of food they normally eat at lunch b) where do they normally buy their lunch c) how do they feel if I delivered fresh food at their desk at an affordable price d) what is their weekly budget


Step2: I am going to print about 1000 leaflets and distribute them to office and local school. I will then collect these leaflets from the receptionist few days later. If I see there is enough demand for my service then I will start this business.


Step3: Contact local council’s environment officer to discuss my plan. I am thinking of utilizing my little patio in back garden to prepare food by installing temporary roof over it. I believe that I need separate fridge and washing facility and food hygiene certificate.


Step4: If council happy with my plan, then I am going to find a web designer to build a website. I don’t know how much that will cost? Can I


Step5: Register with food standard agency and follow their guidelines. Get necessary insurance to cover business such as product liability insurance. Set up private limited liability company few months later.





Questions:

• Can I buy domain name from Go Daddy and mention on my survey question leaflet about future web address of my business?
  
• Shall I mention on the leaflet that I am new on this business? I am wondering if customers will be interested as they are probably used to buying lunch from branded shop.
  
• I want low start up business cost. Can I build my own website or do I need professionally looking website? If yes, how much does it cost to build website or apps?
  
  
• I will be running this business with my wife because I don’t want to employ anyone until it grows. Can I set up website so that it only takes certain numbers of order?
  
• Will council allow me to prepare food from patio at the back garden? I will install roof and washing facility there.
  
• Where can I do sandwich making course?
  
• How do I calculate nutrition information of ingredients? How do I get nutrition information and use by date sticker printed?
  
• Where can I buy sandwich sealing machine? How much do they cost?
  

denz1968

David1570 wrote: »

Dear friends








Questions:

• Can I buy domain name from Go Daddy and mention on my survey question leaflet about future web address of my business?

Yes that is possible - domain will be £10-£20 max depending on what suffix it has .com, .co.uk, Etc

• Shall I mention on the leaflet that I am new on this business? I am wondering if customers will be interested as they are probably used to buying lunch from branded shop.
• I want low start up business cost. Can I build my own website or do I need professionally looking website? If yes, how much does it cost to build website or apps?
  

Yes you could build your own with a template and wordpress, quite easy to do and achieve. PM me ref this

• I will be running this business with my wife because I don’t want to employ anyone until it grows. Can I set up website so that it only takes certain numbers of order?

Not sure, would need to google it, but i am guessing yes

• Will council allow me to prepare food from patio at the back garden? I will install roof and washing facility there.
• Where can I do sandwich making course?
• How do I calculate nutrition information of ingredients? How do I get nutrition information and use by date sticker printed?
• Where can I buy sandwich sealing machine? How much do they cost?

See above on the website Techy questions

Denz

PasturesNew

I don't want to pee on your bonfire....but you need to do some market research. What are people currently doing? How much are they spending>

I'd look at your food list and think "I could make that at home and bring it with me". I'd want HOT food.

As for a car, is that practical? Something "nattier" that makes you a "local personality" might fit the bill better... e.g. a bike pulling a trailer (with your company name on)... or a tuk tuk .... or moped. Something "faster in traffic" - and cheaper than commercial insurance on a car for "deliveries".

Also, if you're out and somebody grabs you and says "what've you got?" would you have spares with you, or could you instantly place an order for them .... and get it delivered even though you're out on your deliveries?

Most people, I'd have thought, want to either get out of the office at lunchtime, or have HOT food put in front of them.

bengalknights

Agree with pastures here, in my office there is hardly anyone that will buy a sandwich within the building they all want hot food.

Those who want sandwiches also want fresh air!

lincroft1710

PasturesNew wrote: »

Most people, I'd have thought, want to either get out of the office at lunchtime, or have HOT food put in front of them.

The problem with hot food is that you have to deliver at the right time for your customer. How will they pay you? On the spot or do you send a bill each week? Spend 5 minutes getting to and with first customer and you have effectively only another 85 minutes left for delivery (not many people want to eat at 1.30 pm or later).

Schools have set lunchtimes and of course long holidays (so no income). If you can target large office complexes on a business park with easy parking, it may work. In a city or town centre with limited parking and offices not close together, it won't and you will have so much competition with well established bricks and mortar food outlets.

Don't underestimate the time it takes to get in some places. Entryphones, lifts, doormen, reception desk staff, even if you are well known.

JCS1

Some schools use contract catering companies, and may not allow other caterers on the site.

There is also a lot of legislation you need to adhere to, health & safety, allergans, and bookkeeping.

Hermia

lincroft1710 wrote: »

If you can target large office complexes on a business park with easy parking, it may work. In a city or town centre with limited parking and offices not close together, it won't and you will have so much competition with well established bricks and mortar food outlets.

My friend works on a business park and there is a lady who goes around the companies with a trolley of sandwiches and homemade cakes. She apparently does very well as there is nowhere else to go and the homemade cake is a big seller because shop bought cake is never as nice. I definitely think it would be harder in a town centre location with competing businesses. I know a few cafes near me that have the facility for office workers to order lunch online to be picked up. So many shops also offer inexpensive meal deals so any service would have to compete with that.

Owain_Moneysaver

David1570 wrote: »

[*]Will council allow me to prepare food from patio at the back garden? I will install roof and washing facility there.

Absolutely not. You will require a kitchen that complies with Building Regulations and commercial food hygiene standards.

David1570 wrote: »

[*]Where can I buy sandwich sealing machine? How much do they cost?
[/LIST]

A quick look at ebay suggests about £450 for a pre-owned one.

You will also require fridges and insulated or refrigerated transport containers with temperature monitoring and logging.

Red-Squirrel_2

Your competition will be:

Supermarkets
Corner shops/convenience stores/petrol stations
Sandwich shops
Cafes
Fast food places
Chip shops
Deliveroo/Uber eats/just eat etc.
Mobile food vans
Works canteens
Making your own sandwich and taking it in

How will you offer a better option than all of those?

scaredofdebt

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Absolutely not. You will require a kitchen that complies with Building Regulations and commercial food hygiene standards.

Interesting, there's a marquee outside our office on a Friday that sells chips with toppings at £5 a punt, not for me but they always seem to be busy. They are simply frying frozen fries and putting cheese etc on top, nice mark up I'd imagine.

My wife paid £8 for a sandwich a few days ago so there are some right mugs out there.

:rotfl:

scaredofdebt

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Your competition will be:

Supermarkets
Corner shops/convenience stores/petrol stations
Sandwich shops
Cafes
Fast food places
Chip shops
Deliveroo/Uber eats/just eat etc.
Mobile food vans
Works canteens
Making your own sandwich and taking it in

How will you offer a better option than all of those?

Convenience.