Starting Your Corporate Catering Service

By Shirley Evans


Human beings eat at least three meals a day. This need is what makes the food business a good choice to invest in. If you derive pleasure from preparing exquisite meals for your family, you might want to consider delving into corporate catering. This will ensure that you still get to do what you like, and also earning a living. If you are seriously thinking about getting into this line of business, here are some pointers.

All startups require a business plan. This will help the owner put their ideas down in order, and can be very useful if you ought to look for additional funding. The first thing you should do is decide what kind of meals you will be serving. Determine this by identifying a niche in the market, or focusing on what you are good at. Once you have your menu, making a list of the things you require, will be a lot simpler.

Apart from excellent culinary skills, you will also have to run the business. If you have done this before this might be easy for you. On the other hand, if this is your fist business venture, consider getting business classes. This does not need to be at an advanced level, but it should give you the skills you need for bookkeeping. It will also save you from having to hire additional staff.

Marketing and networking will be necessary, in order to get clients. There are other companies offering the same services in Tucson, Arizona and therefore, you have to compete for customers. You have to make sure your prices are reasonable, and your food samples are exceptional, to boost your marketing pitch. You should also think of offering incentives that other companies do not provide, to win over the target market.

You must get all additional employees needed, before your fist big event. This might be additional chefs, waitresses, or even drivers. These should be people you can trust, and you should at least vet them, to see the quality of their work.

In order to be self-sufficient, you have to have your items for dressing the tables, and cutlery for the food. For some events, you might need to work with other people who can provide chairs, and lighting arrangements. You might need to rent some of these items initially, or liaise with individuals who can provide these services while you handle the food.

There are some documents which you need to have, to make sure that you stay out of trouble. Make sure you apply for all this early enough, because some of them may take a while to be processed. Be sure to take note of those that will need to be regularly updated.

Perseverance, open-mindedness, and optimism are some traits you need to acquire, once you launch the business. You should try to network with other people in the company. This will expose you to new trends, and it can also be a good way to get clients. The other catering agencies may also stop viewing you as a threat and send some business your way.




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