| With the reward and fun of the catering | | | | |
| business comes hard work and the requirement | | | | - Can your business compete with existing |
| for a lot of stamina, as you have to work | | | | businesses? |
| under pressure. Before starting a catering | | | | |
| business, you must obtain a license and meet | | | | Before attempting to start a catering |
| the requirements of the food service | | | | business, you must decide on the type of |
| industry. | | | | customers you want to cater to and also study |
| | | | your competitors. Based on this, you can then |
| License | | | | decide your business promotion strategy. You |
| | | | will also have to decide on the number of |
| To acquire a license, you must apply to your | | | | staff you may need for service and cleanup. |
| local Health Department. Before issuing a | | | | Always consider extra skills and techniques |
| license, the Health Department inspects your | | | | you may have to develop to outshine your |
| place of business to see whether you meet | | | | competitors. |
| sanitation requirements. Once you are issued | | | | |
| the license, the Health Department constantly | | | | Initial Setup Costs |
| conducts routine inspections of the business. | | | | |
| These inspections are done to ensure the | | | | Initially, you may start your catering |
| maintenance of good hygiene and sanitation. | | | | business by renting equipment to reduce |
| Outbreaks of food-borne illnesses have | | | | startup costs. You can rent equipment such as |
| resulted in many restaurants from poor | | | | tables, chairs, utensils, tablecloths, |
| hygiene, inadequate cooking times and | | | | serving equipments and other items. This will |
| improper cooling and storage of food. | | | | help to build your reputation in the market |
| | | | and gradually develop some initial capital |
| Plan | | | | for further investment and expansion. It also |
| | | | gives you a chance to evaluate the money and |
| A good business plan is a must and will help | | | | time you need to invest and think about the |
| guide you in establishing the business. | | | | impact the venture will have on your family. |
| Before planning to start a catering business, | | | | |
| you must assess your area of specialty such | | | | Food Safety |
| as baked goods, seated diners, lunch boxes, | | | | |
| receptions, picnics or wedding receptions. | | | | To be a successful caterer, you must be able |
| You must also analyze the type of food you | | | | to prepare delicious, hygienic and wholesome |
| intend to serve. Before venturing into a | | | | food. You should maintain high quality |
| catering business, you must ask yourself some | | | | standards while preparing the food. It is |
| questions to find out whether your business | | | | your prime responsibility to prevent |
| can be successful or not. | | | | contamination of food, as contamination can |
| | | | lead to serious illness - and this can ruin |
| The questions are: | | | | your reputation and business, in addition to |
| | | | possibly leading to lawsuits. |
| - Will the business serve your basic needs? | | | | |
| | | | Despite the pitfalls, you can have a |
| - Will your business serve the existing | | | | profitable, well run business. When well |
| market in which the demand exceeds the | | | | planned, having your own catering business |
| supply? | | | | can be personally and financially rewarding. |