Competitor Name
Brief Overview of Competitor
[Sender.Company] will provide its client with the following competitive advantages:
(Competitive Advantage 1)
(Competitive Advantage 2)
[sender.company] ’s branding and positioning.
The [Sender.Company] brand is renowned for its unique value proposition within the catering industry:
[Sender.Company] is known for its extensive menu offerings, providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner customization.
The company is committed to serving top-tier cuisine prepared by skilled chefs and presented by a team of sophisticated servers.
At [Sender.Company] , excellent customer service is a hallmark.
[Sender.Company] stands out with its creative approach, offering innovative event themes and concepts.
The company prioritizes and accommodates various dietary needs, demonstrating a commitment to eco-friendly practices and guest preferences.
[Sender.Company] provides comprehensive event planning services, including venue selection, décor, and entertainment.
These unique values define [Sender.Company] and highlight its dedication to delivering exceptional catering and event experiences.
[Sender.Company] anticipates its primary customer base to encompass individuals residing or working within the area of the establishment. The company's comprehensive promotional strategy to engage this demographic comprises various components.
The catering business will proactively encourage delighted clients to refer other companies or individuals by providing financial incentives for each successful referral.
[Sender.Company] will initially invest in advertising placements within local newspapers and event publications to enhance brand awareness.
[Sender.Company] will utilize local business mailing lists and business association databases to distribute informative materials to nearby businesses. These materials will offer insights into the company's offerings, feature discounts, and incentivize individuals to consider [Sender.Company] for their catering needs.
Outreach efforts will extend to local and regional newspapers and television stations, where press releases detailing the company's launch and its unique value proposition will be disseminated.
To maintain an active online presence, [Sender.Company] will maintain an informative website and circulate a monthly email newsletter.
Proactive interaction with prospective clients and strategic collaborators on diverse social media platforms, including (List relevant social media platforms), will enable the business to remain responsive to evolving customer requirements and preferences.
[Sender.Company] prioritizes catering to a wide range of client budgets while consistently delivering exceptional catering services. Recognizing the catering industry's susceptibility to price fluctuations, often driven by external factors, [Sender.Company] is firmly committed to offering competitive pricing that appeals to a broad clientele and reduces accessibility barriers. Additionally, a robust cost management strategy will be implemented to maximize profitability.
(Payment Option 1)
(Payment Option 2)
(Payment Option 3)
(Payment Option 4)
By offering these versatile payment alternatives, [Sender.Company] aims to ensure that its valued clients have a range of choices to align with their financial needs and preferences, ultimately enhancing their overall satisfaction. These options can be adjusted to remain responsive to market dynamics and evolving customer demands.
Date | Milestone |
---|---|
(MM/DD/YY) | (Milestone 1) |
(MM/DD/YY) | (Milestone 2) |
(MM/DD/YY) | (Milestone 3) |
These milestones underscore [Sender.Company] 's unwavering commitment to making consistent and measurable strides in its pursuit of success within the (Industry Name).
Source and use of funds.
[Sender.Company] will be receiving (Amount) from (Source of Fund) to launch its catering business. The funds will be used for capital expenditures, labor costs, and acquiring supplies and equipment. The following table shows the proposed startup costs:
Name | Price | QTY | Subtotal |
---|---|---|---|
Item 1 Description of first item | $35.00 | 5 | $175.00 |
Item 2 Description of second item | $55.00 | $55.00 | |
Item 3 Description of third item | $200.00 | $200.00 |
Subtotal | $230.00 |
Discount | -$115.00 |
Tax | $23.00 |
Total | $138.00 |
These are [Sender.Company] 's pro forma financial statements for the next five (5) years. It contains the business's income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
[Recipient.FirstName] [Recipient.LastName]
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Written by Dave Lavinsky
Catering Business Plan Outline
Start Your Catering Plan Here
You’ve come to the right place to create your catering business plan.
We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start a new catering business or grow their catering company.
Below are links to each section of a catering business plan template example:
Next Section: Executive Summary >
What is a catering business plan.
A catering business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your catering business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.
You can easily complete your catering business plan using our Catering Business Plan Template here .
Catering services are available for a variety of different occasions including parties, weddings and corporate events.
The primary source of revenue for catering companies is individual, private events and corporate events.
The key expenses for catering companies are rent, wages and salaries, equipment and food costs.
Catering companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.
Starting a catering business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.
1. Develop A Catering Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed business plan for a catering business that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, market resarch on the catering industry, the services or products you will offer, business operations details, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast. You can quickly complete your catering business plan using our Catering Business Plan Template here .
2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your catering business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your catering business is in compliance with local laws.
3. Register Your Catering Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your catering business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.
4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your catering business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.
5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.
6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.
7. Acquire Necessary Catering Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your catering business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.
8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your catering business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.
Learn more about how to start a successful catering business and catering business planning:
You can download our free catering business plan template PDF here . This is a sample catering business plan template you can use in PDF format.
Photography Business Plan Template Event Venue Business Plan Template
One of the most important elements of starting a new catering business is to have a plan that lays out your plans, objectives, and activities that will be needed to get your business off the ground. Even if it is on the back of a napkin , a plan that outlines how you will get started and answers many questions for you and your investors is better than nothing at all. A catering business plan can save a great deal of wasted time and money. Using a catering business plan template guides the new business owner through the areas they need to address as they launch their new endeavor . Nothing is missed, and the template saves even more time for the busy entrepreneur.
This blog reviews what a catering business plan template is, what the important elements are that should be in every business plan and address several frequently asked questions many readers have.
A catering business plan provides an overview of a catering business that is already in operation or one that you plan to initiate. The plan looks to the future regarding expansion plans, goals and strategies, and operation plans. These goals and strategies are turned into actions that the business owner will need to execute to meet their objectives. For example, growing the business by 20% could mean adding ten employees, finding a larger building, obtaining financing to purchase more equipment, and developing a marketing plan to expand markets into other regions.
Using a catering business plan template saves you time and forces the business owner to think about and answer many detailed questions about their business plans, goals, and objectives. Using a template also means that you have a professional-looking document that will impress financiers you may need to secure funding for your expansion plans. Lenders look for specific details to be included in the business plan. Without this information, the likely hood of receiving approval for funding is low.
While using a catering business plan template saves time, developing a business plan takes a great deal of time and effort to gather all of the information and apply it to the business you want to create. Many people just want to get started with the business, which can lead to costly mistakes to be made and jeopardize the business’s success. A catering business plan properly developed using a template will save the business owner from making expensive mistakes and improve the opportunities for the business to be successful.
Creating a catering business plan in Word allows for easy formatting and editing. Loading your template in word gives you a quick base for adding the details of your business plan. Word lets you make quick changes, and save them easily. It is compatible with most text formats, and is a good choice for professional documents.
A food catering business plan should include all your start-up costs, and your plan for operating at a profit. Getting a business loan will require submitting a quality business plan. A template will show you everything to include. A clear, readable format will ensure that your business gives a professional impression.
Catering from home still requires a business plan to ensure you will operate properly. Using your homes resources for a business takes proper financial planning. Your appliances will wear out faster, and utilities will be higher. Including how to factor that into your costs and taxes will make running your business much easier.
The following are the essential elements of a catering business plan template. We will expand on each of these to provide more details.
The following are some of the frequently asked questions many of our readers have about catering business plan templates.
Business plans are extremely useful for several reasons: ᐅ Support applications for support from lenders ᐅ Planning operations, resource needs, and managing cash flow ᐅ Assessing the company’s profit margin ᐅ Setting objectives and milestones ᐅ Planning the growth of the company ᐅ Annual updates help keep your company on track
One of the reasons a catering business plan is useful to both operators and lenders is the prediction of the profit margin. The profit margin is the revenue minus expenses. Accountants can assist with the development of the predicted profit margin taking into account your predictions for sales, operating expenses, and depreciation on capital equipment. Lenders expect a positive profit margin in the first year of approximately seven to ten percent.
The food cost formula is the ratio of the cost of food ingredients vs. the revenue generated by these ingredients. Food costs must consider many factors, including the cost of the ingredients, storage, waste, inventory costs, and support costs such as napkins and garnishes. Food costs are sometimes focused on the cost of the ingredients only to determine the basic cost of a serving. Overhead costs such as storage, waste, employee, and building costs are added to this number to determine profit per meal.
A strategic plan for catering front ends the catering business plan. The strategic business plan for catering helps establish and answer questions about: ᐅ The size of the business at launch and the ability to grow ᐅ The type of catering – weddings, corporate, etc. ᐅ The location of operations and the area served ᐅ How the business will be managed? Strategic planning may include: ᐅ Market competition analysis, ᐅ Feasibility analysis ᐅ Operations analysis
The importance of a catering business plan cannot be understated. There are many advantages for the owner to develop a business plan and use it to guide his business development and growth. Is the business viable with the current plans, or do you need to make changes to elements of the business to give it a better chance of success? Will lenders loan you funds to help get the business started? When should the business expand? Which markets and what is the competitive environment in the area the business will operate in? These questions and more should be addressed in the catering business plan to help make the business successful. Using a catering business plan template saves time and guides new business owners through the topics they need to focus on as they launch their new catering business. Nothing is missed, and the template saves even more time for the busy entrepreneur. There is an advantage to reviewing the business plan at least once a year or sometimes more often to determine if changes need to be made, verify assumptions, and incorporate new facts learned during the year. These mid-course corrections can help ensure that your business reacts to a dynamic market environment. Update the catering business plan at a minimum annually and review the plan with key management personnel. Lenders may demand to see an updated plan. They want to have confidence that their money is being used wisely and that they will see a return on the investment they have made in your business. An updated catering business plan may be a condition of continuing support from lenders. Use the catering business plan as a tool to help your business adjust to changing markets, supply conditions, staffing, and competition. With a business plan, making adjustments to sales projections can tell you quickly what the impact will be on the bottom line. Similarly, with adjustments to the price of goods, staffing, salaries, rent, etc.
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Whether you want to start your own catering business or expand an existing one, you need a business plan. the following catering business plan template lets you know which elements you need to include in a successful catering business plan., fill the form to download business plan templates.
To ensure your catering business success in this highly competitive market, you need a properly structured catering business plan. With over 12 years of experience, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs create business plans to start and grow their catering businesses. Using the following catering business plan template, you can put together an effective business plan.
The caterer’s industry is composed of companies that specialize in providing catering services for events. The companies usually have equipment and vehicles for preparing food off-site and transporting it to events.
There are many types of events catered by industry establishments, including graduation parties, wedding receptions, business luncheons, and trade shows.
Due to low entry barriers, this industry is highly competitive based on price and product offerings.
The Caterers industry revenue is expected to recover over the 3-year period up to 2024 as platforms that connect clients with caterers gain popularity and an improving economic climate contributes to the recovery. Overall, catering industry revenues will grow at an annualized rate of 1.7% to $15.5 billion by 2024.
The main products and services offered in this industry are
Despite the challenges of the catering industry, We have identified 6 factors that can help you boost profitability, efficiency, and ultimately success.
A reasonable pricing policy is essential: The cost of food, drinks, and any other services provided must match the type of event being catered.
Accessing niche markets: Specialization or expertise in catering can give operators an edge.
Diversified location capability: Operators should be able to host events at different locations.
Multi-skilled and flexible staff: Having the ability to hire a qualified workforce is essential to ensuring quality employees.
Compliance with government regulations: Industry operators are required to comply with all government regulations, including health regulations.
The ability to control stock: Food waste must be minimized in order to reduce costs.
Preparing quality food in large quantities necessitates extensive knowledge, expertise, experience, staff management, precision, and culinary talent that few possess.
A catering business plan is a road-map for starting and growing your catering business. Your business plan outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing strategy, and details your financial projections.
Any bank or investor you approach will require a catering business plan, so putting one together will be critical to securing funding.
In short, writing a business plan can help you succeed if you’re thinking of starting a catering business or pitching to investors or venture capitalists.
Do you need help creating a business plan? Check out these six free, proven business plan examples from different industries to help you write your own.
Catering business plans can be used to gain interest from potential investors or to secure loans from banks. They are also helpful to you as the owner. A catering business plan allows you to thoroughly analyze every aspect of your potential business.
A solid, detailed plan gives you a clear path to follow, forces you to examine the viability of a catering business idea, and may help you better understand your company’s finances and competition.
Catering business owners who have a business plan grow 33% faster than those who don’t, and 76% of fast-growing businesses have one.
A catering business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.
No matter how large or how small your catering business is, you should think about your financing options. Below are four types of funding you should investigate:
Government Incentives
When choosing a business location , you can consider different community incentives before making your final choice. Government incentives can help reduce operating costs and long-term overheads.
You can begin your catering business with the help of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). You can find government resources about financing your catering business by using the website’s Loans and Grants Search Tool.
Many banks offer small business loans. See if a business loan is right for you by contacting your bank. Banks also offer business lines of credit and other resources to help you find the right option.
Equipment Financing
Worried less about payroll and more about having the right tools for the job? This is where equipment financing can come in handy. Catering business owners use equipment financing to finance purchases such as industrial ovens and serving trays, among other things.
Consider finding an investor or group of investors to finance your catering company. Be sure to do your research and have the numbers and information to back up your business before you contact an investor. You will need to show progress to investors, and they will do research and investigation concerning your catering business plan. In return, investors often desire ownership of a part of your company.
Build your business credit quickly with an easy approval net 30 account from Wise Business Plans . Or check out the top 10 net 30 vendors to find the best one for you to help build your business credit .
To write a catering business plan, you don’t need to be an expert. Our step-by-step guide will show you how to write a catering business plan, or you can just download our proven sample business plan pdf to get a better idea.
Download our catering business plan in PDF and Word here.
The executive summary is the most important part of the document since it outlines the whole business plan. Despite the fact that it appears first in the plan, write the executive summary last so you may condense key concepts from the other nine parts.
It’s a part that catches the investor’s eye and provides key information about your company’s overview and upcoming short- and long-term goals.
Tell them what kind of catering business you have and what stage you’re in; for example, are you a startup, do you have a catering company that you want to expand, or do you have a lot of catering businesses?
Finally, an executive summary should provide investors with a preview of what they may expect from the rest of your document.
Check out these executive summary examples to help you write a perfect one for your catering business plan.
An executive summary is the most important part of your business plan, and it need not be challenging to write. This is why we have put together some awesome free Executive Summary examples for you.
The company analysis follows the executive summary as the second section of a catering business plan. Your company overview will be short and clear, similar to the executive summary.
Even if they just have a few minutes, your reader has to understand what your company does and who your customers are.
The following sections will be included in your business plan’s Company Analysis:
You need to include an overview of the catering business in the industry analysis you performed before sitting down to write your catering business plan.
While this research may appear to be unnecessary, it helps you to build strategies that maximize business opportunities while lowering or avoiding the identified risk.
Furthermore, market research can improve your strategy, especially if it identifies market trends. As an example, if there is a trend toward low calorie catering options, make sure your plan includes plenty of healthy, low calorie options.
The third purpose for conducting market research is to demonstrate to readers that you are an industry expert.
Industry analysis can be presented as a 8-step process when written as part of a company’s business plan.
The customer analysis section is an important part of any catering business plan since it evaluates the consumer segments that your company serves. It identifies target customers, determines what those customers want, and then explains how your catering services will meet those requirements.
Customers can be categorized into the following segments :
Business to Business Catering , Social Events , Personal collaborations and Small events like personal gatherings , Cultural Organisations , Consumer Catering(birthday parties, weddings) , etc.
Customer analysis may be divided into two parts: Psycho-social profiles (why your catering services suits a customer’s lifestyle) and Demographic profiles (descriptions of a customer’s demographic qualities).
With regards to demographics, include information about: the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of your customers. When targeting businesses, describe what kind of business, size, and location your target customers are.
The psychological profiles of your target clients reveal their wants and needs. The better you understand and identify these demands, the better your chances of attracting and retaining customers will be.
It is necessary to do a competitor analysis. Because you may use their data to define your goals, marketing plans, tactics, new product lines, pricing, and more. Use competitor analysis to:
The first step is to determine who your direct and indirect competitors are.
The direct competitors consists of other catering businesses that offer essentially the same catering services to the same people as you do.
Your indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors.
Among indirect competitors are Hotels, Restaurants, delis, supermarkets, and customers preparing food for events at home are all included.
Once you’ve identified the competition, concentrate on the direct, head-to-head competitors, since they are the most threatening to your catering business— but keep an eye on the indirect competition as well, just in case.
Provide an overview of each direct competitor’s business and detail their strengths and weaknesses.
You will be able to position yourself competitively in the market if you perform proper competition research. Perform a SWOT Analysis to learn your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and competitive advantages in the following areas:
The final section of your competitive analysis should include a list of your areas of competitive advantage. for example: Are you going to offer premium catering services? Will you make purchasing your services easier or faster for customers? Will you offer better pricing or will you offer greater customer support?
Consider how you will outperform your competitors and include them in this portion of your catering business plan.
Take advantage of our free SWOT analysis examples. Make your business future-proof by identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using this free SWOT Analysis Template.
Creating a marketing plan for a catering business involves identifying the target demographic and finding catering service that suit their preferences.
As part of your marketing plan for a catering business, you should include:
Pricing and Product Strategy
Your catering business must offer the unique lovable catering services that are different from those of your competitors.
Research what your competitors offer and how they price their catering services. Unique catering services identifies your catering business as the place to go for unique catering services and differentiates it from others.
Placing and Promotions
Place explains all your distribution methods, such as retail stores, company websites, and third-party retailers.
Promoting your catering business is the final part of your marketing plan. In this step, you will document how you will drive customers to purchase your catering services. A few marketing methods you could consider are:
You should also think about your catering company’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP), which should explain why clients should choose you over other catering businesses. Ensure that your USP is reflected in your marketing.
Recommended Article: Learn how to create a marketing plan in a business plan to create a winning catering business plan.
While the previous sections described your goals, your operational plan in business plan discusses how you will achieve them.
An operations plan is helpful for investors, but it’s also helpful for you and employees because it pushes you to think about tactics and deadlines.
Your operational plan should be able to answer the following questions:
Your operations plan should be divided into two individual parts, as seen below.
Your daily short-term processes include all the tasks of meeting prospective clients, drawing up contracts, providing catering services (set-up, serving, clean-up, etc.), increase daily net restaurant sales, improve your top-selling services, and procuring supplies, etc.
Long-term goals are milestones you hope to reach. they might be growing your business, such as introducing new items or services, meeting particular sales milestones, and meeting other essential business-oriented goals like recruiting more staff, opening additional locations, and so on.
It will be helpful to hire someone to write a business plan . Our Award-winning business plan writers will help you achieve your business goals.
The management team section in a business plan outlines your management team, staff, resources, and how your business ownership is structured.
This part may be easily organized by dividing it into the following points:
Ownership Structure
Internal Management Team
External Management Resources
Human Resources
This section outlines your catering business’s legal structure. If your company is a sole proprietorship , it may simply be one phrase. It might be longer if your company is a partnership or a corporation . You should make it a point to clarify who owns what part of the business.
This section should not only outline who is on your management team but also how each person’s skill set and experiences will contribute to the growth of your catering business. Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct expertise in the catering business. If this is the case, highlight your experience and skills.
Think of these external management resources as your internal management team’s backup. Consider forming an advisory board if your team is lacking expertise and experience with catering business.
An advisory board would consist of 3 to 7 people who would serve as mentors to your catering company. They would assist in answering queries and providing strategic direction.
If necessary, search for advisory board members with expertise running catering business.
Describe all of your company’s external professional advisers, such as accountants, bankers, attorneys, IT experts, business consultants, and/or business coaches.
The final topic to consider in the management area of your catering business plan is your human resource needs.
As part of your financial plan, you should present a 5-year financial statement broken down monthly or quarterly for the first year, and then annually. Financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
Pro Tips: Learn how to create a financial plan in a business plan to create a winning catering business plan
Income Statement
A profit and loss statement is more commonly called an income statement . It shows your revenue and subtracts your expenses to determine whether you were profitable or not.
As you develop your income statement, you need to develop assumptions. Will you serve 50 customers per day or 200? Will sales grow by 2% or 8% per year? Your choice of assumptions will greatly impact your business’s financial forecasts. Conduct as much research as possible in order to ground your assumptions in reality.
Create a financial statement for your business by downloading our free income statement templates.
Balance Sheet
While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities.
The balance sheet shows your catering business’s net value at a specific point in time. It categorizes all of your company’s financial data into three categories:
The equation that expresses the relationship between these financial data elements is Assets = Liabilities + Equity.
Create a pro forma balance sheet for your catering business plan that highlights the information in the income statement and cash flow projections. A balance sheet is normally prepared once a year by a company.
Balance sheets indicate your assets and liabilities, and while they contain a lot of information, they are simplified to highlight the most important things you need to know.
For example, spending $500,000 to build out your catering will not result in instant revenues. Rather, it is an asset that should help you earn money for many years to come.
Similarly, if a bank sends you a check for $200,000, you do not have to pay it back right now. Rather, that is a liability that you will repay over time.
Cash Flow Statement:
Your cash flow statement will help you determine how much money you need to start or grow your catering business. In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a catering business:
Create a financial statement for your business by downloading our free balance sheet templates.
List any additional material you cannot include elsewhere, such as resumes from key employees, licenses, equipment leases, permits, patents, receipts, bank statements, contracts, and personal and business credit histories.
Attach your full financial projections along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling in the appendix.
Bonus Tip: Learn what to include in a business plan appendix when writing a catering business plan.
A catering business plan is a worthwhile investment. As long as you follow the template above, you will become an expert in no time. By following the template, you will understand the catering business, your competition, and your customers. The plan will help you understand the steps necessary to launch and grow your catering business.
Wouldn’t it be nice if your business plan could be completed faster and easier?
With Wise Business Plan Template , you can finish your catering business plan in just 6 hours or less with a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee!
You can also download our 300+ free business plan templates covering a wide range of industries.
OR, we can create your catering business plan for you
Since 2010, Wise business plans ‘ MBA professional business plan writers has developed business plans for thousands of companies that have experienced tremendous success.
We will show you some real-world business plan examples so you may know how to write your own, especially if you are seeking a bank loan or an outside investment and need to use SBA-approved formatting.
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Elizabeth started her career at a small local restaurant close to her home. She had big dreams of owning a large catering business.
Three years later, she learned the ropes, worked hard enough to save money and was ready to launch Chefdini Catering.
Hers is a tale of overcoming all odds.
Within five years, Elizabeth expanded her operations. She employed some staff and was raking in around $5 million in revenue annually.
In an era where 20% of new businesses fail within the first two years, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, how did Elizabeth pull this off?
Well, it may have taken five years, but one thing that helped her navigate her journey smoothly was:
…a Catering Business Plan.
And she’s not alone. About 70% of new businesses that manage to survive for five years follow a strategic business plan in the US.
So while several factors contribute to businesses failing within the first couple of years, there’s no doubt lack of a business plan is a major reason.
And this isn’t far-fetched.
Imagine building a house without floor plans. How long do you think it’s going to stand? Not long enough.
That’s precisely what happens when you operate your drop-off catering business without a solid plan. And this has nothing to do with how passionate you are.
Think of a business plan as a roadmap or a guide that outlines your goals and details how you intend to achieve them. It’s central to how you start and grow your business. Also, it turns your visions into a concrete action plan for success.
Having a plan is essential for drop-off caterers hoping to thrive in the current, highly competitive catering industry.
As you read this, over 12,000 establishments are vying for the same customer as you. So running a catering business without a solid plan will only give an opening for your competitors to be many steps ahead of you.
Take Abbey Duke, CEO of SugarSnap Catering, for instance.
From the get-go, part of her strategy was to always stay competitive by serving her customers how they prefer.
So when the pandemic hit and online ordering became the norm, she quickly leaned on HoneyCart’s order automation software to give customers the convenience they desired. And at the same time, to ensure she wasn’t losing sales to her competitors.
In her words:
“But I knew if we didn’t offer online ordering, we’d be losing sales to companies like Panera that make it easy to order. Busy customers expect convenience and will often choose it over quality.”
Making this kind of game-changing decision at a moment’s notice is one of the perks of having a solid business plan.
Now, you may be wondering:
“How do I create an effective catering business plan?” One that gives you an edge over your competitors and sets you on the path to success like Elizabeth.
Well, I got you covered.
We’ve developed a free catering business plan template you can customize to your specific needs. I know, creating a business plan, even with a free template, is still a daunting task for drop-off caterers.
Don’t worry.
As we progress through this article, I’ll guide you on how to create one step-by-step.
Download the free template to follow along with me:
Before we dive in, let’s take a look at some reasons why you must have a catering business plan.
1. it shows you mean business.
Today, technology has made it easy for anyone to start a catering business. Even amateurs can create an Instagram account, post some mouthwatering dishes and wait for orders to flood in.
But is this strategy going to cut it in the long run?
Absolutely not!
If you intend to scale your business, then it starts with a foolproof business plan. One that gives you insight into where your business is headed in the next five to ten years.
Having a business plan also emphasizes the commitment of you and everyone involved. It guides you in making smart decisions that will help scale your operations.
However, a catering business plan isn’t set in stone. This means you can change the plan as you progress. But the overall goals remain the same.
Take Elizabeth, the fictional character I used at the start of this article.
One reason she could expand her business within five years is that she secured investment and raised funds.
And what’s one crucial thing potential investors will ask before giving you funds?
Yep, that’s right – a well-detailed business plan.
Imagine she didn’t have one. She wouldn’t have been able to raise the funds needed to expand her operations.
Here’s why:
Investors like to see your plans for scaling the business, its financial projections, industry analysis, level of risk involved, and so on.
Not having a business plan shows you are not intentional about scaling. And this significantly reduces the chances of securing funds needed to expand.
To drive home my point, Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software , did a survey asking his customers questions about their businesses, goals, and business planning.
The result?
From the above report, you’ll see that those who had business plans were almost twice more likely to grow their businesses by securing capital than those who didn’t write a plan.
This emphasizes the importance of having a business plan.
A business plan isn’t complete without researching and analyzing your competitors.
Because it helps you understand what they are doing, their offerings, pricing, and how you can improve on them.
Michele Levy , an independent brand strategy consultant agrees:
“Keeping track of who your competitors are, what people are saying about them, and what they are saying themselves can help you differentiate your business and stay ahead of trends that could impact your business.”
Furthermore, it’s a way to:
As a result, you can create a strategic plan that will improve your business.
Another benefit of creating a catering business plan is discovering new opportunities to boost your business in ways you never imagined.
Through research and competitive analysis, you may realize there are one or more niches that are underserved in your area.
So, instead of doing what every other drop-off caterer does, you can carve out a niche for yourself by doing something different.
For example, during the global pandemic that crippled catering activities, Chef Jolie of Low Country Quisine needed another source of revenue.
So she went back to the drawing board.
The result? She launched a Gourmet Takeaway Service.
By making it a habit to spot opportunities in market trends, she realized the need for an online ordering platform.
According to her:
“We needed to find new ways to generate revenue during the pandemic. We launched our Gourmet Takeaway Service and needed an online platform for customers to order.”
And if she didn’t do this, here’s what would have happened:
“We would not have been able to reach as many customers without the ability to accept orders and payments online.”
One of the goals of running a business is to hit milestones and achieve major goals.
And the only way to measure your success is to compare results with the actual plan. This way, you can see whether you’ve achieved your operational and financial goals within a specific timeframe.
For example, you set a goal of getting at least 150 customers within six months, expanding to at least four locations within 12 months, or like Elizabeth, hit $5 million annually.
By documenting these goals, not only does it make you committed to achieving them, but it also ensures you have something to measure your success against.
And it will give you a sense of fulfillment when you finally accomplish your goals. Without a doubt, a well-documented business plan fast-tracks achieving your goals.
Now that you know the importance of a catering business plan, let’s look at the essential elements of an ideal business plan.
Creating a catering business plan may sound like a daunting task. But in reality, it isn’t. It’s not much different from the usual business plan.
However, it focuses on elements specific to the food and catering industry.
So what are these elements?
Let’s take a brief look at what each of these elements should contain.
Want to create yours as you go through this guide?
Don’t forget to download (and make a copy) of the template here .
How do you ensure anyone reading your business plan doesn’t disclose the content to other people?
That’s where a confidentiality agreement comes in.
It’s an agreement between you and anyone reading your business plan not to reveal the content to any other person without your permission.
And to be on the safe side, you should have a proper legal counsel review any agreement you use in your business.
So if they do reveal the content, you will have the right protections in place.
Here’s an example of a confidentiality agreement:
The undersigned reader of [Company’s Name] Business Plan acknowledges that the information provided is completely confidential. Therefore, the reader agrees not to disclose anything found in the business plan without the express written consent of [Business Owner’s Name].
It is also acknowledged by the reader that the information to be furnished in this business plan is in all aspects confidential in nature, other than information that is in the public domain through other means, and that any disclosure or use of the same by the reader may cause serious harm and or damage to [Company Name].
Upon request, this business plan document will be immediately returned to [Business Owner’s Name].
This is a business plan. It does not imply an offer of any securities.
Applicable Law
This contract shall be governed by the laws of the County of ________ in the State of _______ and any applicable Federal law.
________________________________
Printed Name
They say you only get one chance at a first impression. An executive summary is an opportunity to show anyone reading it what your catering business is about.
Chances are, if it lacks specific information or doesn’t capture the reader’s attention, they may not read further.
The executive summary should include a brief introduction to your catering business, your services, and who you cater to.
Here’s an example of an executive summary of Elizabeth’s fictional catering business.
Chefdini is a small catering business located in Georgia. It was founded by Elizabeth White six years ago. We specialize in Asian cuisine but also cater to Mexican and Italian dishes. Chefdini operates off-premise and on-premise catering with a focus on events, retreats, and social gatherings.
At a glance, this brief introduction shows what Chefdini is about, the kind of cuisines they specialize in, and who their audience is. Anyone who reads it can immediately get an idea of what to expect.
The business focus details how you’ll run your business, so anyone reading it will have a clear understanding of plans, goals, and priorities.
Information to include in your business focus are:
Dan Zarrella , an analytical marketing leader and author of four books on marketing once said:
“Marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed.”
And how do you get this data? Through Market Research.
Market research is the process of gathering information to understand your target market better. As such, it’s a fundamental part of a business plan.
Under market research, you’ll find:
Your clients are the set of people who need your catering services and are most likely to pay for them.
To have any chance of making sales, you need to understand your ideal customers, their pain points, challenges, and how you can take them from point A to their desired point B.
So, any information related to the ideal clients like age, location, gender, income, interests, pain points, or goals would add value here.
The goal is to ensure you are not targeting the wrong audience, which would result in wasted efforts.
But when you narrow down your target audience, you will be better placed to tailor your offerings to fulfill their needs.
As I mentioned earlier, competition in the catering industry gets tougher each day, with more caterers and restaurants springing up. But this doesn’t mean there isn’t enough space in the sky for birds to fly.
However, it’s important to know how to stand out.
And one way to do this is to research your competitors to learn more about their strengths and weaknesses. This way, you’ll discover things that will give you an edge over them.
In addition, well-detailed research about the competition will help you make a realistic assessment of your chances of success in the industry.
Some of the things to add under competitor profiling are:
The word SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
A SWOT analysis is used to evaluate your business’s chances of success and develop a strategic plan. Here you analyze internal and external factors that may help scale your business or throw a wrench in your growth.
A comprehensive catering marketing strategy will be crucial to your success. After all, people will only patronize you if they know your business exists.
How do you plan to market your business? Where are you going to get catering clients from? Which channels do you plan to reach them? What’s your marketing budget?
All these are questions that need answers. So you must include your plans for marketing in your catering business plan. A solid marketing plan should contain:
Don’t forget we have sections in our free template to fill all essential marketing points listed above. Download it here if you haven’t.
Without a doubt, you need money to finance your catering business. But if you don’t have adequate financing, your business will struggle.
Because you’ll need to pay for space, pay your staff, pay for equipment and so on. All these require a sufficient amount of funds.
And if you plan to take online orders, investing in online ordering software is a no-brainer. This will help you:
So if you want to finance your catering business yourself, a financial plan helps you understand how much funds you need, where to cut expenses and what you need to do to become financially sustainable.
And if you plan to source funds through investors, it will provide them with enough information to determine whether they’ll get their return on investment.
Some of the things you need to include in your financial plan are:
Want to know what to fill in these sections? We’ve got you covered. Simply download and make a copy of our free template to fill all essential financial plans listed above.
This is where you add additional information that is referenced in the business plan.
It can include things like:
As you’ve seen, creating a business plan is not as difficult as it sounds.
It doesn’t matter whether you’ve started your business or you are just about to start. A catering business plan is crucial to the success of your business.
It helps you understand your business, your customers, and your competitors. Also, it gives you more insight into the catering industry, market trends, threats, and opportunities.
Another advantage of a business plan is the opportunity to set a budget aside for investing in important things that will contribute to your company’s growth.
For example, investing in commission-free catering software like HoneyCart helps you manage your catering operations without hiring more staff.
This levels the playing field for small business caterers, helps you save cost, and generate more revenue. Just as Abbey Duke, founder of SugarSnap Catering, realized when she switched to HoneyCart.
It automates mundane tasks to allow us to use our time as efficiently as possible. HoneyCart truly enables small caterers to compete with larger companies by having a really professional and easy-to-use online ordering system.
Want to see how it works?
Start your 14-day free trial right away.
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If you want to start a Catering business or expand your current Catering business, you need a business plan.
You can download the Catering business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.
The following catering business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning plan for your own catering company. In addition to this template, conducting market research for your local customer base will help you identify potential market trends and customer segments to better understand the viability of your catering business.
Below are links to each of the key sections of a sample business plan for a successful catering business.
I. Executive Summary – The Executive Summary provides an overview of your business opportunity and summarizes the business plan.
II. Company Overview – The company analysis includes information about your business concept, catering services and legal structure.
III. Industry Analysis – The industry analysis includes market research that supports your business and provides insights into market trends and the catering industry.
IV. Customer Analysis – The customer analysis provides an overview of your target market.
V. Competitive Analysis – The competitive analysis should identify your direct and indirect competitors and highlight your competitive advantage.
VI. Marketing Plan – The marketing plan includes your marketing strategy, pricing strategy and search engine optimization plan.
VII. Operations Plan – The Operations Plan includes information on your company’s day to day operations and processes.
VIII. Management Team – The management team section includes a profile of the business owner and business management, their experience and company responsibilities.
IX. Financial Plan – The financial plan includes financial projections, a cash flow statement, profit and loss statement and balance sheet.
Download the Catering business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.
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Writing a business plan is a crucial step in starting a catering business. Not only does it provide structure and guidance for the future, but it also helps to create funding opportunities and attract potential investors. For aspiring catering business owners, having access to a sample catering business plan can be especially helpful in providing direction and gaining insight into how to draft their own catering business plan.
Download our Ultimate Catering Business Plan Template
Having a thorough business plan in place is critical for any successful catering venture. It will serve as the foundation for your operations, setting out the goals and objectives that will help guide your decisions and actions. A well-written business plan can give you clarity on realistic financial projections and help you secure financing from lenders or investors. A catering business plan example can be a great resource to draw upon when creating your own plan, making sure that all the key components are included in your document.
The catering business plan sample below will give you an idea of what one should look like. It is not as comprehensive and successful in raising capital for your catering as Growthink’s Ultimate Catering Business Plan Template , but it can help you write a catering business plan of your own.
Table of contents, executive summary, company overview, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.
At SavorFest Caterers, located in the vibrant city of Austin, TX, we are passionately committed to delivering unparalleled catering services that truly distinguish us in a competitive marketplace. Our philosophy revolves around the belief that the essence of a memorable event is not just the quality of food but also the caliber of service provided. To this end, our team is rigorously trained to execute seamless events, complemented by our meticulously prepared dishes that utilize only the finest ingredients. This dedication to excellence ensures a culinary experience that exceeds the expectations of the most discerning guests. Furthermore, our continuous innovation in offering tailored catering solutions allows us to meet the varied needs of our clients, making every event uniquely unforgettable.
Our success hinges on our unwavering commitment to quality and innovation, which has been instrumental in distinguishing SavorFest Caterers within the bustling Austin catering scene. We’ve achieved this through our dedication to sourcing the finest ingredients, our flexibility in customizing our services to meet the diverse needs of our clientele, and our relentless pursuit of excellence in both food and service. These factors, combined with our ability to adapt to any event theme or dietary requirement, position us as the go-to caterers for those seeking an incomparable dining experience.
The catering industry, while competitive, presents substantial opportunities for businesses that can distinguish themselves through exceptional service and culinary innovation. This is particularly true in markets like Austin, TX, where the demand for high-quality catering services is driven by a vibrant cultural scene and a growing economy. Success in this industry demands not just culinary excellence but also the ability to adapt to evolving consumer preferences and dietary needs. Companies that can leverage local ingredients and offer personalized experiences stand a better chance of capturing and retaining a loyal customer base.
Our target customers are diverse, ranging from individuals and families celebrating special occasions to businesses and organizations hosting corporate events. These clients are united by a common desire for high-quality, memorable catering experiences that are tailored to their specific needs. They value creativity, flexibility, and attention to detail, and they are willing to invest in premium services that meet these criteria. Catering to such a varied clientele requires a deep understanding of different dietary preferences and event formats, something we excel in at SavorFest Caterers.
Top Competitors: Gourmet Delights, EliteEats Catering, and Feast & Festivities
Gourmet Delights is known for its traditional gourmet offerings, while EliteEats Catering focuses on corporate events with a modern twist. Feast & Festivities targets weddings and large social gatherings with their extensive buffet options. Our competitive advantage lies in our personalized approach, our commitment to quality and innovation, and our versatility in catering to any event theme or dietary requirement, setting us apart as the preferred choice for a wide range of clients.
Our marketing plan is centered around showcasing our diverse range of products, services, and competitive pricing. We offer a wide selection of menu options that cater to various dietary needs and event types, from intimate gatherings to large-scale corporate events. Our pricing strategy is designed to offer value to our clients, ensuring they receive the highest quality service and culinary excellence at competitive prices. To promote our services, we leverage a multi-channel approach that includes social media marketing, targeted email campaigns, and strategic partnerships with event planners and venues. Our promotions plan is focused on building brand awareness and driving engagement through special offers, tastings, and participation in local events, which allows us to connect directly with potential customers and showcase our culinary expertise.
Our operations are the backbone of our success, encompassing menu planning, ingredient sourcing, inventory management, and more. We prioritize sourcing high-quality, fresh ingredients locally, supporting the community and ensuring the best taste. Our inventory is meticulously managed to prevent shortages and reduce waste. The order process is streamlined for customer convenience, and our food preparation adheres to strict quality control standards. Compliance with health and safety regulations is paramount, ensuring a safe environment for both staff and customers. We also focus on exceptional customer service and communication, essential for customer satisfaction and retention. Logistics for event catering are carefully coordinated, ensuring timely setup, service, and cleanup. Our marketing efforts and customer relationship management are ongoing, aimed at attracting new customers and fostering loyalty among existing ones. Financial management is handled with diligence, monitoring daily revenues and expenses to maintain healthy cash flow and inform strategic decisions.
Our management team comprises experienced professionals with a passion for catering and event management. Each member brings a unique set of skills and expertise to the table, from culinary arts to business administration and customer service. This diversity in our leadership ensures a comprehensive approach to managing all aspects of the business, from menu development and event planning to marketing and financial management. Together, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and innovation, driving SavorFest Caterers towards continued success and growth.
Welcome to SavorFest Caterers, a fresh and vibrant catering service now gracing the Austin, TX scene. As a local catering business, we pride ourselves on filling a much-needed gap in the market. Until now, the area has seen a lack of high-quality local catering services, a void we’re excited to fill with our unique blend of culinary expertise and passionate service.
At SavorFest Caterers, our offerings are designed with versatility and quality in mind. Our services span the entire spectrum of catering needs, from intimate events to grand celebrations. Clients can look forward to customizable menus that cater to a wide array of dietary preferences and event themes. Beyond exceptional food, our services extend to food delivery and setup, ensuring every event is executed flawlessly. We also provide comprehensive beverage services, complemented by our team of professional staff who are committed to making every occasion memorable.
Rooted in the heart of Austin, TX, SavorFest Caterers is poised to serve the local community and its diverse clientele. Our location not only allows us to be at the center of Austin’s vibrant event scene but also enables us to source fresh ingredients from local suppliers, supporting the community we are a part of.
Our confidence in our success is not unfounded. The founding team brings with it a wealth of experience from running a successful catering business previously. This, combined with our commitment to offering superior catering services and meticulously prepared food and beverages, sets us apart from our competition. Our dedication to excellence in every aspect of our service ensures that SavorFest Caterers stands out as the premier choice for catering in Austin.
Since our inception on January 6, 2024, as a Sole Proprietorship, we’ve hit the ground running. Our accomplishments to date include the creation of a distinctive logo that captures the essence of our brand, the development of our unique company name that resonates with our mission, and securing a prime location that serves as our operating base. These achievements mark the beginning of our journey to becoming a cornerstone of the Austin catering scene.
The Catering industry in the United States is a thriving and lucrative market. According to industry reports, the current size of the market is estimated to be around $60 billion. This indicates a strong demand for catering services and presents significant opportunities for growth and profitability.
Furthermore, the Catering industry is expected to experience steady growth in the coming years. Market research suggests that the industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 4% over the next five years. This growth can be attributed to various factors including increasing consumer spending, rising disposable incomes, and a growing preference for convenience and personalized dining experiences.
These trends in the Catering industry are particularly promising for SavorFest Caterers, a new catering business operating in Austin, TX. As consumers increasingly seek out unique and memorable dining experiences, SavorFest Caterers is well-positioned to capitalize on this demand. With its commitment to delivering exceptional service, innovative menus, and attention to detail, SavorFest Caterers has the potential to carve out a significant market share in the Austin catering scene and establish itself as a go-to choice for customers seeking high-quality catering services.
Below is a description of our target customers and their core needs.
SavorFest Caterers will target local residents eager to add an extraordinary touch to their private gatherings, from intimate family reunions to larger celebratory events. These customers are looking for high-quality, memorable culinary experiences that reflect the unique flavors and spirit of Austin, TX. SavorFest Caterers will tailor its offerings to meet the diverse tastes and dietary preferences of this vibrant community, ensuring every event is a reflection of its host’s distinct style and personality.
Aside from serving local residents, SavorFest Caterers will also cater to the business sector, including corporate events, conferences, and office parties. Austin’s dynamic business environment, characterized by a mix of startups, tech companies, and established firms, presents a lucrative opportunity for SavorFest Caterers. The company will offer customizable menus and flexible service options to accommodate the specific needs and schedules of business clients, aiming to become a trusted partner for companies seeking to enhance their corporate events.
Furthermore, SavorFest Caterers will target the thriving event industry in Austin, including weddings, festivals, and public gatherings. This segment demands exceptional catering services that can handle the scale and specific requirements of such events, from outdoor weddings to large-scale public festivals. SavorFest Caterers will leverage its expertise and creativity to provide standout culinary experiences that contribute to the success and memorability of these events, establishing itself as a go-to caterer for Austin’s event planners and organizers.
SavorFest Caterers emerges as a beacon of culinary excellence, poised to meet the sophisticated needs of Austin’s residents who desire professional catering services. These discerning clients expect not just meals but culinary experiences that tantalize the taste buds and elevate their events. SavorFest Caterers can fulfill this need by offering a diverse menu that incorporates both local flavors and international cuisines, ensuring a unique dining experience for every occasion.
Moreover, SavorFest Caterers understands the importance of seamless service in event planning. Clients can count on meticulous attention to detail, from the presentation of food to the professionalism of the staff. This reliability ensures that hosts can focus on their guests, confident in the knowledge that all catering aspects are expertly managed. SavorFest Caterers thus not only satisfies the appetite but also contributes to the overall success and ambiance of the event.
In addition to exceptional food and service, SavorFest Caterers recognizes the growing demand for sustainable and health-conscious catering options. By incorporating organic, locally-sourced ingredients and offering a range of dietary accommodations, SavorFest can cater to the diverse preferences and needs of Austin’s residents. This commitment to quality and sustainability further distinguishes SavorFest Caterers as a versatile and conscientious choice for any event, large or small.
WheelsJourney Rentals’s competitors include the following companies:
Alamo Rent A Car offers a range of services including economy cars, SUVs, and luxury vehicles for both leisure and business travelers. Their price points vary depending on vehicle type, rental duration, and location but are competitive within the industry. Alamo generates significant revenue from both domestic and international travelers, thanks to its presence in major airports across the United States and in several other countries. Alamo serves a wide customer segment including individual travelers, families, and business professionals. They operate in numerous geographies including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, and South America. A key strength of Alamo is their self-service kiosks that expedite the rental process for customers. However, a potential weakness is their reliance on airport locations, which may limit their reach to local renters who prefer more accessible city or neighborhood locations.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car offers a broad spectrum of vehicles including cars, trucks, and vans to cater to a variety of customer needs. Their pricing is flexible, with options for daily, weekly, and long-term rentals, often including deals and discounts for certain customer segments. Enterprise boasts substantial revenues, underpinned by a strong brand and extensive network of locations. Enterprise targets a diverse customer base from individual renters to large corporations requiring fleet services. The company has a vast geographical presence, operating not just in the United States but also in Europe, Canada, Asia, and beyond. One of Enterprise’s key strengths is its customer service, often recognized as industry-leading. However, its size and scope can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in service quality across different locations.
Rose Caterings might not have the same level of brand recognition as Alamo or Enterprise but offers competitive products and services in select markets. Their vehicle offerings include standard cars, luxury models, and specialty vehicles. Rose Caterings’ pricing strategy aims to attract budget-conscious consumers with competitive rates and transparent fees. Rose Caterings primarily serves customers in urban and suburban areas, focusing on convenience and personalized service. They operate in a limited geographical area but are looking to expand their presence. A strength of Rose Caterings is their focus on customer satisfaction and local market expertise. However, their limited geographical reach and smaller fleet size compared to larger competitors could be seen as weaknesses.
At SavorFest Caterers, we pride ourselves on offering superior catering services that stand out in the competitive Austin, TX market. Our dedication to excellence is evident in every dish we serve, setting us apart from our competitors. We understand that the key to a memorable event lies not only in the quality of food but also in the service provided. Therefore, we ensure that our team is trained to offer impeccable service, making every event a seamless experience. Our carefully prepared food and beverages reflect our commitment to quality, using only the finest ingredients to create culinary delights that satisfy even the most discerning palates.
Moreover, our competitive advantage extends beyond our exceptional food and service. We are constantly innovating, offering unique and personalized catering solutions to meet the diverse needs of our clients. Whether it’s a small family gathering or a large corporate event, we tailor our services to ensure that each occasion is unforgettable. Our flexibility and attention to detail mean that we can adapt to any theme or dietary requirement, making us the preferred choice for customers seeking a caterer that can truly cater to their specific needs. By choosing SavorFest Caterers, clients can expect not just a meal, but an extraordinary dining experience that will leave a lasting impression on their guests.
Our marketing plan, included below, details our products/services, pricing and promotions plan.
SavorFest Caterers emerges as a beacon of culinary excellence, offering a diverse range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of each event. At the heart of their offerings is Catering Services for Events, which stands as a testament to their commitment to delivering unforgettable dining experiences. Clients can expect to engage in a collaborative process, working closely with the SavorFest team to design a menu that perfectly aligns with the theme and expectations of their event. The average cost for these comprehensive catering services starts at $50 per person, ensuring a balance of quality and value.
Understanding the importance of personal touch and customization, SavorFest Caterers introduces Customizable Menus as one of its key services. This offering allows clients to tailor their event’s culinary journey, ensuring that every dish reflects their personal taste and dietary preferences. Whether it’s a wedding, corporate gathering, or intimate dinner party, the ability to customize menus adds a layer of exclusivity and personalization to every occasion. Prices for customizable menus are variable, starting at an additional $10 per person on top of the base catering service cost, depending on the complexity and ingredients required.
With an eye for convenience and efficiency, SavorFest Caterers also provides Food Delivery and Setup services. This offering is designed to ensure that every aspect of the event’s culinary needs is handled with care and professionalism, from the careful delivery of prepared dishes to the meticulous setup at the venue. Clients can expect this service to start at $200, varying with the size and location of the event, providing a hassle-free solution to event planning and execution.
Beverage Services complement the culinary offerings, providing a curated selection of drinks to match the quality and theme of the food served. From artisanal cocktails to fine wines and refreshing non-alcoholic options, SavorFest ensures that every guest finds a beverage that suits their taste. This service is priced starting at $15 per person, offering a range of options to suit various preferences and budgets.
Professional Staffing stands as a cornerstone of SavorFest Caterers’ commitment to excellence. Recognizing that the success of an event often hinges on the quality of service, SavorFest provides skilled and courteous staff for every occasion. Whether it’s chefs, servers, or bartenders, clients can expect professionalism and efficiency, ensuring that every guest’s needs are attended to. The cost for professional staffing starts at $30 per hour per staff member, contributing to a seamless and memorable event experience.
Through these diverse offerings, SavorFest Caterers positions itself as a premier choice for those seeking exceptional catering services in Austin, TX. With a focus on quality, customization, and client satisfaction, they are dedicated to making every event a remarkable culinary journey.
WheelsJourney Rentals employs a variety of promotional methods and tactics to attract customers in Dallas, TX. Online marketing stands at the forefront of these efforts, leveraging the power of social media platforms, search engine optimization (SEO), and targeted email campaigns. By engaging potential customers where they spend a significant portion of their time, WheelsJourney Rentals ensures its visibility and relevance in a competitive market.
In addition to online marketing, WheelsJourney Rentals also utilizes traditional advertising methods such as billboards and local radio ads. These mediums offer broad exposure, helping to build brand recognition and trust within the community. Furthermore, partnerships with local businesses and tourism agencies will play a crucial role in cross-promotion, reaching an audience that is already interested in travel and vehicle rental services.
Customer referral programs are another key tactic in WheelsJourney Rentals’ promotional strategy. By incentivizing current customers to refer friends and family, the company taps into the power of word-of-mouth marketing. This not only increases the customer base but also strengthens customer loyalty, as people tend to trust recommendations from people they know.
Loyalty programs will also be implemented to encourage repeat business. These programs reward customers for their continued patronage, offering discounts, special offers, and exclusive benefits. This approach not only fosters a loyal customer base but also differentiates WheelsJourney Rentals from its competitors.
Lastly, attending and sponsoring local events and exhibitions will raise the profile of WheelsJourney Rentals. Participation in such events demonstrates the company’s commitment to the community and allows for direct engagement with potential customers. It provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the range of services and the quality of vehicles offered, creating a lasting impression on event attendees.
By employing these promotional methods and tactics, WheelsJourney Rentals expects to attract a wide range of customers in Dallas, TX. The combination of online and traditional marketing, alongside customer engagement programs, ensures that WheelsJourney Rentals remains competitive and becomes a preferred choice for vehicle rental services.
Our Operations Plan details:
To ensure the success of SavorFest Caterers, there are several key day-to-day operational processes that we will perform.
SavorFest Caterers expects to complete the following milestones in the coming months in order to ensure its success:
SavorFest Caterers management team, which includes the following members, has the experience and expertise to successfully execute on our business plan:
Noah Wilson brings a wealth of experience to SavorFest Caterers, marked by a proven track record of success in the catering industry. His previous endeavor as the head of a catering business laid the foundation for his deep understanding of the complexities of the catering world, from menu selection and event planning to logistics and customer service. Noah’s leadership is defined by his ability to foresee industry trends, adapt to changing market demands, and inspire his team to strive for excellence. His strategic vision and hands-on experience are crucial assets for SavorFest Caterers, positioning the company for sustained growth and success in a competitive market.
To achieve our growth objectives, we are seeking to raise funds that will be strategically invested in expanding our service offerings, enhancing our marketing efforts, and improving our operational infrastructure. This financial injection will enable us to fulfill our growth potential, capture a larger market share, and ultimately establish SavorFest Caterers as a leader in the catering industry. Our detailed financial plan outlines the required investment and the projected returns, demonstrating our commitment to creating value for our stakeholders while delivering exceptional catering experiences to our clients.
Balance sheet.
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Download our Catering Business Plan PDF here. This is a free catering business plan example to help you get started on your own catering plan.
Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your catering business plan?
With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!
Writing a catering business plan is the first step to starting a catering business . A business plan makes it easy to map out your catering business ideas and see these ideas become a reality.
Key Takeaway - The catering business is about proper and adequate preparation. From planning a menu to preparing meals for social events, there are several things to prepare for and take into account.
With a food catering business plan, you can build the perfect manual and guide to run your catering business successfully. It becomes easier to reach out to investors for funding as well.
A catering business plan is easy to write and contains the same essential elements as other restaurant business plan formats. However, when writing a business plan for catering business, add catering industry-specific sections.
Let’s review how to write a catering business plan for your catering business.
Writing a catering business plan is more than just filling out a downloadable catering business plan template. Your passion for your catering business idea must be evident in each business plan section.
From the executive summary and company overview to your operational and marketing plan, your business plan must translate the ideology of your business. Do not just copy and paste something you see online.
When writing a business plan for catering business, include these sections:
Company overview, team and management, market and opportunity, business operational plan, products and services, marketing plan, financial projections.
Your executive summary, usually one page, is the opening section of your business plan. It should make an excellent first impression of your business. The executive summary is a summary of your business plan.
When writing your executive summary, give a quick rundown of your company's income, costs, break-even point predictions, and other financial information. The executive summary comes last after you’ve written different sections of your catering business plan.
Your catering business overview should include details of your company. The company overview is a more practical version of the executive summary. It should describe the client experience, ownership and management components, and business operations.
For instance, you can explain your order management and order fulfillment process. This is an excellent space to mention your plan to buy a catering food truck. You can also note the job opportunities your catering business will create and future expansion plans.
This section is a great place to explain your eCommerce team structure and organogram. Start the section by explaining your role within the company. Then, you can drop a few highlights of team workflows and day-to-day tasks.
If your catering business scale-up plan will require more hands, mention their roles in this section. You can explain how you find to recruit your team members and your projected salary range.
Researching your market is essential. Knowing your niche market , who and where your customers are, and your potential competitors is crucial to the success of your catering business.
It’ll be great to explain consumer behavior. For example, how many events happen in the area every week? How many venues can you partner with?
Market research will help you know the types of catering businesses that will succeed in your chosen market. It will also help you strategize how to stay ahead of the competition. When writing this section, use graphs and charts to explain your findings.
Explain your business process flow in this section. From how you will attract clients to how you will serve meals at an event, your operational plan is a great place to explain your workflow in detail.
The business operations portion of your catering business plan contains details regarding customer experience management. You can include your plan for sales and inventory management , restaurant accounting , warehouse management system , and food supply chain management for the items on your menu.
This section should explain the tiny details of your business activities. As a tip, highlight the different management processes of your catering business.
If you plan to specialize in a menu item for specific events, then this is the place to discuss it. For instance, your catering business may focus on cocktail parties or weddings. In this case, your menu item and prices will differ from a catering business that serves office lunches.
You may also serve a specific type of cuisine, such as Mexican or Indian dishes. Ensure you include a sample of your menu and pictures of your meals. Include details about your pricing as well.
Unlike other businesses in the food and beverage industry , customers only require catering services for events and occasions. Therefore, you must be positioned so potential customers will call you first when they have events.
Referrals are a big thing in the catering industry. However, you can leverage the opportunities that the internet has to offer. From owning a catering website to building your online presence on social media, there are various marketing strategies you can adopt.
You can list your catering business on marketplace online directories for event planners. Whatever your marketing strategy is, explain it clearly in this section.
Opening a catering business is not as expensive as starting a brick and mortar restaurant business . However, it is essential to discuss your financial projections and eCommerce accounting strategies if you plan to get a loan from the best banks .
You can give a five-year financial projection for your catering business. In financial projections, you must account for both fixed and variable costs.
Fixed costs include the following:
Variable costs include the following:
There are various ways to write a catering business plan. Presenting your business plan will determine whether the reader will be captivated upon opening the document.
Here’s a format you can use:
Research is crucial to succeeding in any food service business. A simple survey will clear up. Will you operate at home? What events will you cater? Will you specialize in a particular type of food?
Conducting research will also help you know the type of regulations you must comply with and the catering business license you need to operate your business. Ask questions from residents and check online for more information.
Yes, there are a lot of catering business ideas. However, you must choose your specialty to be able to create a unique selling proposition for your brand.
Do you want to specialize in weddings? Will you serve corporate events only? Deciding on this will determine your business operations, branding, and restaurant management system .
Marketing is something you should not get tired of doing. There are a lot of catering businesses in the U.S., and some restaurants are diversifying into offering catering services now.
While the market opportunity is enormous, the competition in the industry is fierce. Therefore, having solid marketing and advertising plan is crucial to the growth of your business.
Creating your menu is essential. First, decide your menu items and prices. Be realistic when setting your price. Consider the cost of obtaining the item at a wholesale vs retail price and the overall overhead costs to run your business.
Restaurant technologies can streamline your business operations. For instance, payment processing software can help you accept payments online and make it easier for customers to pay via credit card on your website.
POS systems and catering management software will help you automate your catering operations. Invoice management software is another tool that will help your business accounting workflow.
Wholesale distribution management software and warehouse inventory management software will optimize your inventory management processes. In addition, you can manage supplier relationships with vendor management software.
Starting a catering business requires adequate preparation. A catering business plan will help you plan and serve as a manual to run your business successfully. Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about business plan for catering businesses.
A caterer needs the following skills:
Yes . Full-service catering businesses are responsible for setting up tables.
A caterer should ask a client the following questions:
Having a catering business plan will make it easy to grow catering business . Applying for a business loan or getting investors interested in your business is also easier. Keep your sections clear and straight to the point when preparing your catering business plan.
You may need to prepare an elevator pitch when presenting to investors. Pitch your business confidently, project your passion for the industry, and keep it simple.
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Published Nov.11, 2016
Updated Apr.22, 2024
By: Brandi Marcene
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Table of Content
If you are planning to start a catering company, you need to have a professional catering business plan. OGS Capital can help you with that; we have a team of professional business personnel and writers who work with us on a daily basis to ensure that clients get customized plans for their business. We strive to make sure that we deliver the final copy of the business plans for catering companies to the customer on time, and this has so far helped us to get referrals and returning customers.
The quality of your catering company business plan will determine whether you will get capital from investors and financial institutions. Hence, it is important to make sure that every detail in the plan is factual and verifiable before presenting it to the investors or banks.
Here are four tips for writing a good business plan for your catering company.
Adhering to these four tips will help you to come up with business plans for catering companies that you will not be afraid to present and defend when pitching the business idea to the financial institution. Let us proceed and discuss the primary benefits of having an expertly written small catering business plan.
Every decision that you make will have a positive or negative impact on your catering business. It is, therefore, important to make sure that you consider all the plausible direct and indirect effects that a resolution may have on the enterprise before implementing it to avert regrets.
A good catering company business plan will act as a blueprint that will guide you through the decision-making process. Our team will work hard to make sure that each recommendation made is right for your business. Without a catering company business plan , rest assured that you would be prone to making hasty decisions that could plunge your business in deep financial crisis.
Unknown to most people is that a catering company business plan does not aim to discuss the business idea only. It goes an extra mile to provide precise details of how the funds will be spent at every stage of the business growth. For instance, it describes the total amount of money that will be used to acquisition equipment. Hence, it will be instrumental in helping you manage your funds correctly. Note that it only takes one financial mistake to compromise the financial stability of the business.
Transparency and proper management are the two primary virtues that set professional catering companies from their counterparts. Poor or lack of transparency results in losses and unnecessary disagreements. All this information will be included in the plan to not only increase your chances of getting funding but also to help you make informed managerial decisions.
The marketing teams need to have sales goals that they want to achieve after a given duration. Without these goals, they will be operating in a void, and you will also not be able to monitor their performance.
Our marketing professionals will not only help you to come up with a marketing strategy but also provide ideas on how you should set sales targets and objectives.
If you are looking for professional business plans for catering companies that will enable you to enjoy these four benefits, get in touch with us by filling this form. One of our customer care business consultants will get in touch with you to discuss our services in details.
Catering is a business in which you provide food to remote locations to serve people at parties, ceremonies, events, filming sites, and hospitals, etc. The service can sometimes also include the provision of furniture, tables, chairs, utensils, and crockery.
If you are a person who wants to start a business that holds minimum risks, takes a small team and a little investment, then catering is the right choice for you. Besides, another good thing about this business is that it starts yielding profits as soon as it is launched.
What you need to do is just ensure that you manage and market your business plans for catering companies properly. For that purpose, the first step to take is making a business plan for catering. If you need any help regarding how to start a catering business plan, you can have it from here. Here we are providing a business plan for a catering startup, Marlon Caterers.
2.1 the business.
Marlon Caterers will be a registered and licensed catering business in Atlanta. The business aims to help people celebrate their memorable events with an unforgettable dinner. Moreover, the business will also take care of the needs of patients in hospitals by offering them healthy and nutritious food according to their doctors’ advice.
The business will provide several types of catering such as buffet catering, sit-down catering, hospital catering, corporate catering, and more.
Management is a very important factor in the catering business. It’s only through efficient management that you can ensure
To maintain a good reputation among your customers, you must know all the difficulties and risks you can encounter. The risks may include budget disruptions due to sudden cancellation of orders, or any small/ large mistake during the business operations.
Before starting a catering business, you should study many catering business startup plans and then prepare a set up catering business plan for your business.
Our target customers belong to various niches. They will include the residential community, business organizations, film studios, government institutions, and hospitals.
In this how to start a catering company sample business plans for catering companies we are enlisting the business targets set by Marlon Caterers.
3.1 company owner.
Marlon Redford will be the owner of Marlon Caterers. Marlon has acquired a degree in Business Administration from McDonough School of Business. Marlon has been serving on a managerial post in New York’s top luxury wedding planner company, Colin Cowie for four years. But a few months back, he decided to quit the job and start his own business.
Marlon always wanted to have a career in which he could utilize his creative ideas to serve his community. He loved food and had an interest in cooking as well. So he decided to make a small team and start a business plans for catering companies .
The first step before starting a catering business is creating a description of catering business plan. Your catering company business plan should cover all aspects such as startup expenses, market analysis, sales strategy, personnel plan, and an extensive financial plan for your business.
In this catering company business plan example, we have listed the business strategy created by Marlon Caterers. Marlon devised his start a catering company business plan himself as he had adequate knowledge to do so. If you don’t know how to write a business plans for catering companies , you should either take help from this sample business plan for catering service. Or you should hire a professional person.
Marlon will rent a facility in Atlanta to set up his office there and keep the inventory. He will purchase luxurious crockery, flatware, tableware, chairs, tables, and sofas to host high-end events. To serve the other categories of target customers, inventory that comes in reasonable rates will also be acquired.
Besides, Marlon will hire the general staff, chefs, waiters, and some supervisors to help him run the business.
The start-up requirements, start-up expenses, total assets, funding, liabilities, planned investment, and other parameters for the successful launch of the business are given below.
Legal | $251,000 |
Consultants | $0 |
Insurance | $30,000 |
Rent | $28,000 |
Research and Development | $25,000 |
Expensed Equipment | $57,000 |
Signs | $5,400 |
Start-up Assets | $317,500 |
Cash Required | $348,000 |
Start-up Inventory | $55,000 |
Other Current Assets | $211,000 |
Long-term Assets | $227,000 |
Start-up Expenses to Fund | $396,400 |
Start-up Assets to Fund | $1,158,500 |
Assets | |
Non-cash Assets from Start-up | $1,531,000 |
Cash Requirements from Start-up | $364,000 |
Additional Cash Raised | $54,000 |
Cash Balance on Starting Date | $32,000 |
Liabilities and Capital | |
Liabilities | $28,000 |
Current Borrowing | $0 |
Long-term Liabilities | $0 |
Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) | $46,000 |
Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) | $0 |
Capital | |
Planned Investment | $1,554,900 |
Investor 1 | $0 |
Investor 2 | $0 |
Other | $0 |
Additional Investment Requirement | $0 |
Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) | $352,100 |
Before you start a business plans for catering companies , you must identify the services you can provide under the catering domain. Including your services in your business plan about catering, can help you in acquiring the right licenses, required inventory, and relevant staff.
In this template of a catering business plan we are enlisting the services provided by Marlon Caterers.
We’ll offer on-premise and off-premise catering in the following categories.
In this catering, our waiters will lay out the food on individual tables. So, the guests will have to eat whatever is laid out on the plates for them.
In this type of serving we will serve the dishes and food in one place. The guests will have to prepare their plates themselves according to their needs and wants.
Our wedding or party dinner will be preceded by a cocktail hour. Our cocktail servings will include Manhattan cocktail, Daiquiri, Margarita, Bloody Mary, Mojito, and Hurricane.
We will supply food, snacks, and drinks to film studios, production sets, and shooting sites located near us. As the film crew works on a particular site on a weekly or monthly basis, so we’ll offer them various weekly and monthly packages.
We’ll offer fresh, healthy, and nutritious foods to hospitals for patients. Our nutrient-rich meals will help them recover fast.
If you are starting a business plan for catering companies , you should focus on doing accurate marketing analysis. Through market research, you can identify local trends and expectations. Besides, you can also select the most suitable location to launch your startup.
Marketing analysis should be completed before you create a business plans for catering companies. Because it will help you in recognizing your customers and setting your prices accordingly while also making sure that you are not running at a loss.
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The demand for the catering business has been high in the last few years. Due to a boost in average household income, more people had started utilizing private catering services to hold events. However, there is a slight problem these days. Due to the coronavirus pandemic mass gatherings aren’t allowed. So, your business might suffer a loss in the initial phases if you only provide catering for wedding ceremonies and parties. Marlon found the solution to this problem as he decided to offer hospital and film catering too.
Overall, business is surely profitable. According to First Research, catering industries in the U.S. make up above $11 billion in revenue on annual basis. More than 12000 catering industries are running in the U.S. Moreover, Statista also reports that the market size of this business has reached $12 billion in 2020.
Before you think how to write a business plan for a catering business, you should consider who will be your customers. Knowing your customers will enable you to devise customer-oriented pricing and sales strategy.
In this sample of business plans for catering companies , we have listed the market segmentation done by Marlon Caterers.
The detailed marketing segmentation of our target audience is as follows:
5.1.1 residential community.
The biggest consumer of our services will be the residents of Atlanta. They are expected to avail of our catering services whenever they host birthday or anniversary parties, gatherings, wedding ceremonies, etc.
The second category includes business organizations that will need our catering for their business meetups, events, and parties. They are also expected to contact us for arranging just a cocktail party as that contains light refreshments and drinks to boost the energy level of workers.
Moreover, film studios that happen to shoot in Atlanta will also be needing our services. This group usually spent weeks and months on a particular site and thus need catering service continuously for days. So to compel them to hire us, we’ll offer them various weekly and monthly packages.
The last category of our target customers include hospitals based in Atlanta. They are expected to contact us for making nutritious and healthy plated foods for patients.
Potential Customers | Growth | ||||||
Residential Community | 34% | 34,000 | 35,000 | 38,000 | 40,000 | 43,000 | 10.00% |
Corporates & Film Producers | 39% | 37,000 | 38,000 | 39,000 | 40,000 | 41,000 | 10.00% |
Hospitals | 27% | 26,000 | 27,000 | 28,000 | 30,000 | 31,000 | 11.00% |
10% |
Our business plans for catering companies targets to be achieved within a specified time are listed below
Our prices are almost within the same range as that of our competitors. However, we’ll be offering several discounts on our initial stage to attract as many customers as possible.
Sales strategy is also an important component of a catering business plan proposal. Through this, you can reach your qualified customers and make them comprehend that you are better than all your competitors. To give you an idea of what to include in sales strategy, we are providing the sales strategy of Marlon Caterers in this example of marketing plan for a catering business.
Our biggest competitive advantage lies in our customer service. We are highly customer-oriented and are always willing to go the extra mile to satisfy our customers. Secondly, we have developed a user-friendly mobile app that will allow our customers to
Third, we provide on-premise catering in which we prepare the food on site. This will be a competitive edge for us as just two to three competitors are offering it.
Unit Sales | |||
Sit-down Catering/ Buffet Catering | 42,000 | 44,520 | 47,191 |
Cocktail Reception | 29,000 | 30,740 | 32,584 |
Snacks For Film Production Sites | 28,000 | 29,680 | 31,461 |
Hospital Catering | 30,000 | 31,800 | 33,708 |
Unit Prices | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
Sit-down Catering/ Buffet Catering | $56.00 | $64.96 | $75.35 |
Cocktail Reception | $52.00 | $60.32 | $69.97 |
Snacks For Film Production Sites | $42.00 | $48.72 | $56.52 |
Hospital Catering | $39.00 | $45.24 | $52.48 |
Sales | |||
Direct Unit Costs | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
Sit-down Catering/ Buffet Catering | $54.00 | $60.00 | $71.00 |
Cocktail Reception | $47.00 | $57.00 | $65.00 |
Snacks For Film Production Sites | $38.00 | $45.00 | $51.00 |
Hospital Catering | $36.00 | $41.00 | $47.00 |
Direct Cost of Sales | |||
While writing business plans for catering companies you should also create a list of your required employees along with their job responsibilities.
Marlon will manage the business himself. However, he will hire the following people
Quality Manager | $13,000 | $14,300 | $15,730 |
Inventory Manager | $12,000 | $13,200 | $14,520 |
Accountant | $10,000 | $11,000 | $12,100 |
Sales Executives | $18,000 | $19,800 | $21,780 |
Catering Chefs | $48,000 | $52,800 | $58,080 |
Waiters | $24,000 | $26,400 | $29,040 |
General Assistants | $15,000 | $16,500 | $18,150 |
Drivers | $13,000 | $14,300 | $15,730 |
Front Desk Officer | $7,000 | $7,700 | $8,470 |
Web Developer | $8,000 | $8,800 | $9,680 |
As you make a catering business plan, you should also start analyzing your finances. Crafting a financial plan is an absolute need for a business as it maps the ways to minimize or even avoid loss. A good financial plan comprises a strategy to cover startup expenses with earned profits. Moreover, it also proposes a systematic approach to managing employees’ salaries, cost of business operations, and costs to cater for unexpected events.
To give you an idea of how a financial plan should look like, we are giving here the financial plan of Marlon Caterers.
Plan Month | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Current Interest Rate | 8.13% | 8.18% | 8.25% |
Long-term Interest Rate | 8.30% | 8.39% | 8.46% |
Tax Rate | 23.05% | 24.67% | 25.90% |
Other | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Monthly Units Break-even | 5360 |
Monthly Revenue Break-even | $134,800 |
Assumptions: | |
Average Per-Unit Revenue | $239.00 |
Average Per-Unit Variable Cost | $0.64 |
Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost | $162,300 |
Other | $0 | $0 | $0 |
TOTAL COST OF SALES | |||
Expenses | |||
Payroll | $168,000 | $184,800 | $203,280 |
Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses | $130,000 | $132,000 | $135,000 |
Depreciation | $2,200 | $2,280 | $2,350 |
Leased Equipment | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Utilities | $3,200 | $3,300 | $3,400 |
Insurance | $1,700 | $1,800 | $1,900 |
Rent | $3,300 | $3,400 | $3,510 |
Payroll Taxes | $37,000 | $38,000 | $40,000 |
Other | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Profit Before Interest and Taxes | $85,600 | $202,538 | $336,174 |
EBITDA | $85,600 | $202,538 | $336,174 |
Interest Expense | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Taxes Incurred | $17,120 | $40,508 | $67,235 |
Net Profit | $68,480 | $162,030 | $268,939 |
Net Profit/Sales | 1.10% | 2.12% | 2.87% |
Cash Received | |||
Cash from Operations | |||
Cash Sales | $56,000 | $60,480 | $65,318 |
Cash from Receivables | $17,000 | $18,360 | $19,829 |
SUBTOTAL CASH FROM OPERATIONS | |||
Additional Cash Received | |||
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Current Borrowing | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Other Liabilities (interest-free) | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Long-term Liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Sales of Other Current Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Sales of Long-term Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Investment Received | $0 | $0 | $0 |
SUBTOTAL CASH RECEIVED | |||
Expenditures | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
Expenditures from Operations | |||
Cash Spending | $35,000 | $37,000 | $39,000 |
Bill Payments | $19,000 | $19,600 | $20,000 |
SUBTOTAL SPENT ON OPERATIONS | |||
Additional Cash Spent | |||
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Other Liabilities Principal Repayment | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Purchase Other Current Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Purchase Long-term Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Dividends | $0 | $0 | $0 |
SUBTOTAL CASH SPENT | |||
Net Cash Flow | $14,000 | $15,000 | $16,000 |
Cash Balance | $24,000 | $25,400 | $27,800 |
Assets | |||
Current Assets | |||
Cash | $279,000 | $312,480 | $343,728 |
Accounts Receivable | $25,000 | $28,000 | $31,472 |
Inventory | $5,300 | $5,936 | $6,678 |
Other Current Assets | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS | |||
Long-term Assets | |||
Long-term Assets | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
Accumulated Depreciation | $18,700 | $20,944 | $23,562 |
TOTAL LONG-TERM ASSETS | |||
TOTAL ASSETS | |||
Liabilities and Capital | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
Current Liabilities | |||
Accounts Payable | $18,000 | $20,160 | $22,660 |
Current Borrowing | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Other Current Liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 |
SUBTOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES | |||
Long-term Liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 |
TOTAL LIABILITIES | |||
Paid-in Capital | $30,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
Retained Earnings | $56,300 | $61,367 | $67,504 |
Earnings | $195,000 | $212,550 | $233,805 |
TOTAL CAPITAL | |||
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL | |||
Net Worth | $268,000 | $292,120 | $321,332 |
Sales Growth | 7.31% | 8.10% | 8.97% | 3.00% |
Percent of Total Assets | ||||
Accounts Receivable | 9.35% | 10.36% | 11.48% | 9.80% |
Inventory | 5.38% | 5.96% | 6.60% | 9.90% |
Other Current Assets | 2.43% | 2.69% | 2.98% | 2.40% |
Total Current Assets | 150.00% | 152.00% | 152.00% | 158.00% |
Long-term Assets | 11.98% | 12.07% | 12.10% | 12.00% |
TOTAL ASSETS | ||||
Current Liabilities | 4.66% | 4.70% | 4.74% | 4.34% |
Long-term Liabilities | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Total Liabilities | 7.31% | 7.37% | 7.44% | 7.38% |
NET WORTH | ||||
Percent of Sales | ||||
Sales | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Gross Margin | 93.90% | 96.44% | 99.14% | 99.00% |
Selling, General & Administrative Expenses | 93.20% | 95.72% | 98.40% | 97.80% |
Advertising Expenses | 1.60% | 1.64% | 1.69% | 1.40% |
Profit Before Interest and Taxes | 42.00% | 43.13% | 44.34% | 33.90% |
Main Ratios | ||||
Current | 35 | 37 | 38.75 | 32 |
Quick | 33 | 36 | 36.9 | 33 |
Total Debt to Total Assets | 0.22% | 0.18% | 0.17% | 0.40% |
Pre-tax Return on Net Worth | 76.00% | 76.40% | 77.12% | 75.00% |
Pre-tax Return on Assets | 92.18% | 96.79% | 101.63% | 111.30% |
Additional Ratios | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
Net Profit Margin | 33.40% | 34.44% | 35.50% | N.A. |
Return on Equity | 55.20% | 56.91% | 58.68% | N.A. |
Activity Ratios | ||||
Accounts Receivable Turnover | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.9 | N.A. |
Collection Days | 100 | 100 | 100 | N.A. |
Inventory Turnover | 32 | 33.6 | 35.28 | N.A. |
Accounts Payable Turnover | 16.3 | 16.4 | 16.6 | N.A. |
Payment Days | 27 | 27 | 27 | N.A. |
Total Asset Turnover | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.7 | N.A. |
Debt Ratios | ||||
Debt to Net Worth | -0.03 | -0.04 | -0.04 | N.A. |
Current Liab. to Liab. | 1 | 1 | 1 | N.A. |
Liquidity Ratios | ||||
Net Working Capital | $237,650 | $250,958 | $265,012 | N.A. |
Interest Coverage | 0 | 0 | 0 | N.A. |
Additional Ratios | ||||
Assets to Sales | 0.85 | 0.87 | 0.89 | N.A. |
Current Debt/Total Assets | 1% | 1% | 0% | N.A. |
Acid Test | 28 | 29.1 | 30.5 | N.A. |
Sales/Net Worth | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.4 | N.A. |
Dividend Payout | 0 | 0 | 0 | N.A. |
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Tony Sekulich
20 min. read
Updated July 3, 2024
Free Download: Sample Catering Business Plan Template
Do you find the process of shopping and chopping, sautéing and flambéing for large groups of people rewarding and fulfilling? Would you rather die than serve a salad that is topped with anything other your homemade vinaigrette dressing? Are people constantly asking you to cook for their next gathering?
If any of this sounds familiar, you’ve probably at least toyed with the idea of starting a catering business. It’s a thriving industry which can be scaled and tailored to whatever best suits your skills and situation. This article is intended to serve as a step-by-step guide to show you how to get started.
To supplement this guide, I interviewed two seasoned veterans of the catering business:
Jean-Marc Fontaine is a French-trained chef, event planner, and sommelier who now serves as the Catering Sales and Events Consultant for Urban Source Creative Catering in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada. Warren Dietel is the Owner and President of Puff ‘N Stuff , a full-service wedding, corporate, and holiday event caterer and planner serving the greater Orlando area and all of central Florida.
In the United States alone, the catering industry is an $11 billion juggernaut and growing every year—more than 4.5 percent between 2014 and 2019.
An industry report shows that in 2012, the average costs for the foodservice at a wedding reception in the United States was to $3,579 U.S.; wedding planning website The Knot surveyed their users and found that in 2017, the average cost was $6,528, or $70 per guest. Wedding Wire says the average cost is about $4,000, but most couples spend between $1,800 and $7,000. Not surprisingly, the largest market segment that supports the catering business is households earning at least six figures. In 2015, of households with a combined income of 100,000 U.S. dollars or more, 5.4 percent spent $500 to $999 U.S. on catered events outside the home.
Though there are major players in the catering industry, there are a lot of reasons why it’s appealing to entrepreneurs: Unlike most other sectors, the industry is highly fragmented, meaning there is no single corporate entity dominating the market share.
This means there’s room for everyone who has some skill and hustle. Large companies can leverage their ability to scale to any size event and cover multiple events at the same time; smaller outfits can push their personal touch for a competitive edge.
There’s no shortcut to determining if you are just a “weekend warrior” dazzling your friends and colleagues in your own home or someone who is a great candidate to branch out and start their own catering business. Jean-Marc Fontaine says to find success, people need to spark that burning desire from within.
“I really have a passion for food and entertaining and the reason I’m still doing this job today is because I am passionate about the food industry,” he says. “It’s a very special area, it’s not like an office job, it’s more like art—you have to really love it.”
Jean-Marc believes this passion is necessary because almost everyone who enters the foodservice industry greatly underestimates the amount of time, effort, and expense it requires to be successful. This is a lesson he has learned personally.
“Many years ago when I was in France, my brother (also a chef) and I opened a small restaurant together—30 seats so not a big operation. It was just his wife serving and we had someone helping in the kitchen. We knew it would be a lot of work; we didn’t know we’d be working literally 18 hours a day, seven days a week. So many things to think about, not just food prep but cleaning and overhead, you need equipment, you need a vehicle which means expenses for gas and parking. If you don’t anticipate all the expenses and overhead charges, it can be overwhelming,” he says.
Warren Dietel also cautions anyone thinking of entering the business against getting swept up in the glamorous portrayal they may have seen on television, as the reality of the industry is altogether different.
“Catering is not for the faint of heart, this is a hard business,” he explains. “You can’t get into this thinking this is what you see on the Food Network. I think the cooking networks have done a fabulous job of showcasing the glamorous side of what the foodservice and special event industry is, but at the end of the day, it takes hard work, grit, and determination to be successful.”
If you are driven by that burning desire to start a catering business and are prepared for the work and accompanying expenses, the catering industry will offer some distinct advantages over starting a traditional sit-down restaurant. Before you get started, take this quiz to help you think about what it takes to start your own business.
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Caterers know exactly how many people they are expected to serve. That means you can buy only what is absolutely necessary and reduce the expense of food waste. A traditional restaurant may be prepared to serve 150 people on any given night, even if only 30 walk through the door.
Since most small catering operations only need their equipment for a few days each week, it makes more sense to rent it for only the times they will be in use. This expense is factored into the overall job quote. That means, unlike the new restaurateur, the caterer does not have to deal with a staggering amount of overhead right out of the gate.
Most catered events are buffet style, which means the catering company can get by with two or three servers for a party of over one hundred guests, whereas that same guest list in a restaurant would require at least eight to ten paid serving staff.
You’ve seen the advantages, you know what’s in store, and you’ve decided you will forge ahead and start a catering business.
Before you lease space and start advertising, there are some “test drives” you should do first. These are things that can give you a better sense of the professional landscape and either confirm or challenge your commitment to moving ahead.
As obvious as it may seem, there is no better way to prepare yourself for the realities of making it on your own. You will get a master class in everything that goes into running a successful (or not so successful) catering business.
It will also show if you have the one trait Jean-Marc believes any caterer must have to make it in the business:
“I know it sounds a little cliché, but you always have to keep a positive approach because there are so many factors that can be stressful,” he says. “A lot of things can go wrong from the get-go. It could be accidental food poisoning or the delivery van could have an accident on the way to an event. No matter what happens, you always have to have a positive approach.”
For any prospective caterer, the ability to multi-task is just as important as the ability to prepare mouth-watering dishes. The most delicious food in the world will not save an event that is an organizational train wreck.
The experience you gain from helping to plan fundraising events for your favorite charities or church functions could reap huge benefits further down the line.
This is a very common training ground for many eventual caterers.
By working as a personal chef, you not only hone your skills in the kitchen, but you can also develop a client base and begin networking, which will be very beneficial when you transition to catering.
When you’re finally ready to make a go of it and launch your catering business, the first thing you have to do is determine what makes your business unique. One way to describe this is your unique value proposition , or UVP. In a nutshell, your UVP covers: how your catering service works, what makes it valuable and unique, and why it’s better than the rest.
When you’re first starting out, you will likely be a very small operation and that makes it especially important to establish your niche in the marketplace. Large corporate events like Jean-Marc’s Urban Source Creative Catering can scale up or down depending on the order. They can be a large one size fits all operation that can be, in many ways, everything to everyone.
“A couple of weeks ago I was planning a corporate lunch for executives for one day and the next day, it was a birthday party for a five-year-old girl,” he says. “We’re flexible enough to adapt the menu to the needs and preferences of the client.”
With that in mind, it’s very unlikely you will have the same capability. Most businesses benefit from identifying their target market —and it probably won’t be everyone who needs to eat, from five-year-olds to corporate executives.
So here are some things you can do to narrow the focus of what your catering business is all about.
This is essentially determining what the DNA of your catering business will be.
What’s your most identifiable and unique business trait? Are you a target-based caterer, meaning you specialize in certain events like weddings, corporate lunches, or social fundraising events? Or are you a cuisine-based company that specializes in vegan and vegetarian dishes, Southeast Asian food, or catering for some of the more common food allergies and restrictions?
Maybe you decided that you are going to be the premier vegan and vegetarian caterer in your city. You’re going to want to find out how many other businesses out there are trying to service that same market. You need to know who else is serving your same target customers in your area. Putting together a simple competitive matrix can help you see where you and your competitors overlap, and where you stand out.
Practically every business has competition . If there aren’t any other caterers serving your style of food in your area, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you don’t have competition. Find out how your target customers are getting their needs met already. What do they do when they want to serve 30 of their friends a huge meal? How do they make it happen? Make it your business to find out.
You may be in trouble before you begin if your chosen niche is already oversaturated in the market. So, find out who has been successful locally and why. What are people saying about them? Why do they get repeat business? The answers to these questions will help you guide and shape you’re growing catering business.
If you’ve done some market research and thought about competition, it’s time to start thinking about putting together your business plan . You’ll need a formal business plan if you plan to seek a bank loan or investor funding. Check out a free sample catering business plan in the Bplans sample business plan library to give you some insight on what to include.
If you’re not planning on seeking funding, consider putting together a Lean Business Plan instead. It’s shorter by design, and it will help you make sure you’ve thought through all the critical aspects of your business.
A caterer does many things and must wear many hats, all at the same time. But, nothing is more central to the core identity of the business than the menu .
Your service and presentation must be impeccable, but it is the food that will keep customers coming back and offering referrals to their friends and associates. For many, it is the single defining aspect of a catering business.
Here are some things to consider when putting together your catering menu.
The larger corporate catering firms which often target large and expensive executive lunches can scale their operation up or down to meet any food request presented to them. Starting out, your focus will have to be more narrow, partly because for budgetary reasons and partly because that will help you create an identity.
By targeting your menu to what you do best, you put yourself in a better position to deliver a top-quality product to your client. This is something Warren Dietel believes is crucially important for new caterers.
“Know your limitations and always try to undersell and over-deliver,” he advises. “You don’t want to promise something that you can’t deliver upon.”
Food is no different from fashion, architecture, or technology in that it is nearly impossible to stay on top of all the current trends.
The advent of food and cooking television networks over the past 10 years has given rise to self-proclaimed “foodies” who are very specific about what they consume, and this is the biggest change Jean-Marc has seen in the industry in the last five years.
“We are seeing a big demand for gluten-free items these days, but it’s always changing,” he says. “Up to a couple of years ago, it was all about cupcakes, everybody had to have cupcakes. You would see cupcake shops spring up all over the place, but now that’s fading away and now we’re in the macaron phase. Everyone now wants macarons for their parties.”
It would seem keeping current has never been more important in the foodservice industry. Consider joining a food service organization or other professional group with a mission of helping food businesses succeed to help you keep your ear to the ground.
Like most other goods or services, catering businesses range from the very affordable to quite expensive. You’ll need to determine where in that spectrum your business is situated.
If you are going for high-end clients like corporate lunches or expensive wedding parties, you will need to price your meals and services accordingly. Or perhaps you’ve decided to make catering affordable to those who would normally not consider it, and so you’re going to offer delicious catered meals at a lower price.
In either case, how successful you are in your targeted market is going to depend in large part on determining the right price point.
The other side of this is putting together a sales forecast. Once you have a sense of what your price point will be, and what your materials and other overhead costs will be, put together a simple sales forecast to help you model different scenarios.
This may seem self-explanatory, but there is no faster way to put yourself out of business than by delivering amazing dishes that cost more to produce than what you are receiving from the client. Be sure to factor in all food preparation costs when deciding what you will put on your menu.
Before you can place that first order and take that first piping hot tray out of the oven, you will have to clear some logistical hurdles to get your business operational. To work through this next step, you will have to wear the hat of a shrewd CEO and CFO.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the catering and restaurant industries is that the restaurant mantra “location, location, location” does not really apply as much when it comes to starting a catering business.
Jean-Marc believes what is most important in choosing a location is what amenities are available rather than what part of the city you are situated in.
“I don’t think it really matters where you are located,” he says. “What is important is to have plenty of preparation and storage space. We have office space plus a basement for storage with walk-in fridges and walk-in freezers.”
Setting up shop anywhere you’d like is a positive, but having reliable and sizable transportation is an absolute necessity. You will have to determine if it makes sense to buy a company van or simply rent one on an as-needed basis.
Of course, there’s more to transporting food than simply loading it into the back of a van. You will need special units to keep the food properly preserved from your location to the function.
This might include:
Anyone entering the foodservice industry absolutely must protect themselves with adequate business insurance coverage .
Even with the most careful attention to detail, accidental food poisoning or other mishaps can happen and you must be prepared for all eventualities. Your serving staff will also require workers’ compensation insurance.
Pay attention to workplace safety . Catering disasters aren’t unheard of. Plan for the unexpected . Think about what can go wrong and come up with a few ideas for how you might deal with it. You can reduce your risk if you plan ahead. You’ll encounter challenges that it never occurred to you to think through. Do yourself a favor and check a few of those off the list, well before go-time.
You’re already the culinary master, you’ve taken on the role of CEO and CFO, and now it’s time to put on yet another hat: marketing specialist.
No matter how great your food is, your business won’t survive without the clientele. Here are some things to consider when it comes time to start marketing your catering business.
Not long ago, this was one of the go-to methods for getting exposure for a catering business. Handing them out a wedding or trade shows was considered a no-brainer for any enterprising caterer.
“We used to do brochures and flyers but that doesn’t really work these days,” Jean-Marc says. Instead, they now use a targeted cold-call method when they have on-site office jobs. “Let’s say we have a job in the building at 110 King Street. What we do is take business cards to the neighboring businesses and let them know who we are and what we have to offer. That has worked well for us in the past.”
Your website is the first place most people will go to see what your business has to offer and determine if it’s a good fit for them. This is by far the most effective marketing tool you will use.
Having a strong web presence is an absolute must. Make it easy for clients to reach you and understand what you’re about. Should you run your entire catering business on a Facebook page? Probably not. There are some risks associated with running your business from a platform that you don’t own and don’t have much say over. Think of social media as one arm of your marketing strategy, but not the entire thing. Especially as Facebook and other platforms have evolved to deprioritize business-related content, remember that you get what you pay for. Instagram might be a great way to generate some buzz around your food, but don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
This is a tactic that Jean-Marc has found to be very effective during his years in the business. Find a great cause you want to support, and offer to cater the event as your contribution in exchange for the organizers using your company name and logo on all promotional materials and at the event itself.
You will be incurring a significant expense at the outset, but it is a great way to penetrate a target-rich environment.
Look to develop long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with other organizations that frequently use caterers. Establishing a great working relationship with the top two or three event planners in your area is a great way to keep your business going strong.
Below you’ll find a list of different resources that can help you find out more about what goes into getting your catering business off the ground.
One visit to Amazon will give you numerous options for published guides on starting a catering business.
Some of the titles you’ll find include:
Both Jean-Marc and Warren stress the importance of patience and determination in those early days. It will be harder and more labor-intensive than you can possibly imagine, but it will also be unbelievably rewarding.
Warren said anyone new to the field must anticipate seasonal ups and downs—there will be natural ebbs and flows and it is important to be both psychologically and financially prepared.
“This is a very seasonal business . It seems we work really, really hard for eight months out of the year and for four months out of the year we get to regroup, recalibrate, reorganize,” he says. “That’s a good thing, but you just have to be sure you prepare for that from a cash flow perspective.”
So, the next time you amaze your social circle with your culinary mastery and someone says “you should really start your own catering company,” ask yourself one question—are you ready to flip the switch?
Tony has returned to his early love of journalistic writing by freelancing long form articles and blog posts. He is currently turning his TV series pilot for The New Twenty into his first novel. Tony lives in Toronto where he continues to be tormented by his beloved Maple Leafs.
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So you want to start a catering business! Great. You are sure of many customers, aren’t you? Yes, you are. You will need a solid Catering Plan to get started. You will also need to have a catering template where you can write your hotel business plan sample . Luckily enough, there are sample Hotel Business Plan example templates in different format download that you can use to get your business plan written.You may also see Plan Templates .
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For the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, 10,500 athletes are coming together to compete. There will be swimming, archery, gymnastics, running, cycling, volleyball, and more — and all those competitors certainly have to eat to prepare and refuel. Including the support staff at the Olympic Village, around 40,000 meals are dished out every single day. For the duration of the summer games, athletes will be able to choose from around 500 different recipes that fall under four different cuisine umbrellas: French (with two daily options), Asian, African-Caribbean, and World (again with two options). Within these genres, various dietary restrictions, nutritional needs, and cultural necessities are all addressed.
There really is something for everyone. One of the recipes in the French category is a veggie bourguignon or a brandade de morue — vegetables stewed in a rich red wine sauce or iconic mashed potatoes with salt cod. A ground pork and Thai basil dish served with basmati rice and turmeric roasted vegetables falls under the Asian theme — while fried shrimp and sauteed peppers, onions, and tomatoes with North African garlic and herb chermoula sauce is served up for the African-Caribbean category. The World cuisine features daily options like lamb in mint sauce or a vegetable moussaka.
Aside from main courses, the dining hall also has various stations set up for items like fruit, salads, pastries, and desserts. Athletes can personalize their meals with a salad bar, grill station, condiment bar, and so much more — featuring 85 different options throughout.
The company responsible for catering the Olympic Games is Sodexo Live, a subset of Sodexo. The parent corporation provides food services and facilities management in sectors such as higher education, government, healthcare, and business, and Sodexo Live focuses specifically on supplying locales like stadiums, arenas, and convention centers.
A team of chefs is also key to running the show. Sodexo executive chefs Charles Guilloy and Stephane Chicheri are at the helm, with additional support from Akrame Benallal, Amandine Chaignot, and Alexandre Mazzia — French chefs with well-known restaurants. They designed the menu — which was originally meant to cover nine different culinary themes and around 1,000 recipes — along with help from sports nutritionists and the Paris 2024 Athletes Commission. They even got dietary advice from major players like the United States, Australia, Canada, and China.
With a commitment to sustainability and climate change awareness, the main dining hall is skipping the disposable plates for the very first time. Around one-third of the food offered is plant-based, 30% is organic, and all but 20% will be sourced from within France itself. In fact, food items like avocados are not on the menus at all because of how far they would need to travel to get all the way to Paris — most avocados are produced in Mexico . Only three items are being imported from great distances: bananas, chocolate, and coffee.
The main goal of the catering at the Olympic Village is to make sure athletes have the fuel they need to get the job done. However, the offerings are also a way for the host country to showcase its own unique culinary traditions through gastrodiplomacy. This is when a country uses food to present a favorable public image, build connections, and share culture.
The 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, California set the stage for gastrodiplomacy at this event. A bounty of fresh California produce, unlimited servings, and food that was both classically American and reflective of the myriad of immigrant communities defined this Olympic Village. At the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, serving kimchi is part of what helped the dish proliferate across the globe, and the Tokyo Olympic Village had an entire dining hall dedicated just to Japanese food where athletes could sample dumplings, spring rolls, ramen, fish-free sushi , curry rice, and more.
In Paris, French cuisine receives a special spotlight. There is a station devoted specifically to cheese, and of course, there are plenty of croissants. To evoke the feeling and aroma of walking through a French town, there is also an in-house bakery that cranks out up to 800 baguettes a day. Beyond just what there is to eat, the organizing chefs will have special events where they present different French dishes, and athletes can even partake in bread and pastry making workshops.
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If you're dreaming of starting your catering biz, you're in the right place. We selected 10 catering business plan templates to help you get from daydreaming to doing. We've broken them down into three categories: Basic, Intermediary, and Complete, so you can find just what you need, no matter where you're at in your catering business ...
Download this free catering company business plan template, with pre-filled examples, to create your own plan. Download Now Or plan with professional support in LivePlan. Save 50% today . Available formats: What you get with this template ... We have over 550 sample business plan templates. So, make sure the plan is a close match, but don't get ...
Make a good first impression with a concise introduction to your concept and a summary of the operations of your catering business. An executive summary introduces key elements of your business plan - consider providing an overview of the budget, the business's mission and core values, and a coherent vision for your recipes and brand.
Sample from Growthink's Ultimate Catering Business Plan Template: The Marketing Plan describes the type of brand [Company Name] seeks to create and the Company's planned promotions and pricing strategies. The [Company Name] Brand. The [Company Name] brand will focus on the Company's unique value proposition: • Offering extensive menu ...
Development Plan. Our three-year development plan for the gluten-free catering service is designed to establish us as a leader in the industry. In the first year, we aim to build a strong reputation for our unique gluten-free menus and exceptional service, focusing on corporate events, weddings, and private parties.
Funding Forecast. Start-up Summary. Income Statement (5-Year Projections) Balance Sheet (5-Year Projections) Cash Flow (5-Year Projections) Although your plan will keep changing as your business grows, here are a few key sections that would form the foundation of your business plan: 1. Executive summary.
Put your plan into action by making a timeline of your operations. Here is an example: Date Plan [Insert Date Here] - Finalize the business documents you need such as permits and registrations for your catering business. [Insert Date Here] - Start marketing your business on social media and the local news.
Catering Business Plan. If you want to start a catering business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their catering businesses.
Use this free Catering Business Plan Template to create a detailed roadmap for your catering venture, covering aspects like menu development, pricing strategies, and marketing approaches. It's a crucial resource to ensure your catering business is well-prepared for success in the competitive food service industry. .
Download your free catering business plan sample to create a plan that will wow investors. And once you've started your business, use our free restaurant invoice template to start collecting payment from each event. Download Now. Use this sample catering business plan to outline the vision for your new catering company and share that vision ...
A catering business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your catering business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections. easily complete your catering business plan using our Catering Business Plan Template here.
Catering Business Plan Outline Template. ablis.business.gov.au. Download. Catering from home still requires a business plan to ensure you will operate properly. Using your homes resources for a business takes proper financial planning. Your appliances will wear out faster, and utilities will be higher.
Explore a real-world catering business plan example and download a free template with this information to start writing your own business plan. Don't bother with copy and paste. Get this complete sample business plan as a free text document. Download for free. Business Planning.
Use this free catering business plan template to quickly and easily write a solid business plan to start, grow, and raise capital for your catering Business. Skip to content. Talk to Wise | 1-800-496-1056. Company. ... Free Sample Business Plans. Why You Need a Catering Business Plan.
Create your catering business plan using a pre-designed template encompassing the essential sections. This template will help structure your plan effectively. Ensure that your plan includes the following key components: Executive Summary for Restaurant: Provide an overview of your catering business and its objectives.
Threats to your business. Understand the catering industry better. As a result, you can create a strategic plan that will improve your business. 4. Discover New Opportunities. Another benefit of creating a catering business plan is discovering new opportunities to boost your business in ways you never imagined.
Below are links to each of the key sections of a sample business plan for a successful catering business. I. Executive Summary - The Executive Summary provides an overview of your business opportunity and summarizes the business plan. II. Company Overview - The company analysis includes information about your business concept, catering ...
For aspiring catering business owners, having access to a sample catering business plan can be especially helpful in providing direction and gaining insight into how to draft their own catering business plan. Download our Ultimate Catering Business Plan Template. Having a thorough business plan in place is critical for any successful catering ...
How we will get there will be our business objectives which are: To create a service-based company whose primary goal is to exceed customer's expectations. To increase the number of client's served by 20% per year through superior service. To develop a sustainable start-up business.
Writing a catering business plan is the first step to starting a catering business.A business plan makes it easy to map out your catering business ideas and see these ideas become a reality.. Key Takeaway - The catering business is about proper and adequate preparation. From planning a menu to preparing meals for social events, there are several things to prepare for and take into account.
2.4 Target of the Company. In this how to start a catering company sample business plans for catering companies we are enlisting the business targets set by Marlon Caterers. To reduce our customer acquisition cost by 20% by the end of five years. To keep our customer churn rate below 5% throughout our service years.
However, in a catering small business, you can not just simply create a sample menu according to your customer's budget.You need a food plan for outside or indoor reception and meals. If you are currently running a restaurant, adding catering services may increase your sales and provide more job opportunities for chefs and other professionals.
Catering Business Plan Samples Free. be-sy.org.uk The Catering Business Plan Simples Free presents a sample Catering Business Plan 2002- Introduction for Heeley City Farm Cafe. It also gives an insight into the history and formation of this Farm and Cafe mentioning its original aims.
Check out a free sample catering business plan in the Bplans sample business plan library to give you some insight on what to include. If you're not planning on seeking funding, consider putting together a Lean Business Plan instead. It's shorter by design, and it will help you make sure you've thought through all the critical aspects of ...
Wedding Catering Business Plan Template. Wedding Catering Business Plan template includes points such as executive summary, objectives and mission. It is targeted at progress of the business by adapting suitable plans and achieving business related goals. Download Now.
The company responsible for catering the Olympic Games is Sodexo Live, a subset of Sodexo. The parent corporation provides food services and facilities management in sectors such as higher education, government, healthcare, and business, and Sodexo Live focuses specifically on supplying locales like stadiums, arenas, and convention centers.