If you have had enough of your nine-to-five job and have decided to be your own boss for a change – then have you considered catering vans and starting your very own mobile catering business
Well, good for you because you possibly have a very rewarding and profitable experience ahead of you. The first step is of course to narrow down on what you plan to sell to your customers.
There are a myriad of business types to choose from for your catering van, making the decision that much more difficult.
Add to that the common knowledge that this aspect should not be taken lightly as the strength of this decision could either make or break your business and you indeed have a great deal of pressure on your head. If you possess special culinary skills in a certain niche you would be tempted at planning your catering business around that. Now while that is probably a good idea, other factors like the popularity of that food, the ease of preparation, storage convenience etc. should be given an equal amount of consideration before the final decision is made.
A good percentage of customers of catering vans tend to be office-goers who are too busy to make their own lunches and rely on these mobile businesses to cater to their daily needs. Hence a sandwich van is one of the most popular choices of entrepreneurs looking to start up a mobile catering business. The key to this niche is to stay one step ahead of the competition by offering a good deal variety in your menu with respect to fillings. Customers nowadays expect more than just the regular ham and cheese sandwich. There is an increased demand for low-calorie, low carb choices too.
The Englishman’s obsession with fish n chips continues as it remains arguably the most popular dish in the UK even today (along with chicken tikka masala of course). Hence you can certainly banish any doubts you may have regarding the popularity of your product when you set up your mobile catering business around this niche. Do keep in mind though that competition in this segment is extremely cut-throat and you need to really work hard to get noticed.
Another option out there is the ice cream van. However do keep in mind there are a number of pitfalls associated with this business, some of it being that it is more of a seasonal business and that their popularity is being over-taken by supermarkets.
These are just some of the ways to go. The choices are of course limitless; let your imagination go wild and you are sure to come up countless more ideas for catering van businesses – from hog roast or a barbeque business to a mobile coffee or liqueur bar.