When you’re setting up a catering van, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement that beginning a new business brings. The long hours and the hundreds of jobs that need doing can feel overwhelming, but you often get the energy you need from the buzz and excitement of making those early months a success.
All too often, however, it can be easy to overlook some of the basics when you’re putting so much energy in to getting things working day by day. So as a quick reminder, here are 4 things to get right when you set up a catering van.
Menu Options
When setting up a catering van, it’s essential to focus on a specific type of cuisine, like burgers, pizza, or Thai street food. While it may be tempting to offer a wide range of dishes, sticking to a smaller, focused menu is more profitable. Offering a few key, popular items from a particular cuisine allows you to streamline your stock, reduce waste, and purchase ingredients in bulk for better pricing. Opt for dishes that share ingredients, even if the dishes themselves are different, to maximise efficiency and cut costs.
Supplier Research
You should also make sure that you research your suppliers and take your time and get your supply chains as streamlined and as reliable as possible. Your catering van business can’t flourish if you don’t have access to the stock you need, so building up long-lasting relationships with suppliers is a sensible plan. Developing these relationships also means that you are able to get the best deals you can on the products you need, and also that if problems arise on either side, they can be resolved in an environment of trust rather than uncertainty. Sometimes you need all the certainty you can get!
Factor in Running Costs
The other mistake that catering van owners often make is to neglect to factor in the running costs they’ll encounter in the prices of the products they sell. You’ve got to add enough of a surplus to your mark-up to take account of expenses like staffing and supplies but also those hidden expenses like fuel, maintenance and wear.
Catering Van Insurance
And finally, one of the most crucial aspects of running a catering van business is having the right insurance coverage. Catering van operations come with unique risks, from equipment breakdowns to food safety concerns and accidents on the road. Without proper insurance, you could face significant financial losses in the event of an incident. It’s important to get coverage that includes public liability, vehicle insurance, equipment protection, and business interruption insurance. This ensures you’re protected from unexpected costs and can focus on delivering great food to your customers, knowing you’re covered in case of emergencies.
In Conclusion
Running a catering van is a wonderful and fulfilling challenge, but it’s so much easier to enjoy it and concentrate on creating a great product when you know you’ve got the basics under control.
For more information about the kind of catering insurance that’s right for you, or to get the best advice available, visit Catering Van Insurance
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