How To Start Catering Business In South Africa
What is Catering?
Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, filming site or studio, entertainment site, or event venue.
How To Start Catering Business In South Africa
Choose a speciality
Within the catering industry, there is a variety of specialities you could go into. Obviously, you should choose one that plays to your strengths and before adding to your service offering.
Start out by specialising in one or two catering strengths – preferably the ones that had you interested in starting your own company in the first place. Let’s say, for the love of all things sweet, that you want to specialise in catering for baking goodies. Create a baking recipe book in PDF and hard copy (you could eventually sell these on the side as well for extra cash), and start building your repertoire of baking recipes that you will use in your business.
Every catering company has a catering menu that they offer clients and this is how you start one. First, use personal recipes you’ve tried and tested. And then you can work on new ones while the business is flourishing. By the end of it, you’ll have baking and dessert recipes in PDF with a variety of food items for clients to place their bulk orders from.
Starting with this recipe inventory will also give you an idea of the type of equipment and supplies you’ll need to look for and finance once you get started.
Finance your equipment
Once you know what your speciality will be, the type of food you will be making and the size of events you want to cater to, you’ll be able to figure out what equipment you’ll need and how many of each appliance you’ll need to meet your proposed quotas.
Financing equipment for your business can be expensive, so don’t be hesitant to start out with smaller, more realistic, goals and then as your business succeeds, you’ll be able to afford more equipment and expand your services.
Find your suppliers
In order to have your Bar One cheesecake to taste exactly the same every time, you’re going to need to find reliable suppliers. They should be able to take one look at the ingredients on your dessert recipes PDFs and consistently provide you with the quality ingredients you need.
Your suppliers are your lifeline in catering and you need to secure them as early as possible, and build strong relationships with them. You also need to be certain that you are being offered the best quality at the best prices. It would be in your budget’s favour to find as many of your ingredients and accessories from an individual supplier as opposed to relying on multiple vendors and accounts.
Hire catering staff
The next thing you’re going to need is the catering staff to help you with your business venture. Unless you’re starting extremely small as a one-caterer-company, you could use the help to increase your capacity.
Through your staff, you’ll also find an opportunity to expand on your specialities as they would each bring new skills to the table.
Do competitive research
Before you open for business, you’re going to need to do some research against your competitors in the immediate and surrounding area. Find out what they offer, who their clients are, the types of events they cater for, their menus and their pricing.
If they’ve been in the business for a while, you can’t expect to charge the same rates as they do. And finding out what they offer on their menus and who their clients are isn’t to copy or steal business from them, it’s to see where you can step up. Researching competitors happens in all businesses and is how you set your company apart by offering what they don’t or catering to a niche market as opposed to a general one.
Build a brand and market your business
Lastly, you need to create a marketing strategy and build a brand. This means you’ll need a name, logo, a website and social media channels to start generating leads and marketing your business.
This doesn’t happen overnight, but as you start operating, it will become easier and you’ll have a clearer image of who your target audience and market are. And there you have it, your very own catering company.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much do I need to start a catering business in South Africa?
According to the pros, you should be prepared to budget $10,000 to $50,000 in startup costs for your catering company. Naturally, startup costs vary business to business. You’ll need to take into account your equipment, transportation, and marketing needs.
Do you need a license to sell food in South Africa?
If you are a hawker selling food and meals, which you take from place to place or sell from a vehicle, you need to have a licence. You will need to apply for a licence from the City’s Trade Licence Department. In addition, you will need to pay a once-off application fee.
Is catering business profitable in South Africa?
Starting a catering business in South Africa is very profitable. The food sector has been growing due to the growth of the tourism sector and an increase in income.
Can I cook at home and sell?
Cottage food laws vary among the states, and those interested in selling food from home should consult their local laws before launching their businesses. States also require home-based food business owners to have food-handlers permits, which typically requires a brief training course.
Is catering a career?
Catering is a fast-paced profession by its very nature. You should therefore be comfortable working under varying amounts of pressure. The hours could also change depending up the event that you are hosting. So, flexibility is key if you hope to develop a full-time position.
Is catering a good business in South Africa?
A wide range of social and business events are providing an opportunity for caterers to cook up tasty dishes and delicious profits. In fact, social catering has seen some of the strongest growth in the overall food-service industry in recent years, and that trend is expected to continue