Have you been wanting to start your food business and decided that it’s finally time? Are you thinking of ways to pivot your current business or add a stream of income? If this is you, I have 2 suggestions on how to get started on your food business right now.
- Start an online store.
Shopping online has been on an upward trend in the recent years. Especially with everything going on in our world today I think it may be the preferred way to shop. If you have a product that’s shippable, an online store is a great idea!
Our restaurant, Ninong’s Cafe, started our online store a couple years ago. When we had to close our dine-in operation I was so glad that we had products that we could ship to our customers. One signature product, our Ube Pancakes, was something we could sell as a mix so we could ship to our customers.
It was great timing since we observed that people still wanted to eat great food but they needed to prepare it at home. Because of this our online store has been much busier than it has ever been before. - Take preorders and deliver or set pick up dates.
This is really great if you are on a budget. If you want to limit the amount of investment and waste, I definitely recommend preorders. The great thing is you know exactly how much you need to make so you can buy supplies accordingly. - Do a pop up.
This might be the most expensive route because you may have to rent space or equipment. And, you don’t know how much or little to prepare. But the great thing about pop ups is you can be mobile and visit different cities. This can help you with market research on where you can open a future brick and mortar location.
It’s also the closest thing to having a brick and mortar operation, so it can help you prepare for when you move into your own space. Honestly, sometimes doing a pop up is way more difficult than having a storefront.
Another great thing about doing pop ups is you get to creat in person relationships and talk to your customers to get valuable feedback.
These are just a few ideas on how to get your business started relatively quickly. Of course, make sure you get all necessary permits and certifications. If you want to get started I definitely encourage you to think outside the box, leverage your resources, and don’t be afraid to get creative! You can do 1 or all 3 of these ideas!
If there’s any piece of advice I can give you it’s about progress not perfection. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, try, and improve as you go!
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