​How to start up a successful takeaway food business

Although the Covid pandemic has been hugely challenging for most businesses, it has also created opportunities for others that have sought to take advantage of changing customer behaviours and trends and to launch socially distanced start-ups such as takeaways.

Many business analysts think that the trend for takeaway food will continue to be strong even when social-distancing and Covid restrictions are completely lifted, especially with so many local and independent start-ups now offering delicious food of all kinds, available to customers' doors at any time of day!

This trend has also been accelerated by platforms such as Uber and Deliveroo which allow local businesses to advertise their takeaway offerings to a large potential audience, automating the ordering process and making it easier to run an online food business.

So if you are considering starting up your own food business, what do you need to think about?

Find premises

You will need a safe, effective commercial-grade kitchen that can handle your takeaway orders, prepare them for delivery and meet your expected capacity.

Create a business plan

You may already be thinking about the practicalities of things such as takeaway coffee cups and takeaway food containers, but step back and think about your business plan first. What is your niche market going to be? The Guardian reports that vegan takeaway sales grew by over 350% between 2016 and 2018 for example. Will plant-based food be your speciality? Or perhaps a particular cuisine? (Sri Lankan food was the Good Food hot choice for 2019). Will you be advertising yourself as a green and ethical business, using recyclable products and bike deliveries? What is your marketing strategy? How will you source and price your products? These are all key questions to answer.

Get the training you need

Free business training is widely available to entrepreneurs because it is subsidised by the government. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce or college as a good starting point to see what is available.

Register your business for tax

Your business name will need to be registered and you will need to be registered as a legal entity with HMRC to pay tax.

Register with your local authority

It is also important to know the law with regard to health and safety. You must register your business with the local authority 28 days before you are due to open so that they can carry out an inspection. You'll also need a Food Hygiene Certificate. Remember that platforms such as Uber Eats require a high rating before they accept takeaway businesses, and environmental health can visit you at any time, even after you pass your inspection.

Get insured

You'll need a range of business insurances to protect your business, your customers and any employees you might take on. This can include public liability insurance, product liability insurance and employer's liability insurance. A specialist broker will be able to advise you.

Find your suppliers

You will need suppliers to provide everything from your ingredients to your packaging - such as takeaway coffee cups and takeaway food containers. When looking at items such as takeaway food boxes, focus on the environmental aspect as well as the price. If customers see you using recyclable takeaway food boxes, they will see your brand in a more positive light. Wares of Knutsford sells takeaway coffee cups, takeaway food containers and takeaway food boxes of different sizes, and at excellent prices - with extra unit cost discounts if you buy in bulk. Naturally, our products are of the quality that you need for commercial purposes so check out our range online!

Engage your customers

Social media is the obvious way to go for modern customer engagement and marketing, but you'll also need to have a website, possibly an app, signage if you have any physical customer premises and possibly print materials too. Remember factors including delivery bags, takeaway coffee cups and takeaway food containers which you may want to have customised with your brand. Consider PPC marketing, SEO and other forms of digital marketing, using a specialist agency or marketing freelancer if necessary.

Get reviews

It's important to be registered for local search with Google and to integrate your website or social media presence with a trusted review platform - try Trusted Reviews for example. This is because customers will inevitably read feedback and scores from other customers to decide whether or not to use your business.

Launch with a bang!

Run a special promotion when you open your food takeaway - such as a discount, some freebies, some cupcakes or something else quirky and relevant to your audience. Contact local press to get a mention in publications and business pages and encourage viral sharing with videos, images and content that can easily be shared via social media, phone or email.

With a strong business plan, tons of hard work and focus, you can build a thriving, successful takeaway business and realise your dreams of being an entrepreneur!