10 Ideas For Starting A Food Business While You're Still In School
Starting your own food business while you’re still in school can seem like an impossible feat if you’ve never run one before, but it’s not as difficult as it seems. Here are 10 ideas for food businesses that you can start on the side or bring with you after graduation, whether you have little startup capital or are just looking to make some extra cash during your free time. Plus, by starting your own food business, you’ll be expanding your horizons and learning valuable business skills along the way.
1) Restaurant
Believe it or not, you can start a restaurant even without owning property. Many of America’s best-known restaurants are housed in containers that are moved from place to place. The quality of food will likely be better than fast food chains, and you’ll get to control all aspects of your business because you won’t have any shareholders interfering with your decisions. But opening a restaurant isn’t easy—and if you don’t know what you’re doing, failure is almost guaranteed. There are many hidden costs when starting a restaurant—for example, buying tables and chairs can add up quickly—so make sure you take those into account before jumping into this type of business. You might also want to consider partnering with someone who has experience running restaurants if opening one on your own seems too risky.
2) Takeout / Delivery Service
With an average of 2.3 million students studying away from home at any given time, running a takeaway or delivery service is sure to be popular among those who want their Mom’s cooking or their favorite takeout on-the-go. If you’re not fussy about what cuisine you serve and are willing to let other people do most of the work (prep and delivery), it’s a great business idea for students. Make sure you get your local authority permits first, though!
3) Personal Chef
Being a personal chef is a fantastic way to start off in food business. Personal chefs cook meals for their clients, who are often busy professionals who don’t have time to prepare or shop for food themselves. Being a personal chef allows you to cook using your own style and creativity, while also giving you experience that will be great when you start your own restaurant or other food-related business.
5) Online Store
One of your best options for starting a food business is to set up an online store. Whether you’re making cookies, cupcakes or granola bars, there are plenty of options for making an online store and marketing your products. Some free e-commerce platforms include Big Cartel, Shopify and Squarespace. Be sure to check out your local state requirements for selling baked goods from home as some states have more stringent requirements than others. If you want to get started quickly, try using a premade template like these ones available on Etsy.
4) Food Truck
With so many options available today, there’s no easier way to get into business than with a food truck. Your truck can pull up at local hot spots or corporate events and instantly provide a crowd-pleasing option for hungry customers. If you want to go all out, you can even hire staff to run your mobile kitchen while you focus on marketing and branding. (See also: How To Start A Food Truck)
8) Grocery List Apps or Services
Grocery list apps, and online grocery services are great business ideas for students who want to get a jump start on their careers while they are still in school. There are several sites that provide all you need to create your own custom grocery list. You can then share or print your lists with friends, family, co-workers or even customers. Your starting point could be as simple as asking a parent, spouse or friend to compile their grocery list on your behalf! The more people you ask to help out, the better off you will be. The more people using your service, means more potential clients for your business. Remember: it’s always easier to gain new clients than it is to try and convert an existing client into a repeat customer. This is especially true when trying to convince someone they need something they don’t already have (i.e., if someone doesn’t already have a list of groceries handy).
6) Frozen Meals
College is expensive. Money is already tight, and food costs can be one of your biggest expenses. You’ll be busy with classes, projects, clubs and social activities so it’s essential to find meals that can be prepared quickly. If you’re going to prepare a meal from scratch, chances are you won’t have time to do it every day or even more than once a week.
7) Meal Preparation Service
Organize a meal preparation service that picks up dinner from your restaurant, grocery store or farmers’ market and delivers it to customers. It can be as simple as an order-online, pick-up-at-the-door program; you can also offer full meals based on recipes you purchase through a software application.
9) Catered Events
Whether you’re an amateur chef or don’t know your way around a kitchen, catered events are a fun and easy way to make money. On campus and off, you can offer your services for birthday parties, weddings, office celebrations, and more. If you have a sweet tooth, consider offering your services for dessert buffets. To expand your catering horizons beyond college check out sites like Allcatering to find upcoming gigs in your area. The easiest way to get started? Ask friends and family if they need help with any upcoming events!
10) Prepared Lunch Packages
Making lunch for yourself, or a group of people, can be one of the most time-consuming things you do on any given day. And getting together to order in can be pretty expensive too. Preparing your own lunch packs and selling them through online marketplaces, or even on your own website, can be a great way to save time and money while boosting your income. It’s also an easy business idea that requires very little startup capital. The key is to offer something unique (that’s why it’s important not to rely on just a pre-made meal kit). If you have some experience cooking, try making something homemade and then packaging it up nicely with some fresh ingredients.