In most offices there is little provision for lunch time.
Therefore people in such commercial areas grapple to find food vendors close to
place of work.
Regular lunch breaks in such establishment range between
30 minutes to 1 hour. Due to strenuous working hours many office workers fail
to pack a meal before setting out to the office.
The office delivery service provides this all important
stop gap service. Entrepreneurs interested in starting the business require
moderate startup capital and serious logistics.
Communication, transportation and legislation's are the
only difficulty in this type of trade. To succeed you need to develop
interesting menus and an effective market strategy.
Things
to Consider
Before starting the venture there are a few things to
consider. Important considerations include who is your customer demography,
frequency of delivery and transportation cost. Others are company registration,
start-up fund, kitchen equipment's and certification.
- Customer demography
- Frequency of delivery
- Distance
- Transportation cost
- Company registration
- Food Health and Safety certification
- Startup fund
- Kitchen equipment's
Location
The best location for the business is a commercial area. Close
proximity to office complex is a great advantage. This will effectively reduce
transportation costs and delivery time.
Choose a maximum operational distance not exceeding 20 km
from kitchen. If you work from home you need a separate kitchen.
Alternatively lease a small supply store fitted with a
commercial kitchen. You could offer meals on the premises while supplying to office
workers. Make sure the small eatery is visible with adequate parking.
Related: Indian Restaurant Business Plan
Hire
Staff
The types of staff you need are dispatch drivers, cooks
and service girls. You also need a cleaner, cashier and marketer. A small scale
entrepreneur can carry out multiple tasks to reduce number of staff and
overhead costs.
Obtain
Financing
The amount of money required depends on the scope of your
operation. You need funds to buy motorcycle or delivery van.
Other fund requirements are wholesale purchase of raw
materials and packaging items. Try targets saving, small loans, borrow from
friends and leverage on a partnership arrangement.
Startup
Costs
Startup costs include purchase of vehicle, rent, fixtures
and inventory. Others include staff wages, marketing, website, office supplies
and legal documents. More are tracking software, reusable items, kitchenware
and point of sale system.
- Purchase of transportation
- Rent
- Fixtures
- Inventory
- Staff wages
- Marketing
- Website
- Office supplies
- Legal documents
- Tracking software
- Reusable items
- Kitchenware
- Point of sale
Transportation
You can’t run a delivery service without adequate
transportation. The most effective mode of transportation is motorcycle or
bicycle.
You also need a small van for large orders or party
functions. You could lease the vehicles or purchase new/used vehicles and
refurbish.
Related:
Start a Sushi Restaurant
Create
a Menu List
You need to careful create a good menu list. Carry out a
survey of your customers to determine what they prefer.
Your menu list should contain fruits, vegetables, whole
meals, meats, and snacks. Others include sandwiches, full meals, breads, and
wraps.
Put much thought into your menu list and keep it simple,
short and enticing. Make sure you have all the ingredients at hand and
streamline your operate towards efficiency.
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole meals
- Meats
- Snacks
- Sandwiches
- Breads
- Wraps
Find
Regular Suppliers
Food delivery service businesses need to purchase food
ingredients and operational items in bulk. Common items bought are grain,
fruits, vegetables, edible oils and processed ingredients.
You also require regular supply of cooking gas, food
containers and foils. Purchase directly for farms, wholesalers or major
retailers in your area. Try to avoid buying from the open market unless in an
emergency.
Food
Packaging
Packaging is important in the food delivery business.
Choose either plastic containers, cardboard's, Styrofoam or other recyclable
material.
Purchase the packaging in bulk to reduce item costs. Make
sure your packaging is attractive and easily handled.
The food or snacks should reach the destination warm.
Therefore use aluminum foil wrappers to maintain the foods heat.
Stews, sauces and soup are packaged in transparent
plastic containers with lids. Additional items are based on the type of food
ordered. Common additions are plastic spoons, forks, napkins and toothpicks.
- Plastic containers
- Cardboard's
- Styrofoam
- Recyclable material
- Aluminum foil wrappers
- Transparent containers with lid
- Plastic spoons
- Forks
- Napkins
- Toothpicks
- Nylon bag
Licensing
and Permission
You need license to operate a food delivery service.
There are strict food and safety rules and kitchen inspection before
certification.
The food handler and chef need health certification and
clearance for ailments such as hepatitis. Register the enterprise as a sole
proprietorship business.
You need a trade license, health insurance cover and
employer tax identification number. These requirements apply to both home and
restaurant food suppliers. Your business has to comply with food safety legislation's.
- Food handlers health certification
- Incorporate the Business
- Trade license
- Health insurance cover
- Employer tax identification number
- Comply with food safety legislation's.
Write
a Workplace Lunch delivery Business plan
Write a comprehensive business plan and focus on meals,
transportation and marketing. The plan should cover company incorporation,
legalities and future goals. Notify your states heath department and pass a
health and safety inspection.
Food
Delivery Plan
A food delivery plan should cover the type of service on
offer. You could device a single customer plan, two persons, discounted or
family plan. Other delivery plans are monthly delivery, yearly, single day or
party plan.
- Two Person
- Discount Group Plan
- Package
- Family plan
- Weekly plan
- Single day plan
- Monthly Plan
- Yearly Plan
- Party Plan
Related Food Delivery Business Ideas
Marketing
Workplace delivery business requires serious marketing to
reach potential customers. Build a website and choose a host plan/domain name
for your site.
Makes sure the site is attractive and targeted to your
preferred demography. Include high definition images of your food including
prices and time schedules.
Use social media and keywords to drive traffic to your
website. Try paid/free classified websites, online yellow pages and
directories.
Offer discounts to repeat customers and hold community
programs. Use local newspaper advertisement including catchy radio programs.
Distribute handbills, use sign boards and billboards. You
can launch an email campaign or try guest posts in local food sites.
How
to Start an Office Food Delivery Service
- Identify your target market
- Write a business plan
- Estimate start-up cost
- Obtain financing
- Locate suppliers
- Lease a retail space
- Hire employees
- Design a website
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