If you want to go into the food business like running a canteen, but you are not sure if it is right for you, you may want to start at home because of the minimal capital requirement and you have the flexibility to expand later.
Here are some points raised in the September 2006 issue of the Entrepreneur Magazine that you may want to consider:
Capital
The food that you want to serve and your business's concept would determine how much you would need to set it up. You have to factor in you fixtures, your cooking equipment, and your marketing expenses. For this, you would probably need about PhP 50,000.00, especially if you're serving fish dishes.
Materials
Aside from your raw ingredients, you would need cooking stoves, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, cookware, dishware, utensils, glasses, plastic and steel containers and a blackboard to announce the day's menu, among others. Because you are starting from home, you would do well to canvas prices and items in Divisoria, especially the chairs, plywood, casseroles, plates, and cutlery that you would need. For ingredients, Divisoria, the public market in Moonwalk, Las Piñas, Macro and Puregold are just some of the best bets for price and quality.
Workforce
You can start by yourself or with help from family members. As the business grows, you can hire workers.
Process
Love cooking. If you don't know how to cook, ask an expert to teach you, or better yet, invest in culinary course. There are a number of culinary schools you can enroll in. If you have not manage a canteen before, acquire experience by working for someone else's canteen. Study the food industry from books, the Internet, or observe what others are doing. Study your market and competition. Find your niche and adjust your price. Start small and build your business as your market grows.
Marketing
A good way to start is by installing an attractive signage by the canteen's entrance. Distribute flyers in your village or community, post an announcement at the church bulletin board, or have your family members help spread the word. It works better than you wold expect.
Known Problems and Risks
Male sure that you are aware of some of the problems faced by other canteen operators and be prepared to deal with them on your own terms. Some of the most common problems are:
Here are some points raised in the September 2006 issue of the Entrepreneur Magazine that you may want to consider:
Capital
The food that you want to serve and your business's concept would determine how much you would need to set it up. You have to factor in you fixtures, your cooking equipment, and your marketing expenses. For this, you would probably need about PhP 50,000.00, especially if you're serving fish dishes.
Materials
Aside from your raw ingredients, you would need cooking stoves, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, cookware, dishware, utensils, glasses, plastic and steel containers and a blackboard to announce the day's menu, among others. Because you are starting from home, you would do well to canvas prices and items in Divisoria, especially the chairs, plywood, casseroles, plates, and cutlery that you would need. For ingredients, Divisoria, the public market in Moonwalk, Las Piñas, Macro and Puregold are just some of the best bets for price and quality.
Workforce
You can start by yourself or with help from family members. As the business grows, you can hire workers.
ProcessLove cooking. If you don't know how to cook, ask an expert to teach you, or better yet, invest in culinary course. There are a number of culinary schools you can enroll in. If you have not manage a canteen before, acquire experience by working for someone else's canteen. Study the food industry from books, the Internet, or observe what others are doing. Study your market and competition. Find your niche and adjust your price. Start small and build your business as your market grows.
Marketing
A good way to start is by installing an attractive signage by the canteen's entrance. Distribute flyers in your village or community, post an announcement at the church bulletin board, or have your family members help spread the word. It works better than you wold expect.
Known Problems and Risks
Male sure that you are aware of some of the problems faced by other canteen operators and be prepared to deal with them on your own terms. Some of the most common problems are:
- Habitual absentees among workers
- Habitual borrowers among workers (those that ask for salary advances)
- Clients buying on credit
- Temptation to expand even if you are not yet ready
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