What to consider when starting a food or drink business

Starting any new enterprise requires financial planning and a marketing strategy.

If you're launching a start-up food and drink business, however, you've also got to get on top of safety, labelling and certification and develop an appealing product.

Don't know where to begin? In this blog, we break it down into manageable chunks, with advice from people who have been there, done that and learned from the experience.

1. Write a business plan

The key to a successful food and drink business lies in getting everything right at the beginning.

And the way to do that is to develop a business plan that will give you a sense of direction and prioritise your first steps.

Done right, your business plan will guide your new business towards being both profitable and sustainable.

It should outline your goals, strategies and financial targets, which will make it an invaluable asset for attracting investors and securing finance later.

Some important aspects of your business plan include the following:

• Defining your food concept: This involves determining what type of food and/or drink you'll offer, your style of service, and the core values that will set the business apart from its competitors.

• Identifying the target market: Appealing to potential customers means knowing who they are! You should research the demographics, preferences and behaviours of your target audience.

• Developing a marketing strategy: A good marketing strategy will allow you to build a loyal customer base, increase sales, and enhance brand awareness.

• Choosing a location: Where your business is based is another essential ingredient in the recipe for success.

  Selecting the ideal spot for the business will depend on many factors, such as accessibility, foot traffic, competition, and the cost of renting or buying premises.

• Laying out your budget: This section outlines the costs of starting up, your operating expenses and your cash flow projections, providing a clear picture of the finances.

• Planning to hire staff: You need to decide what type of employees you'll need, the hiring process you'll follow, and what salaries and benefits you'll offer.

Business plan support

• Guide: Our guide to writing a business plan takes you through how to create your own business plan and includes a detailed template for you to follow.

• Webinar: Woolf's Kitchen founder Dominique Woolf explains how to start and grow a successful food business – from conducting thorough research to understanding your market category to gain a competitive edge.

• Expert adviser: Vhari Russell has years of food industry experience and is obsessed with helping producers get the sales, profile and coverage they deserve.

  Book a discovery call with Vhari to find out how she can help your business to start planning.

2. Get on top of the finance basics

Start by asking yourself some basic questions.

• Are you going to be a limited company?

• Do you need to be VAT-registered?

• Do you need an accountant?

At this stage, most accountants will be willing to have an exploratory call to advise you on what you need to do, so call around. You can search for experts on Enterprise Nation.

How are you going to fund your business?

Many food start-ups begin as side hustle ideas and establish themselves as cottage industries first.

If you go for this approach, it may be slower, but it allows you to juggle the business with a part-time job to help pay the bills while you're testing the concept.

Will you need to attract investors to help you scale up? If so, work on getting your brand established now so you have a strong pitch.

Funding support

• Guide: Explore what funding options are available and how to raise money for your start-up.

• Webinar: Crowdfunder Danielle Wallington takes you through how to run a rewards-based crowdfunding campaign and why the pre-launch is more important than the campaign itself.

• Expert adviser: Unsure which funding option is best for your small business? Joe Hartman can help you decide – and find what you need. Book a discovery call with Joe to get started.

3. Calculate your costs and pricing

It's critical to understand what your selling price needs to be to make a profit and whether your selling price fits your target market once you've built in retailers' margins.

Take time to cost out all your expenses. It's likely you'll need to rent commercial space to develop your product – do your homework on what's available in your area as costs can vary greatly.

Then factor in all the additional costs – transport and distribution, ingredients and packaging, your time or a labour cost, plus marketing and branding overheads.

VIDEO: Seven steps to a successful food business

Karen Green, the Food Mentor, goes through the seven steps her clients have taken to grow their sales and increase profitability.

They include developing strong branding, knowing their numbers, and having the right team in place to take them to the next level.

4. Research your customers and market

Build a clear profile of who your customers are and what they want. This will allow you to make decisions about your brand based on evidence and understanding, rather than guesswork or generalisations.

Retailers will expect to see proof that there's demand for your products and that consumers like your brand. Consequently, you need to know your customers inside out so you can tailor your product to that audience.

Brand strategy consultant Sandeep Das suggested a range of ways to research your target audience:

• Consulting with family and friends

• Attending networking groups and joining start-up communities

• Reading relevant trade and industry publications

• Attending themed conferences

• Keeping abreast of trends and reading research papers

• Conducting expert interviews, consultations and informal conversations

• Following and connecting with influencers on social media

• Using surveys to identify the size of your target group and the scale of the problem your product aims to address

You'll also need to get a clear picture of what's happening in your marketplace, what your competitors are doing and how their pricing stacks up against your plans.

Market research support

• Blog: Not sure how to get started with your market research? This blog on carrying out research and testing your product will help.

• Webinar: In this session, business adviser Juliet Ukpabio Archibong discusses how breaking into a new market can be an opportunity for growth and innovation, and explains how to develop a powerful and authentic presence in any market.

• Expert adviser: Vhari Russell, lifelong foodie and founder of Food Marketing Expert, will leave no stone unturned when it comes to researching your product or idea. Book a free discovery call with her now.

5. Sort out manufacturing and certification

Even if you're making products in your kitchen, start thinking about how to scale up the volume, as well as keeping to the law and following basic food hygiene procedures.

Bonnie Joplin from SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) says:

"Commercial food business premises may be a daunting step for some, but it's often necessary once sales start to reach a certain level.

"Operating from physical customer-facing premises can also help build a venture's credibility and it's usually a requirement for trade customers."

Many food operations start in production kitchens, which allow you to pay an hourly or daily rate to work in a professional kitchen.

They'll have all the relevant approvals in place so you can move up without having to commit to production runs.

If you're looking to outsource manufacturing straight away, The Association for Contract Manufacturing, Packing, Fulfilment & Logistics can put you in touch with partners.

If you have plans to target larger retailers, look at getting an appropriate body to certify your production site to prove that your food is safe and legal.

SALSA runs an approval scheme which helps local food producers sell to national and regional buyers.

This is usually the best bet in the beginning as it's only granted to suppliers who can demonstrate to an auditor that they produce safe and legal food.

6. Develop a strong USP

Building a strong USP (unique selling point) is critical in helping you target your consumers effectively and in getting your product listed.

Jo Densley of Relish Marketing says:

"Even with a fantastic product, you need a point of difference if you're going to persuade retailers to list your brand.

"Remember that you're competing for space on their shelves against numerous other brands. It doesn't have to be revolutionary.

"Just a point of difference that means something to your consumers, a story to get the retailers to listen and see potential."

You'll stand a much better chance of getting your product listed if you're clear about how the USP ties in with your consumer research and can show there's demand for your product.

7. Design your packaging

When it comes to food products, packaging isn't just about creating something that looks good and sells your brand and its values – it also has to be safe.

What type of packaging requirements do you need to tick off to make sure your product is safe and legal? If you're not sure, you may need help from a packaging technologist.

The type of packaging you choose could also affect what shelf life you can give your products. And it will need to protect your product through your sales channels, whether that's online, wholesale or direct to retail.

Even if you're currently selling direct to the customer at fairs and markets, think about these aspects now, so you're ready to grow your business when the time is right.

8. Know your labelling requirements

As Julian Abel, co-founder of Nowt Poncy, explains:

"You'll need to understand the essentials of food labelling, food laws, allergen laws, font point size and branding.

"It's an incredibly steep learning curve, but if you learn how to do it all yourself, it pays in the long-term."

Avoid copying label information from products similar to yours or you could end up in a sticky situation when they don't meet legal requirements.

It's worth speaking to a food technologist or food officers from your local trading standards department to check that you comply with regulations.

Consider what your customer base is likely to want to see. For example, if your product is aimed at the health market, providing nutritional information that's easy to read will be crucial.

9. Work out your shelf life and buy a barcode

To find out how to get your product shelf-life tested, contact your local environmental health officer. Their details will be available on your local council website under "Environmental health".

To begin with, you could try going for a slightly shorter shelf life than that of an established competitor, then amend it when you get the definitive answer from your own lab tests.

Before you think about doing business with supermarkets, you need barcodes for your products. The leading supermarkets and retailers all mandate the GS1 Global Trade Item Number as the product identifier you need for your barcodes, so make sure you go to an authorised supplier such as GS1 UK.

Luckily, these are quick and easy to get – the barcode image will be sent to you by email then you can provide it to your packaging designer.

10. Think about distribution channels

You may be selling directly to customers at farmers' markets or via food stalls at fairs, but make sure you consider the different distribution channels you would like to use in future.

If you're thinking of using a wholesale distributor, do your research now and build their margin in at your initial costing stage. This way you can see whether your brand will be profitable in the long term.

This may seem daunting, but the increased volume will eventually bring down all your other costs. And, using a wholesaler will also save you time and money on chasing payments, handling orders and invoicing.

11. Write a marketing plan

You'll need to raise awareness of your brand, build relationships with potential customers and demonstrate to retailers that you're driving your own sales and that there's demand for your product.

Make sure your plan includes your approach to:

• social media

• blogging

• your website and newsletter

• media and PR

• food fairs, trade shows and tastings

Marketing support

People eat first with their eyes, so social media is perhaps the easiest way to get your food brand out there. A solid social media strategy will help you reach new audiences.

• Guide: Discover how social media tools can help you to plan, monitor and manage your social media.

• Webinar: Learn effective techniques for creating attention-grabbing headlines, engaging visuals and persuasive ad copy in your social media posts in this social media top tips webinar.

Relevant resources

• How to open a café: A 10-step guide

• Starting a food business: What's your niche?

• How to create a street food concept

Looking to break into the food industry?

Imagine owning a successful food business, attracting loyal customers and watching your passion turn into a thriving enterprise. With our guide, this dream can become a reality. Get started with our free guide