Britain loves to celebrate – whatever the weather!
Whether it's a birthday party, office event, family gathering or some other type of celebration, we're always on the lookout for high quality catering services to make sure our events are a roaring success.
Do you know how to organise a successful event – or are you willing to learn? Are you a people person? Can you provide exceptional customer service? Want to have more control over setting your schedule? Do have a passion and/or desire for running your own catering franchise? If the answers to these questions are a resounding yes, becoming your own boss with a catering franchise could be just a click away!
The UK Catering Services Industry
Here are some interesting facts about the general UK catering services industry below, per IBISWorld:
- The catering services industry in the UK is the 14th ranked accommodation and food service activities industry by market size, and the 363rd largest in the UK.
- The size of the catering market, measured by revenue, of the catering services industry is £1.1bn.
- In 2022, the market size of the catering services industry is expected to increase 165.3%. The rise is expected from the easing of restrictions leading to more corporate functions, weddings, and other private parties.
Catering franchises deliver, set up, and sometimes serve food for groups of people at parties or events. Catering franchises offer many different solutions depending on the size of the party or the nature of the event, from corporate gatherings to family reunions, weddings, graduations, or other types of get-togethers. Researchers have noted that in the face of government restrictions, some industry members shifted their services towards providing catering services to government-organised events, hospitals and care homes over the course of the past couple of years (Bakery franchises in particular have had success with this model).
A growing area with the catering franchise industry is food trucks, and other mobile vehicles. While traditional caterers bring food, set it out on tables, and possibly serve the food, food trucks bring their whole kitchen to the party in a convenient mobile space.
Food trucks were already a growing segment, essentially serving as stand-alone restaurants that can change their location by the day. Now, they are rolling into parties and events with the same street food that people love, providing even more convenience and showing how versatile this delivery method can be.
Advantages of a Catering Franchise over Independent Operation
People buy into franchises for many different reasons. Suppose you are enthusiastic about owning your own business, but can’t quite come up with a business idea of your own.
Or, maybe, you know exactly what you want to do, but the idea of doing all of the legwork in setting of a business – such as brand development, writing a business plan, learning the rules and regulations of the industry, finding how to supplement your existing skills in the area, figuring out marketing, etc. – makes your head spin.
In either case, franchising may be the best method for making your dreams come true.
When you invest in a franchise, you take on the methods of a business that (1) understands its established target market, and (2) has proven itself profitable and sustainable. These are two of the primary reasons many people find the prospect of a driving franchise very attractive.
Independent companies that go into business without the support of an established partner often struggle to penetrate the market. They often misunderstand what their customers want and how to fulfill that desire. It can take a long time, along with trial and error, for an independent company to get their service offering right.
On the other hand, franchises tend to enjoy more immediate success because the parent company has done their market research. The franchisor has spent time developing their services and products to meet the standards expected by their customers.
When you invest in a catering franchise, you inherit not only the immediately recognizable branding of the parent company but the tried-and-tested business model focused on a client base who already know and love their products. The franchisor has also already worked out recipes as well as, typically, an existing supply chain and vendors that already know what the business needs. You also take on the parent company’s hard-earned reputation—and reputations are hard to build in the marketplace.
Your franchise parent company usually will also provide a training package for you and your employees to ensure that you can maintain their hard-earned reputation. In addition to training, many franchise partners offer a range of business support functions, including HR assistance and help in your business and employment regulation compliance.
Further, franchisors tend to set their franchises up in territories they have faith the business will succeed in. After all, their ultimate success is dependent on the success of their franchisees.
What You Should Seek When Choosing a Catering Franchise
When deciding which franchise to invest in, you should compare how much and what types of support the franchisors offer on an initial and ongoing basis. The most common services offered by the franchisor include but are not limited to the following:
- Advertising and marketing strategy
- Advice and business support from headquarters
- Assistance in choosing and developing the franchise location
- A well-known brand name
- Management training
- Operating manuals
- Quality food standards
- Research and development of new foods and services
With a recognisable brand name and logo, high-quality signage, and other support materials provided by the franchisor, you will be able to focus your efforts on the everyday aspects of running the business. This includes staffing and managing the company and ordering supplies, and selling and passing on the product.
It’s important to remember that even with the guidance and support, franchises are independently-owned businesses. Therefore, whether your catering franchise is a success or failure is based entirely on you and your ability to run the company.