Take Your Catering Business to the Next Level: What Type of Catering is Best for Your Business

From lavish weddings to small birthday parties, corporate meetings to holiday celebrations, there is no shortage of opportunities caterers can take advantage of to scale their profits and expand into the market.

As a result, deciding on the best catering for your business can be a bit overwhelming, considering the sheer number of routes one can take.

In this post, we’ll cover the most prominent types of catering to help you determine which path best suits your short- and long-term plans.

1) Corporate catering

Catering businesses that venture into the corporate world should expect to provide food to various business events, including training sessions, corporate parties, meetings, conferences, lunches and more. This path is better suited to caterers who can produce platters, buffets, boxed lunches, morning and afternoon teas and other simple food items.

Pros:

• Corporate catering is in high demand throughout the year, leaving little downtime.
• Clients are likely to hire you again for future events if you deliver excellent service.

Cons:

• High demand also means increased competition. Expect to race against local cafes and other local caterers.
• Limited food options. If you prioritise creativity over anything else, this may not be the route for you.

2) Event catering

Event catering businesses will serve gatherings, including weddings, birthdays, receptions, baby showers, corporate functions and more.

Event catering typically extends beyond food and beverages, and can also include on-site staff such as chefs and waitstaff, equipment rental, entertainment and more.

You’ll typically work with subcontractors and hire companies to deliver an all-inclusive event.

Pros:

• Enables caterers to be creative. You’ll rarely have the same requirements twice in a row.
• Word-of-mouth promotion of your services tends to spread quickly amongst clients.

Cons:

• Clients will expect you to follow their requirements to a T. Mistakes can’t be made, or you risk your reputation.
• Special events can be unpredictable and sometimes stressful. You’ll need to be quick on your feet!

3) On-site catering

Organizations rely on catering businesses too! Providing food for factories, hospitals, schools, airlines, universities and more can be a lucrative option — especially if you make an excellent first impression.

Pros:

• Most institutions offer semi-annual and annual contracts, meaning you won’t have to stress about finding another client for some time.
• Revenue can be higher than other options, considering the number of people most institutions need to provide for with your services.

Cons:

• Unless you already have connections with a large organisation, it can be hard to start out as an on-site caterer.
• There are a number of large players in the on-site catering market, so you’ll really need to set yourself apart.
• Organizations can require large amounts of food without sacrificing quality: something that can be challenging for smaller catering businesses to handle.

Take your catering business to the next level

Finding the best catering for your business isn’t an easy decision; however, with some self-analysis and consideration of the points listed above, you can find the option that gives you the best chance of success in the future. And no matter what type of catering your business pursues, FoodStorm Catering Software is here to help.

Learn more on how FoodStorm can streamline your processes and generate more sales, or schedule a time to speak to one of our specialists for a free demo.

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