If you have the passion and skills to make delicious and authentic Italian dishes, why not turn these into a profitable business? A lucrative sector to dive into is the food takeaway industry, with 60% of American consumers ordering takeout every week and experts forecasting global market growth of more than $40 billion by 2023.
Here are seven practical tips for starting an Italian takeaway food business.
Get the Right Equipment
When starting a food business, it’s best to ensure you get the right tools and appliances to get the best food possible while saving you money. For instance, since Italian food involves plenty of baking, it’s wise to invest in a new stove with a larger oven, pots, pans, and even a small food filling machine to help you make the calzones or tortellini with ease.
Straighten Out Your Menu
Think carefully about your menu early on in the process. See the latest Italian food trends in your area or target market, then tailor your menu to these factors. Plus, never offer too many things because you may not have enough supplies all the time.
Build a Network of Suppliers
As a food business owner, expect to work with numerous suppliers for your establishment — from kitchen appliances to food. Since it involves many sectors, it’s best to build a network of suppliers to ensure you get the best deals and the highest quality of products possible. You can start looking at your local farmers’ market, butcher shop, or a chicken farmer supplying organic eggs. The nearer they are to you, the better because it means the product you get will always be fresh.
Put Yourself Out There
Even if you have the best pizza in town, people won’t order from your business if you sit there and wait. You’ll need to be proactive and let them know you’re there and offer a unique experience. Today’s customers look businesses up online before ordering, so make sure you have a solid online preference, especially in social media.
Effective ways to market online include creating and running a Facebook page, posting food on Instagram, and tweeting pictures while asking customers to post photos of your food.
Be Accommodating
The fastest way to succeed as a food business is by providing your customers with the quality service and unique experience they expect. Some clients may have special requests or orders. Try to accommodate them when you can. After all, keeping returning customers is more crucial than attracting new ones.
Know your limits
Although doing more can be tempting, never abuse yourself as it can deplete your food’s quality and business reputation. Don’t take more orders than you can. If your limit is ten pizzas a day, stick to that. You can also post that you can accept pre-orders or advanced orders for these dates, so you don’t get overwhelmed.
Have fun
Italian cooking is known for its generosity, flavor, and great taste. If you do not love what you do, your customers can certainly taste it. So, make sure to have fun in the process. One way to add this element to your business is by celebrating awards, no matter how big or small. Congratulate your team on making these achievements possible. Doing little things like these will keep your team inspired — and expect this atmosphere to spread to your customers.
Take advantage of Italian food’s popularity, the booming sector, and the practical tips mentioned to serve good food, earn profits, and achieve long-term success.