No time like the present: Starting your food business during COVID-19
Find out why COVID-19 could be a good time to get your business idea off the ground.
Whether it’s as a food truck turned delivery vehicle or an online meal-kit business, entrepreneurs worldwide are getting busy despite the challenges all around them.
We’re seeing existing businesses shake up their operations, swapping out to delivery models that keep them going. And even better, we’re noticing a real trend towards at-home entrepreneurship despite the unique restrictions posed by the pandemic.
So, you want to be one of those entrepreneurs too? Great! It’s perfectly possible. In today’s article, we’re covering how any person can more safely begin their efforts in the months ahead.
Getting registered and assessed
One of the very first steps anyone will take on this path is getting themselves registered with their Local Authority as a food business. It’s best to get this done at least one month before you wish to start work in earnest. It’s fast, it’s online and it’s necessary. An easy one to get done.
Even if you’re a one-person operation, you’ll still need to see yourself registered if you are providing food regularly and in any form of organised manner.
You’ll also want to use this time to alert Her Majesty’s Revenue and Custom (HMRC) that you have become self-employed. Remember you need to do this even if you still have a part-time job!
Lastly for this section, you’ll want to move right on to performing a risk assessment for your operation. A key element at the moment, of course, is how you plan to operate in a world with COVID-19 present in the country. Fortunately, you can find resources from the government that will help get you on the way.
It’s an innovation game
One of the more interesting ways in which COVID-19 has affected business is by forcing it to innovate. We’re seeing exciting new services and products appearing online from businesses that traditionally would have no need to experiment – and the food industry is a great example of this.
We live now with a change in priorities. More people are staying at home, working from the flat or family house and avoiding eating out. Food businesses can respond to this and provide a relevant, helpful service such as a meal kit business to help adults cook good food for themselves during the pandemic.
Make a story
Branding matters, and it’s a truth that is doubly relevant for a new business just starting up. People love buying into a story about something, even if it’s as humble as a new business by a bold mum getting into the food industry from home. It adds to what you do and provide and it can give people comfort by supporting a local entrepreneur.
Think about your social media options. They’re usually free to set up and operate and can be a great way to entice people with deals or even stories written about your company, what it stands for and how its been doing lately.
If you’re short on funds and have an abundance of time, this is one of the best ways to leverage what you have to create something that will turn into new business in the months ahead.
Get supplied
Last but not least, consider your suppliers. Companies like Springvale wholesale foods can become the cornerstone of your new online business, helping you to source organic ingredients and food that will help your business thrive.
Whether purchasing in bulk or across smaller orders, a reliable supplier becomes an integral part of operating today and growing in the future.
Photo by Isaac Benhesed
