Food Businesses

Whether you are thinking of starting a new food business or taking over an existing one, it is important to get things right from the beginning. The following articles are aimed at those interested in starting or growing food or catering businesses, with advice on financing, registering, safety rules and regulations. Topics covered include finding the right premises, food trucks or mobile vans, trading standards and hygiene, food business ideas, and interviews with foodpreneurs.

Here are some popular articles in this section for those who want to operate a successful food business:

The ingredients you need for a successful food business – chocolate industry guru James Hutchins shares his advice for start-up food businesses.
Creating the next big food start-up: Do you have what it takes? – Tom Mercer talks to the owners of two early-stage food businesses about why they started and the hurdles they faced.
Young Foodies – We speak to Theadora Alexander, co-founder of this community of UK-based food and drink brands

Finding and selling to customers

Healthy margins for speciality food

Splashing out on organic and home-grown foods is something we have developed a taste for, but with sales of fast food on the rise how are speciality and niche providers finding new ways to stimulate taste buds and be affordable?

Business management

Rising Star: Paul Kelly

Championed by the likes of Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver, Paul Kelly started KellyBronze turkeys more than 20 years ago with his dad Derek Kelly.

Business management

Jennifer Irvine, founder of The Pure Package

Jennifer Irvine launched The Pure Package in 2004 as a home-delivery meals service tailored to meet clients' individual dietary requirements and preferences. In its first year, Pure Package delivered 70,000 meals and achieved a turnover of £200,000. The company has since grown into a multi-million pound operation. We asked her for her top tips.

News

Healthy food ‘a good investment for franchisees’

Increased demand for healthy food makes health food businesses good investments for franchisees, according to Franchise Magazine.

Legal advice

Food hygiene certificates for sandwich shops and similar food businesses

Q: Do I need any health & safety qualifications and food hygiene certificates before I can open a sandwich shop?

Business management

Lessons Learned – Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder, The Black Farmer

Three years ago Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones launched his food brand 'The Black Farmer', daring to take on the big stores and their own labels dominating the market at the time.

Buying and selling a company

What to ask when buying a business

I haven’t run a business for a number of years and am thinking of buying into a café that is already well established. What questions should I be asking and who should I ask?

Accounting

Catering and VAT

HM Customs and Excise (HMCE) says that the supply of most food and drink of a kind used for human consumption is zero-rated, but there are exceptions; catering being one of them.