Street food start-ups

ARTICLES

As a nation, we are big foodies. Whether we are gorging on TV shows like MasterChef or The Great British Bake Off, or queuing up to try the new healthy juice bar in town, everyone wants good food and they want it now. But street food is not only a huge hit among customers looking for a more fun and convenient way of dining, it is also a great way for budding chefs to take the leap into entrepreneurship …

Recognising the street food trend, a large number of ex-military entrepreneurs have already started their own businesses in this area, launching their own scrumptious start-ups. You can read case studies of them, and others who have successfully launched businesses in other sectors, on the X-Forces Enterprise website: www.x-forces.com/case-studies

The benefits of having a street food business

• Lower start-up costs: Unlike fixed premises, your start-up costs will be lower as you’re less likely to have to find high initial deposits, fixed ongoing rents, long lease terms, and the estate agent and solicitor fees associated with leases.
• Gauge demand: If you are unsure about giving up the day job and going full-time from the outset, a part-time street food business will enable you to gauge demand for your particular cuisine or chosen location and refine these details before making the increased time commitment.
• Flexibility of location: If a particular market isn’t getting the custom you want then you’re free to move to another. Similarly, you can make the most of high levels of passing trade at seasonal festivals, shows and events without worrying about who will take care of the restaurant.

Meet two of X-Forces Enterprise’s entrepreneurial chefs

For many chefs, the desire to set up their own business comes from a motivation to share their culinary skills with the rest of the world. This isn’t just a business – it’s a passion …

Lasagnas on the Road

Gourmet lasagna specialist chef and entrepreneur Luca Ferri, owner of Lasagnas on the Road, explains: ‘As a child, I always wanted to be a cook. Ever since I used to spend my afternoons watching my grandmother Margherita do her magic, and my childhood dreams were filled with the smells and colours of her delicious and heart-warmingly comforting culinary creations, that’s what I wanted to be.’

Savages Mussels

Jamie Savage set up Savages Mussels in Macclesfield after gaining experience serving as a chef in the Royal Navy: ‘I joined the Royal Navy as a chef as I wanted to test my ability to cook in an environment I wasn’t used to and gain experience from some of my superior chefs. I didn’t fancy furthering my career as a Petty Officer and being constrained to an office, so I continued to grow my skills with a few head chef roles in the interim years, but I’d had the idea of a pop-up restaurant in mind since the Navy. I wanted to showcase my own work, getting the praise myself rather than for my bosses.’

How do I get started?

Street food businesses are relatively straightforward to set up, however there are certain rules and requirements that it’s necessary to comply with regarding health and safety, licensing, etc. Once you have thought of your great foodie business idea, X-Forces Enterprise’s business advisers will guide you through the process to ensure you have everything you need to make your street food business soar. 

X-Forces Enterprise offers low-interest government-backed start-up funding to help you with your initial costs, as well as access to business workshops to provide the essential knowledge and skills to launch. You’re never alone in the X-Forces family: the team will provide mentoring for 12 months to ensure you have all the support you need to make your start-up a success, along with knowledge-sharing with other ex-military entrepreneurs in its wider network. And X-Forces Enterprise programmes are fully funded, so there’s no charge for this support!

If your start-up is ready to cook up a food storm, then contact X-Forces Enterprise today and one of their team will call you with the next steps: call 0800 368 9533, email info@x-forces.com or visit www.x-forces.com

GET SET FOR SUCCESS WITH X-FORCES ENTERPRISE

XFE is an award-winning community interest company that nurtures entrepreneurial ambition in the UK military community, and is the official delivery partner to the government’s Start Up Loans scheme and the Career Transition Partnership (CTP). XFE has supported more than 1,400 entrepreneurs to start their own businesses – and has helped thousands more through training, events and mentoring provisions.