[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"global-en":3,"blog-how-to-start-a-smart-food-business":25},{"email":4,"phone1":5,"phone2":5,"address":6,"facebook":7,"linkedin":8,"whatsapp":9,"instagram":10,"phone1Raw":11,"phone2Raw":11,"logoFooter":12,"logoHeader":13,"footerTagline":14,"showroomHours":15},"info@ipec.me","+961 70 389 000","IPEC Bldg., Zouk Mosbeh\nKeserwan, Lebanon","https://www.facebook.com/ipeckitchen","https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipec-commercial-kitchen-equipment/","96170389000","https://www.instagram.com/ipec.foodservice/","+96170389000","/images/logos/ipec-logo-white.png","/images/logos/ipec-logo.png","Professional Kitchen Equipment Since 1980",[16,19,22],{"days":17,"hours":18},"Monday – Friday","8:00 AM – 6:00 PM",{"days":20,"hours":21},"Saturday","8:00 AM – 2:00 PM",{"days":23,"hours":24},"Sunday","Closed",{"id":26,"slug":27,"title":28,"excerpt":29,"body":30,"category":31,"cover_image":32,"read_time":33,"published":34,"published_at":35,"created_at":36,"updated_at":36,"images":37,"author_name":38,"author_role":39,"author_bio":40,"author_slug":41,"author_url":42},"a229de65-86cc-439a-bb94-a5747200f66c","how-to-start-a-smart-food-business","How to Start a Smart Food Business?","Want to make your own business this summer? It seems at first a simple step to make, but it’s still a business. Stand up tall for a plan. Follow these steps to improve a strong business plan and create a strategy for your food service venture.\n\nDe","Want to make your own business this summer? It seems at first a simple step to make, but it’s still a business. Stand up tall for a plan. Follow these steps to improve a strong business plan and create a strategy for your food service venture.\n\n\u003Cstrong>De\nWant to make your own business this summer? It seems at first a simple step to make, but it’s still a business. Stand up tall for a plan. Follow these steps to improve a strong business plan and create a strategy for your food service venture.\n\n\u003Cstrong>Develop a Business Plan\u003C/strong>\n\nYour business plan is your plan of start. Developing a plan is an amazing way to be organized from the start. Here is the basic form your business plan should have:\n\u003Ch3>Have a general Statement of purpose.\u003C/h3>\nYour statement should be specific without going into small details such as equipment and costs.\n\ne.g. “I want to sell the best Grill to Northern Beyrouth and I am going to target local festivals and cooking competitions.”\n\u003Ch3>Develop goals and objectives.\u003C/h3>\nBreak your main goals the big ones, into smaller and more logic ones.\n\nE.g. Instead of saying “I will have a big company in 6 months” break the large goal into smaller achievements like “I will have the design in one month. In the second month I will buy my equipment. In the third month, I will begin researching projects.”\n\n \n\u003Ch3>Describe how your business will operate.\u003C/h3>\nThink about the issues of whether you will work alone, with another family member or whether you will be hiring people from the outside.\n\u003Ch3>Figure out the logistics.\u003C/h3>\nThese are the parts of your business that will cost you money during your work. Figure out what type of equipment you will need and how you will arrange it in your trailer or whatever.\n\u003Ch3>Research possible financial resources\u003C/h3>\nThere are very few people who already have the capital to start a business, but there are many banks and financial institutions that can help you with a financial support or loan. Find out what options fits you.\n\n\u003Cstrong> \u003C/strong>\n\n\u003Cstrong>Permanent vs. Mobile Concession Stands\u003C/strong>\n\nBefore you start vending your food or equipment, or whatever you are vending. You have to decide whether you want to buy on a permanent location or you want to deliver your food to your clients. Here are some Pros and Cons for both methods and ideas:\n\u003Cp align=\"center\">\u003Cstrong>Permanent Concession Stand\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n \u003Ca href=\"http://ipec.me/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/hot_dog2.jpg\">\u003Cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-727\" title=\"hot dog restaurant\" src=\"http://ipec.me/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/hot_dog2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"391\" height=\"294\" />\u003C/a>\n\u003Ctable border=\"1\" width=\"491\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"248\">\n\u003Cp align=\"center\">\u003Cstrong>Pros\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"243\">\n\u003Cp align=\"center\">\u003Cstrong>Cons\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"248\">\u003Cstrong>Regulars\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong>:\u003C/strong> By having a fixed stand, a fixed location, you are more likely to have regular clients that will be loyal to you and come to you.\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"243\">\u003Cstrong>Time Commitment\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong>: \u003C/strong>Running a concession stand requires that you hold consistent hours every week.\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"248\">\u003Cstrong>Routine:\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C/strong>Since your stand is in the same place every day, you don’t have to deal with extraordinary and not expected issues.\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"243\">\u003Cstrong>Vulnerability:\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C/strong>You are tied with the ambiance and circumstances of the place where you are.\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"248\">\u003Cstrong>Normal Schedule:\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C/strong>You can set the hours that you want.\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"243\">\u003Cstrong>Large Up-Front Investment\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong>: \u003C/strong>A fixed location may require an investment in larger equipment such as a restaurant range, charbroiler or fryer, or all three.\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003C/tbody>\n\u003C/table>\n\u003Cp align=\"center\">\u003Cstrong>Mobile Concession Cart/Trailer\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\n\u003Cp align=\"center\">\u003Cstrong>Pros\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\n\u003Cp align=\"center\">\u003Cstrong>Cons\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003Cstrong>Variety:\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C/strong>Every time you deliver your business you will have a great chance to meet a new client in events.\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003Cstrong>Unreliable Income\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong>: \u003C/strong>income can be very low if the event wasn’t as successful as you expected.\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003Cstrong>Part-Time Business\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong>: \u003C/strong>it does not require you attentions 7 days per week, you only take care of it when you have an event.\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003Cstrong>Physical Demands:\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C/strong>If you have any kind of pain, this is not a good job for you, because you will push and doing many kinds of physical exercises. You may need to hire someone to do these things to you,\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003Cstrong>Independence\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong>: \u003C/strong>Go wherever you want, whenever you want.\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003Cstrong>Higher Risk and Lower Control\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong>: \u003C/strong>if you rely on an event and it does not work, you would be out of money suddenly.\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003Cstrong>Lower Initial Investment:\u003C/strong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C/strong>starting a business using a mobile cart demands less investment, and in case of losing in this kind of business, you won’t be losing a lot of money.\u003C/td>\n\u003Ctd valign=\"top\" width=\"239\">\u003C/td>\n\u003C/tr>\n\u003C/tbody>\n\u003C/table>\n\u003Cstrong>Research before You Start\u003C/strong>\n\nThe best way to get the answer of any question related to any business venture is to get out there and do hands-on research. Here are some suggestions:\n\u003Ch3>Search for concession stands\u003C/h3>\nLook out for competitors who sell the same items, check their prices, avoid doing their mistakes and imitate them in a better way.\n\u003Ch3>Talk with the peers\u003C/h3>\nSome concessionaires may help you with some advice about their experience, their knowledge is your power. Know how to use it.\n\u003Ch3>Talk with venue planners\u003C/h3>\nFind out from them what they like and dislike in a concession vendor. Listen to them.\n\n\u003Cstrong>Develop a Strategy for Operations\u003C/strong>\n\nNow, since you have a great idea about your business and everything, it is time to know how to make a strategy and operate it.\n\u003Ch3>Plan your menu\u003C/h3>\nYou have to leave a signature that the people will come back for. Take into consideration the prices of ingredients that you will use in your menu.\n\u003Ch3>Ensure that you have the appropriate equipment or vehicle\u003C/h3>\nOnce you have your menu planned out, you have to make sure that you are serving your food with clean and good equipment.\n\u003Ch2>Arrange for storage and transport\u003C/h2>\nYou have to make sure your storage fit the size of your cart or trailer.\n\u003Ch3>Find commercial space for food preparation\u003C/h3>\nCheck with local vendors to see where they rent commercial kitchen space and research rates for commissaries or commercial kitchens in the area.\n\u003Ch3>Obtain the proper licensing and insurance\u003C/h3>\nThis is the time to start talking with local insurance companies to see what insurance options are best for your business. \u003Ca href=\"http://blog.foodservicewarehouse.com/education/concession-rules-regulations-and-licenses/c27724.aspx\">\n\u003C/a>\n\u003Ch2>Develop a Marketing Strategy\u003C/h2>\nMarketing is not about the giant posters and big board’s it is about how you attract you clients and keep them coming back for more. Consider the following aspects to develop your marketing aspects.\n\u003Ch3>Decide who your target customer is\u003C/h3>\nEvery business has a targeted demographic. Choosing your customer will help you put the best menu and best prices.\n\n \n\u003Ch3>Price based on location\u003C/h3>\nIf you are the only vendor in the area, you can charge your product more, but if you have many competitors you have to put competitive prices.\n\n \n\n \n\u003Cdiv class=\"article-gallery\">\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://backend.ipec.me/media/gallery/Hot-Dog-Cart_BsWFTrH.jpg\" alt=\"How to Start a Smart Food Business?\" loading=\"lazy\" />\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://backend.ipec.me/media/gallery/Hot-Dog-Cart1_8Gmt9G0.jpg\" alt=\"How to Start a Smart Food Business?\" loading=\"lazy\" />\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://backend.ipec.me/media/gallery/Hot-Dog-Cart2_NW8NLz0.jpg\" alt=\"How to Start a Smart Food Business?\" loading=\"lazy\" />\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://backend.ipec.me/media/gallery/Hot-Dog-Cart3_JozAf4t.jpg\" alt=\"How to Start a Smart Food Business?\" loading=\"lazy\" />\n\u003C/div>","Educational","https://backend.ipec.me/media/blog_posts/hot_dog2_S0c0sYS.jpg","5 min read",true,"2014-05-08T13:37:28+00:00","2026-03-04T15:57:51.516255+00:00",[],"Assaad Nakhoul","Managing Director, IPEC sarl","Assaad Nakhoul is the Managing Director of IPEC sarl, Lebanon's commercial kitchen equipment supplier since 1980. A mechanical engineer by training, he trained as a boulangerie chef and earned a diploma in Culinary Management from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, plus an Executive Master's in Sales, Marketing and Business Development from HEC Paris. He has worked across the foodservice industry in France, Lebanon and the wider MENA region — equipping restaurants, hotels, bakeries, hospitals and central kitchens. He writes IPEC's technical guides on kitchen design, equipment selection, MEP planning and HACCP compliance.","assaad-nakhoul","https://ipec.me/about"]