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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you this this business could work?

45 replies

Seabiscuit1 · 17/12/2018 20:10

I have been thinking about this for years and haven’t really run it by many people. So I thought I would ask some internet strangers what they think!
I am thinking about starting a homemade ready meal business starting initially in the village that I live. I would prepare a couple of choices for people to order and deliver them to their door before dinner time. I would offer both family sized potions and individual portions. Do you think there is a market for this?
For context, I have working in a kitchen in the past, have food safety qualifications and consider myself (and have been told that) I am a good cook. I live in a large, affluent village with lots of busy, working families and wealthy older people.
I think this could work and it would be something that I could grow but it would be great if I could get some opinion or suggestions before I take the plunge! Thank you

OP posts:
MrsPerfect12 · 17/12/2018 20:11

Yes, our butcher does this with pies and various other things that can also be frozen. I’m sure some older people and busy families would appreciate some home cooking.

Biancadelriosback · 17/12/2018 20:11

Is that not just like ordering from a restaurant with home delivery?

OrgyofSausages · 17/12/2018 20:11

I'd buy your meals.Smile they sound nice and so do you.

ToastyFingers · 17/12/2018 20:12

I'm pretty sure there are extra regulations to adhere to if you are selling food you've made at home but aside from that it seems fine.
What sort of meals are you thinking of offering?

TinselAndKnickers · 17/12/2018 20:12

Yes! A lady in our local village does this and it’s lovely. We always look forward to her butter chicken on a Saturday night!

cowfacemonkey · 17/12/2018 20:13

Someone in our village does similar although it’s indian food. The have a weekly rotating menu and I believe they deliver. No idea how successful they are as it seems quite new although this type of business does seem to be popping up in more places. What sort of food are you thinking of?

Shitonthebloodything · 17/12/2018 20:14

I think it could work but you'd need generous portions (unless they're diet/low fat/whatever) and lots of advertising.

cloudtree · 17/12/2018 20:14

I think you have to have your premises approved.

firawla · 17/12/2018 20:14

Loads and loads of ladies do that round here - mostly Asian food. Seems to be a market for it, I keep meaning to order and try one of them

BirdieInTheHand · 17/12/2018 20:15

Yes I've ordered from someone who did similar before. It was great: genuinely home made food, fresh and no effort on my part Smile

topcat2014 · 17/12/2018 20:17

The basic idea could work but:

  1. How much mark up would you expect
  2. What about keeping track of all useby dates
  3. How much waste is there likely to be
  4. How much time will it take

At the end of the day, is it going to give you a reasonable return on your time?

Bluntness100 · 17/12/2018 20:17

Depends, if it was freshly cooked that day then yes, but if it was frozen probably not.

CrazyOldBagLady · 17/12/2018 20:18

I've often lamented that you can't get just normal food delivered to your door. Round here you can get the usual kebabs, pizzas and curries but if you just wanted some fairly ordinary British meals like meat and two veg or cottage pie or something like that, there is nowhere delivering it.

bobstersmum · 17/12/2018 20:19

It sounds good to me. How much would the meals be? Can you do me a large shepherd's pie please?

TokenGinger · 17/12/2018 20:19

You need to scope your market properly for it to work. We have loads of these in Manchester and some do well, some do terribly.

The market it attracts is those well in to fitness. You'd need to work out the macronutrients to attract that clientele.

It could definitely work. You just need to find a good target audience for it.

Original poster
Seabiscuit1 · 17/12/2018 20:19

Thank you all! I am feeling excited already!
I know that there would be extra regulations. I have looked into that and I think I could get my kitchen approved initially and then I thought I could hire one of the cafes in the village kitchens when they are closed in the evening if I built it up.
With the kinds of meals I was thinking about keeping it fairly simple at the start and offering family type meals such as lasagne, curries, nice casseroles. That sort of thing. A good veggie option and possibly a salad or light fish option.
I’m not really sure about pricing. I want it to be something affordable but good quality. I would like to use the local butcher and fish monger to support our local businesses as much as possible.

OP posts:
chipsandpeas · 17/12/2018 20:19

my first thought was no
but then on reflection sometimes i do want some kind of takeaway but not the usual shite, maybe something slightly more heathier than a pizza or kebab so id maybe consider it depending on costs and menu choice

Shitonthebloodything · 17/12/2018 20:22

I would love someone to deliver me a tray of lasange or a big shepherds pie for everyone so I could pretend I'd cooked it Wink

covetingthepreciousthings · 17/12/2018 20:24

I think this could potentially work. There's a business ( I think it's just one Italian guy actually) who deliver home made lasagnas, also sell them at the local farmers market.
Which we then buy as a Saturday treat when it's on instead of a takeaway, they taste delicious. £4 each or 2 for £7.

MyHairNeedsASnip · 17/12/2018 20:26

The Sunday roast people make a killing near us

MincePieMum · 17/12/2018 20:27

Agree with @topcat2014 Having a good business idea is only a small part of whether it will be successful or not.

Google was not the first search engine.

Before you sink any money in to this, try a 1 or 2 day business start up course. You can usually get them free with Learn Direct or Nat West.

You need to do a lot of research in to your market, your offering and how you price tour product. How much will you have to spend to get to the point where you can make your first sale? Do you have money to invest in this venture? All things you need to consider before taking the plunge.

Original poster
Seabiscuit1 · 17/12/2018 20:28

Interesting to hear that there are other people doing it around the country. Nothing here as far as I can tell. We don’t even have much in the way of take away. We are too far from a city for the likes of Deliveroo etc

OP posts:
FlippinNora1 · 17/12/2018 20:29

I once stayed at a campsite near Woolacombe in Devon. In the village next to it someone had opened a takeaway from their home doing the most amazing home cooked meals. Pies with mash, stews etc. There were queues down the road for it! It’s a great idea if you are in a good location x

Hubanmao · 17/12/2018 20:29

I’d love to order a nice home cooked dinner rather than the usual take out stuff. Sounds a goer to me

ginswinger · 17/12/2018 20:29

Yes I think it would work but we're not the ones you need to be asking. Work out a market research plan with the audience you intend to sell to. If you're not sure how to do that, go on a course because your core research is vital. You need to know what they would buy, how often and how much they will pay. If that's not enough to sustain a business for you, stop now and rethink things.

When you know it's going to work, make a marketing plan. Maybe consider a subscription service people could gift (buy three meals, get one free). Offer freebies perhaps, get a stall at a local market and sell directly.

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