Starting a food business - any advice?

[Takeanotherlittlepizzamyheart]

Hi all!

I’m thinking of starting a side business offering homemade pizza a couple of times a week, using a commercial kitchen I know in a big city. Still early days but thinking of collating with a local drinks business that doesn’t offer food to encourage customers to stay longer.

Planning a small menu of tasty, high-quality pizzas with a twist (like nduja and hot honey, truffled mushrooms, some kind of savoury cheesy lemony creation) plus some simple sides.

I know the market’s busy, but I want to keep it affordable and focus on good food. I’ll try delivery too but want to test it out first.

Does this sound like a good idea? Would love to hear any tips or thoughts!

Thanks!

I’m also decent at cookies, cakes, brownies but think better if I start with one main product. Have chosen pizza as it’s pretty high margin, not too much reliance on fresh ingredients and making a decent one that’s not like everyone else’s is in my skill set. But happy and keen to hear other ideas!

thank you again

Love the username! Good luck with it x

Good luck, but those flavours are pretty mainstream now , certainly hot honey and nduja are. I'd be interested in more adventurous ideas though.

Amazing wow

Pricing is going to be the key- high quality and affordable - and when you say local drinks business - would you cook on their premises or how would it work getting the orders?

I think a pizza business sounds excellent but I'm biased, I would eat pizza all day everyday. There's a pub I've visited in Ross on Wye a few times in holiday, they have an external pizza company that takes over their kitchen on weekends and it's amazing, really popular too.

Thanks @murasaki

yes completely agree. Being deliberately evasive on purpose but thinking of putting a real twist on them. As an example, miso marinated mushrooms with truffled walnuts and blue cheese cream

Make sure it’s a takeaway business - we see Deliveroo on our street several times a week. Rarely go out to eat these days as it feels too pricey.

Do not under any circumstances cut back on your insurance needs.

Meet with a commercial broker and establish exactly what type of cover you need and make sure anyone you are doing business with in terms of supply and were you are working has insurance in place.

@DoraTheScottishExplorer this is exactly what I want to do! Thank you for the kind words

@Robertplantgoddess great points, Im thinking £12-15 max per pizza in central London. No idea on the mechanics just yet so need to do some market research. Ideally would cook at their premises assuming they are a drinkers only pub

@Jellywobbles2 top advice! I’m reluctant to go down the uber eats / Deliveroo route as they take a huge chunk. But will offer collections initially and delivery within a small radius too

@Whatado absolutely, thanks

Now that I would try!

If you wanted to look at their offering, they are called thefirebirdkitchen on Instagram. The previous occupants are called Sandrospizza_ they have since moved on to another pub so it definitely works.

@DoraTheScottishExplorer wow! That looks exceptional

Firezza used to do a pizza bianco with thinly sliced potato, garlic, rosemary and pecorino. I'd definitely go for something like that. I like your model re commercial kitchens, and sounds like you have tasty ideas.

I'm a bit puzzled. You're planning to cook at a pub that doesn't do food?

@Charabanc it’s still quite an early stage idea but I know there are pubs which have kitchen premises but don’t do food - and some offer food residencies

It’s great to do the fancy stuff, but do some really excellent classics too. Also think about the upselling, house dipping sauces, garlic knots, roasted veg side (tray of roasted med veg with garlic, herbs, cheese), hot nuts so that you can add on top easily with impulse purchases.

Also really think about how much dough you’ll need to prep and store and how you will gauge the size of the market.

Seasonality is massively marketable so having a couple of really special pizzas with hero ingredients will sell really well.

Good point, I could totally go for some crumbled haggis on a pizza around Burns night for example. Or a pigs in blankets themed one at XMas. There's a lot of scope there re seasonality.

Amazing thanks! I was thinking of a fish and chips one actually (lemon crusted breadcrumbed fish bites, minty pea base and chipsticks sprinkled over) as well as a cheeseburger / Big Mac influenced one!

For some reason, despite loving fish, I'm not keen on it in a pizza, but I'm sure others are. Like the pea puree idea. A Nandos alike piri piri chicken would work too.

Having tried the famous marry me chicken this weekend I could see that working with the sauce as the base, shredded chicken, mozzarella and parmesan etc on top. The sun dried tomatoes would help so maybe more of them on top too.

I'm making myself hungry!

I remember eating wood fired pizza in Southampton about 20 years ago and having hoisin duck pizza and chicken fajita pizza, they were really good 🤣

A hollondaise pizza sauce with lemony fish bites and scraps finished off with parsley and dill would be so nice.

Feta, grape and pecorino is delicious, finished with mint and chilli oil.

I think there is some real space to push classic desserts as pizzas, too. Nutella and strawberry is often the only option. A crepe suzette inspired dessert pizza served with a chantilly cream dip would be fabulous.

Good idea, maybe an apple crumble one with sliced apple and toasted walnuts/almonds sprinkled on as the crumble?

These sound ace! Taking notes re all of these (will you be my first customers please?!) 😂

Planning a small menu of tasty, high-quality pizzas with a twist (like nduja and hot honey, truffled mushrooms, some kind of savoury cheesy lemony creation)

I LOVE pizza but I wouldn't eat any of these or the other ones you mentioned. So you're going to need your bog standard margherita or pepperoni for fusspots like me!