Start a Mobile Catering Business

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Unlike his predecessors, today's mobile caterer - 'mobiler' as he is known - offers much the same facilities as his larger, static counterparts, operating from units that are fitted to the same high standards as any commercial kitchen, only on wheels.  Units can work on a huge variety of gas or electrical equipment that compares very favourably with traditional cafes, fish and chip shops, burger bars and takeaways.  Food can range from everyday favourites like fish and chips to more unusual specialties, including ethnic and vegetarian cuisine, jacket potatoes and doughnuts.

And though you'll still find firms operating from converted ambulances, caravans and buses, generally speaking, the better looking your operation, the more profitable it is likely to be.  So it makes sense to set aside enough capital to make your initial premises the best you can get.

As a business opportunity, mobile catering provides a number of distinct advantages, allowing anyone who is interested in catering to develop their own business without the high cost of premises, staff, and extensive kitchen and dining room facilities normally associated with static ventures. 

Apart from low operating costs, the business offers high turnover and good profit ratio; demanding little in the way of rent, rates or other high fixed overheads; no cash-flow problems, and the chance to work where and when you like, even choose the hours that suit you best.

The Changing Image of Mobile Catering

It's all a far cry from the earlier 'anything will do' image of some outside caterers, and today's customers expect - and receive - fast, friendly service and high quality food from thousands of established mobilers operating all over the country. 

To uphold the new standards, The Mobile and Outside Caterers Association was launched on July 1st, 1994, with a new system of registration being introduced for any company or local authority involved in shows or events.  An annual membership fee of £65 offers several benefits, including:

*  Entry onto MOCA's database, built specifically for the industry, which stores details of shows, organisers, caterers and suppliers, enabling MOCA to keep mobilers fully informed about current opportunities. 

*  Full use of Cater Search.  MOCA's membership database provides show organisers with instant access to information about caterers in their region and any providing specialist facilities.  Within minutes, MOCA says, any number of caterers' details can be provided by telephone or fax direct to organisers.

*  MOCA News.  This is the only magazine published specifically for outside caterers.  MOCA News keeps around 2,000 members up-to-date with developments in the industry and reports on opportunities for static and mobile operations. 

* MOCA Directory, published every November to provide a complete guide to the catering industry, including a comprehensive listing of all caterer and supplier members and offering detailed information about registered show organisers, including local authorities. 

What You Will Need

No experience and qualifications are needed to start a highly profitable mobile catering business and operating costs are shamefully low.  Your only major outlay will be for the vehicle itself, be it a fully-motorised unit or a simple trailer.  Units can be purchased new or second-hand or your own vehicle customised to suit whatever trading style you have in mind.

What You Will Be Selling

Here, the world really is your oyster and, with few exceptions, you can sell whatever takes your fancy, from perennial favourites sandwiches and hot dogs to banana fritters on sticks and pork roasted on a spit.

Most importantly, be aware that some venues are ideal for certain kinds of food and highly unsuitable for others.  At the seaside, for instance, you'll find queues of customers for fish and chips, but potentially very few takers for vegetarian and ethnic cuisine.  Consequently, that early decision about what to sell depends on where you want to operate from and how far you are prepared to travel to specialist events where more unusual delicacies are commonly found.

Where to Park

There's a good living to be made from selling to passing motorists on busy roads or to workers on densely-packed industrial estates, though on the debit side you'll almost certainly be expected to trade every day, week in, week out, whatever the weather.  Other 'permanent' sites offering high profit potential include seaside resorts, market squares, car boot sales, large residential estates, town and city centres, and so on.

Alternatively, you might opt for the shorter working hours and, arguably, more attractive surroundings of special events and visitor attractions like horse shows, fairgrounds, village fetes, gymkhanas, sports events, markets, pop concerts, steam rallies, even well-populated antiques fairs and fleamarkets.  Here, a decent income can be earned from just a few days' trading each week - the trick is to select a high pedestrian event, offer a popular delicacy at an even more attractive price, and wait for the queues to form.

Importantly, you might need permission to park your unit, certainly on private land.  On industrial estates, this usually means asking permission of the owners to establish your unit in a factory car park or on the roadside (away from heavy traffic and parked cars).  Ask your local authority first for permission to operate from a lay-by close to a busy road.  Arbitrary refusal is unlikely these days, given that highway catering has the full backing of the Department of Transport.  Where you decide to trade from regular events such as markets and car boot sales, seek approval from the organisers from advertisements in local newspapers or from listings in publications like the annual MOCA Directory.

Rules and Regulations

At the outset your equipment must be inspected and passed by local Environmental Health Department officials, and you should obtain a street traders' licence from your own local authority or that in the area you intend to trade.  Your local Trading Standards Office will advise on other legal and licensing requirements for static and mobile catering operations, including those who trade from a regular spot and others who travel more freely.  Local Environmental and Health Department officials will advise on whatever other laws and legal obligations must be complied with.

Mobile and Outside Caterers Association of Great Britain (MOCA), Centre Court, 1301 Stratford Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, B28 9AD