Best Food Business Ideas for Starting Entrepreneurs

The months-long lockdown brought out a different side from everyone that the normal, fast-paced lifestyle had stifled. While boredom and anxiety were present, some chose to make use of their time with their family or creative activities. Others have been transformed into entrepreneurs, taking advantage of what social media platforms can offer in reaching customers.

Most of these products offered are as eatables – a staple and practical choice in this time of the pandemic. So, we give you the best food business ideas you can start, too, in the new normal.

1. Baked pastries and treats

Selling baked pastries and treats never go out of style. Who doesn’t love bread and desserts? Chocolate chip cookies, macaroons, cheesecakes, and wedding cakes. Name it. Recently, ube pan de sal becomes popular. Perhaps you can also create a new twist on Filipino delicacies to start a food trend and give your brand a ring.

It has always been an option as a business idea for beginners. Because there is a wide array of baked goods for all personality types, it thrives. You also don’t need an immediate store to start. You only need baking skills, ingredients, your kitchen, and social media platforms where you can promote your goods for free.

2. Home-cooked meals

Selling home-cooked meals is an alternative option if you are not into the art of making edibles out of exact measurements such as baking. These can take form as heart-warming meals for lunch breaks or organic food for a healthier diet.

The rising businesses that fall into this setup are mostly promoting good health. Some of them provide customized diet plans from nutritionists to ensure the customer’s wellness. Delivery is also an attractive added service because most of the customers are from the working class and don’t have time to cook or pack their food.

3. Spice processing

Another business idea that you can venture into is spice processing. Filipinos love spicy food, although it doesn’t go with the same level of obsession by our Asian counterparts. The degree of spiciness a Filipino can take varies with the regions, ethnicity, or location. Since this is not an oversaturated concept, there’s the space to try.

Depending on your strategy, it can either be a small standalone business or a sub-project to a more established food restaurant that you are already managing. You can promote it in your physical branch or go active sharing it online.

4. Mobile food stall

Do you prefer preparing delicious food with an establishment but you can’t find a location? It can be solved by converting trucks into a roving food stall. This is not an entirely new idea but rather a convenient option to run a food business.

However, consider what type of food most suitable for you to serve. Your menu should target eatables that are quick to prepare. Imagine the first day of business operation or peak season: people will line up on your food trucks and they have to be served at a minimal time of waiting. Most of these food trucks serve favorite meals such as burgers, pasta, sandwiches, tacos. The competition of mobile food stalls takes on food innovation and service speed.

5. Catering

If you want a mobile food business but targeting a larger group of people, then catering services fit you. You don’t have to worry about reaching the sales for the day because the services have a fixed price depending on your package. Aside from the food to prepare, you may include table arrangements (with more creative and novel themes) in those packages.

6. Meal delivery

You can also manage a business without preparing any food, and that is by creating a meal delivery service. This is trendy in times of restricted travels. All you have to do is set up a brand online, coordinate with known food establishments, and hire delivery staff to get those orders done.

Other business ideas involving food would be arranging cooking or baking lessons or food blogging. However, it is more profitable in the current situation to run a business that gives people tangible and enjoyable food ready at hand.