When you think about how to grow a catering business, your goals should cover everything from menu design and food sourcing to marketing and customer service.
The right mix of culinary skill and business savvy will help you build a solid client base and make a profit.
Here at Hitchcock Farms, we're proud to partner with caterers who deliver fresh, delicious, and healthy meals to their diners.
In this blog, we're sharing our best tips for growing your catering business.
Guidelines for Successful Catering
1. Strategize and Specialize Your Catering Services
Find Your Niche
Most successful catering businesses offer a specific style of food or serve a particular type of event.
What sets your company apart from your competition?
Maybe your company is the only gluten-free caterer in your area. Maybe you specialize in serving large weddings or upscale corporate events.
Knowing your service area allows you to create a personalized marketing plan that will lock in your customer base.
Understand Your Market
To attract the right customers, you need to research your target audience's needs, spending habits, and food preferences.
Learn about both the timeless favorites and the newest trends in your chosen niche.
Develop a Business Plan
All good ventures start with a clear, detailed, and practical business plan.
Your business plan should include a description of your menu and services, your target market, your marketing strategy, your funding needs, and your financial projections.
Pro Tip: Before expanding, run small-scale test events to perfect your operations and gather testimonials.
2. Build a Strong Online Presence
Create a Professional Website
Your website should feature your catering menus, photos, testimonials, and a contact form.
The site doesn't need to be elaborate or expensive; it just needs to show prospective clients who you are and how they can reach you.
Optimize your site by including your location and keywords related to your business. This will allow customers to find you when they search "catering near me."
You could also invest in Google Ads so that your site is served to clients looking for catering in your area.
Leverage Social Media
Social media marketing is one of the best ways to convert customers today.
Be authentic and fun in your social media messaging. Post behind-the-scenes videos, food prep shots, and event highlights.
Research which social media platforms your target audience is most active on, and focus on building an audience on those sites.
Use Email Marketing
Email marketing can be a great way to build a base of loyal clients.
Send regular updates on seasonal menus, promotions, or new service packages.
Include client stories or event spotlights to personalize your brand.
Pro Tip: People eat with their eyes first. Invest in professional food photography to showcase your menu offerings in the best light.
3. Market Effectively
Attend Networking Events
While digital marketing may be at the forefront of your strategy, in-person connections can be just as valuable.
Join local business chambers, wedding expos, and food festivals to increase your visibility and build contacts.
Partner With Complementary Businesses
Offering bundled services with event planners, florists, decorators, or venues can be especially helpful if you cater large-scale events like weddings.
You could also build referral partnerships with offices, schools, and community centers.
Launch Referral & Loyalty Programs
If you cater corporate events, a loyalty program can easily turn your clients into repeat customers.
If you cater weddings or parties, consider offering a discount or free perk to those referred by your previous clients.
Pro Tip: Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and social media.
4. Deliver Exceptional Quality in Catering
Partner With Trusted Suppliers
A produce grower and supplier with an established record of excellence is an important asset to your catering business.
Work with suppliers like Hitchcock Farms, known for delivering fresh, premium produce grown with care and consistency.
Reliable sourcing ensures your dishes start with quality ingredients every time.
Keep Your Reputation Fresh
Your clients will remember how your food looks and tastes.
Sourcing top-tier produce means every salad, garnish, or side dish showcases color, freshness, and texture that photographs beautifully and tastes unforgettable.
Put Power Into Presentation
A polished presentation turns your carefully sourced produce into social media food stars.
Develop a delicious dish and market its healthy qualities, and you'll enjoy the customer compliments.
Take that same plate and perfect its presentation, and you turn it into a memorable moment worth snapping, tweeting, and sharing.
Be Ready Year-Round
By partnering with a supplier who offers premium produce sourcing year-round, you're always ready to exceed your clients' highest expectations.
From springtime weddings to winter holiday parties, you have fresh ingredients for every season and delicious vegetable dishes for every occasion.
Pro Tip: Add the grower's name to your menu descriptions. Clients love transparency and locally sourced ingredients.
5. Optimize Your Operations
Review Pricing Regularly
Develop a pricing strategy that includes tiered pricing for different types and sizes of events.
Regularly review and adjust your pricing to match ingredient costs, market demand, and inflation.
You can use a catering management software to track profit margins per event, which will help you maintain a profitable but competitive business.
Offer New Formats
Get creative with new ways to offer your catering services that will keep your loyal clients coming back.
Introduce drop-off catering for customers on a tight budget or tight schedule, or set up unique stations that let diners build their own perfect plate.
Control Costs
Keeping your costs low will help you attract customers while maintaining your profit margin.
Streamline your prep, delivery, and staffing strategies to avoid waste.
Then, reinvest your profits into high-impact areas like marketing, training, and equipment.
Pro Tip: Create SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for prep, service, and cleanup to maintain consistency across events.
6. Maintain Long-Term Growth
As a business owner, your work is never done.
Continue to network and build partnerships as your presence in your area grows.
Collect data on your repeat customers and events to identify your most profitable services, and lean into those services with your marketing strategy.
Keep your staff motivated by offering incentives and regular training.
Pro Tip: Schedule quarterly reviews to assess your operations, marketing ROI, and customer feedback.
Sourcing the Very Best
As you develop different ideas for how to grow your catering business, keep fresh produce high on your list of winning strategies.
Hitchcock Farms is proud to be a trusted partner to catering and food service operations of all sizes.
As one of California's most established growers and shippers, you can count on us to always make sure that you source the very best of the best.
FAQ
What is a good profit margin for a catering business?
The average profit margin for a caterer is 7% to 8%, but extremely successful caterers can have a profit margin of 25% or more.
How do I find reliable produce suppliers?
Start by assessing the types and quantities of produce you need.
Then, look for reputable produce growers that deliver quality and consistency. Ask suppliers about their freshness standards and quality control practices.
If you have trusted colleagues or partners in your industry, ask for their recommendations.
How do caterers keep produce fresh?
Caterers store produce in airtight containers at the correct temperatures to maintain freshness.
Some produce items can be kept at room temperature, and others are stored in the refrigerator to ensure they stay fresh until serving.
