Tips on running your own kettle corn business

Starting a kettle corn business is a great idea for several reasons. The business requires low start-up costs and the variety of available venues provides great choices. This can be a full-time or part-time opportunity. The places that are serviced by this business include concerts, stock shows, rodeos, parks, festivals and beaches.

These are only a few because there are other opportunities including providing the service at themed birthday parties, school events and church functions.

My Kettle Corn Business Tips

Tip 1 – Research

Do the research. Look at the information on the Internet to get an overview of what the business is about and what it takes to be successful. There is quite a bit of information on the kettle corn business and a recommended guide is this one by WickedDelicious.

Tip 2 – Make A Business Plan

A kettle corn business plan cannot be excluded in the important steps necessary to have a successful business. If you are in the dark regarding a business plan, begin with a template. Choose one that allows you to fill in the blanks. This means the form can be tailored to your specific information.

Tip 3 – Permits, Licenses and Insurance

Starting a kettle corn business begins with the permits, licenses and insurance. The first priority will be to get your permit from the local health department. Apply for this permit and file your DBA license at the same time for the county in which you reside.

In addition, you will need commercial liability insurance. This will be for your vehicle and the trailer that you will need for the equipment. The equipment required is as follows:

• Kettle corn poppers
• Trailer
• Pans
• Propane tanks
• Sink

The permits, license and insurance are needed to begin your business properly. The permits may vary depending on your state and geographic location. For instance, you may need the food permit, the vendor permit and a business permit to cover all the required areas. It is very important to contact your local health department and business organizations to find out exactly what is required from you.

Tip 4 – Equipment, Supplies and Ingredients

This can be handled one of two ways. Leased or purchased equipment is available in a complete kettle corn trailer package. In some cases, the price is under $10,000. Search the Internet for what may be available from the different companies leasing equipment. Search the Internet to acquire your equipment in less expensive ways such as eBay offers. Include the purchase of a tent that should be at least 10’ x 10’ for the venues.

Purchase the ingredients that you will need for the business. Depending on whether you are doing this full-time or part-time, determine how much of the ingredients you will need for a serious beginning.

Supplies and ingredients include the things you will need to run the business and make the products. The list below is a good example of those items.

• Safety gear – goggles, long-sleeved shirts,  gloves, aprons and facemasks
• Uniforms
• Plastic bags, sifting bin and a corn scooper
• A fire extinguisher, propane tanks, paper towels and a hand-washing station
• Wooden paddles, a cash drawer and cleaning products
• Ingredients (popcorn, oil, flavoring, etc.)

While this is not the end-all list for the supplies and ingredients, it is a beginning. You may need to vary this list based on your individual needs for the business.

Check recipes and vary these according to your tastes. Consumers will also do taste tests for you. You will have the opportunity to experiment with variations on your product before you find the one that works the best. Or, you could end up with several featured tastes for the consumers.

Tip 5 – Marketing Your Kettle Corn Business and Selling Products

Begin by setting up shop at the various venues mentioned above to begin your new adventure. Check your local newspaper to see the various opportunities available. Network with other business owners to initiate a business-to-business relationship.

Vendors are great sources to begin these relationships to help spread the word of your new business. Advertise in several venues as well. From the local paper to the web, you have several choices. If your budget is tight, start with at least one venue and work your way up to adding other avenues.

The kettle corn business is a great opportunity for a new business venture. This business is definitely less costly than many other new business opportunities on the  market. The great thing about this business is the number of venues that you have open to you to set up shop, from the festivals and art shows to the school functions and various community events. Take a look at this opportunity because it could be just what you are looking for.

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An Introduction to Common Questions

Owning a concession trailer business can be a lucrative and exciting opportunity for the right candidate. When considering whether or not this is the type of business is for you, it is important to understand the industry of mobile food sales and the requirements of running this type of operation. You must familiarize yourself with the costs associated with start-up, daily operations, inventory, and the maintenance of existing equipment. There are myriad varieties of food services that can be offered by a mobile catering business and many platforms from which to sell your goodies. When you have decided that starting a concession business is the right choice for you, it will be time to formulate a business plan with which to approach lenders for capital.

Getting To Know The Business

Mobile concessions are the trade of providing sustenance for large or small groups at gatherings, events, or job sites. The concept of selling food from a mobile concession trailer is an old one with a rich history of appearing in gatherings and events since antiquity. The idea is to fulfill a need that is ever-present and un-ending: the necessity of eating. People only spend a portion of their lives in the comfort of their own home where their pantries are within reach. For the other portion, they will need to be fed from the kitchens of others.

Best Concession Trailer Opportunity: State Fairs

The fair is an excellent example of successful application of trailer concessions, with a mobile platform and food that is exclusive for the event. Food at these events are expected to be pricey, people gladly pay knowing they will not have the opportunity to do so again until the next scheduled event. Many common fair foods like cotton candy, deep-fried Oreos and ice cream, and corn dogs all have the ability to elicit an emotional or nostalgic response from those who experienced the food as a child.

Past and Future Market Statistics for the Mobile Concession Industry

According to the latest industry statistics, the mobile concessions industry, both public and private, has experienced a steady rise in growth. Despite economic woes, or as a result of them, consumers have turned to more budget-friendly choices for food and snacking. The market has almost doubled since 2006 when it was estimated to be around $2.5 billion. Current statistics show an increase to over $4 billion as of 2012. On the other side of the coin, the same study shows that the industry displays no signs of losing momentum as governments and local health organizations oversee better standards of practice and offer financial incentives to new owners. The next six years are expected to see similar steady growth of the mobile concession work force.

Earning Potential of a Concession Trailer Business

The potential to make a small or considerable profit depends on many factors, so it is hard to tell you exactly how much you will make as a concession trailer owner. One of the biggest considerations is pricing, in regards to supply chain and the sale price of final product. Do you know where to get cheap supplies for this business? If so, you could earn more by making your item relatively cheap. If not, you must charge a little more to make it worthwhile. Another crucial element that can make or break the earning potential of a business of any kind is a lack of planning, preparation, and organization. On average, the professional trailer owner can make from $40-100k annually depending upon region, product, events, and operating costs.

Preparation and Organization

Knowing which direction to take when starting out is vital to the success of any new business. When it comes to the mobile food business, this involves having a concession business model in which to follow and a concession business plan to keep you focused on the mission statement. A business model will help new and seasoned vets alike to keep their costs low, their company direction established, and their profits flowing.

It is important that you understand what restrictions the state and local government places on the particular service that you choose to sell. Know which licenses to carry, when to have inspections, whether you need permits to work at certain events. These details will help reduce headaches later, and like all organized companies, yours will be adjustable and adaptable to changing trends. There is a ton of potential in the mobile business industry these days. With popularity only expected to rise in the next half dozen years, the concession trailer business is a savvy investment.

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Learn how to maximize your profit at Winter

Starting a food truck operation made a lot of sense in the summer. The scads of tourists and locals out enjoying the sunny weather were easy customers and the balmy temperatures made us happy to spend our long summer afternoons outdoors. As the temperatures cooled in the fall, however, and the customers started to dwindle, we began to wonder how solid our business model was after all. Then came the first snowfall and a cold week, bundled in a ski jacket, huddled in the corner of the truck’s kitchen, praying that even a single customer would show up. After that first wintery week, we were ready to throw in the towel, but we persisted, more because of pride than anything else. By the end of the winter, we had learned a few things about keeping a food truck business going through even the coldest weather. Sales were back up and our business was back on track.

Winter Safety Tips

Every businessperson knows that the customer always comes first. When you are operating a food truck in sub zero conditions, however, safety must come before even your best customer. First of all, you must never forget that your truck is vehicle, like any other. It must be fitted with the proper snow tires and mirrors and the windshield defroster must be in working order. Clear all snow from the vehicle first thing in the morning, and make sure to continue clearing it if it is snowing throughout the day.

It is particularly important to find a legal parking space in the winter. Visibility can be poor and you need to make sure that you will not be hit by a passing car or blocked in by a snowplow. Additionally, you should always use a wheel block, even when you are not parked on a hill. Ice can develop throughout the day and you do not want to slide into oncoming traffic.

You will find that heat is one of your biggest concerns once the outdoor temperatures start to drop. If you use a space heater, you must make sure that it is properly vented and will not pose a risk of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. While it is tempting to bundle yourself up in scarves and gloves, this can also be dangerous. Make sure to keep all loose fabric away from the stove, grill or any open flame.

How to Maximize Business During Winter

If you want to run a successful food truck business during the winter months, you need to offer something that people will want to eat in cold weather. Add a few hot drinks to your menu and include seasonal favorites such as mulled cider or peppermint hot chocolate. Remember that most of your customers will be wearing gloves, so gooey, greasy food may be best left for a warmer season. The key is to find menu items that are hearty, that are easy to eat and that warm the stomach.

In the winter, your parking spot can mean the difference between a thousand customers and no customers at all. It is important that you set up shop in a well-populated area. Nobody wants to walk far for lunch when it is freezing out. You can also help customers find you by keeping a clear path to your window and by putting up sandwich boards out on the sidewalk. You may have to put more effort into advertising during the winter, but you can rest assured that if you do, your food truck will not be without customers.

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Gravity doesn’t care if you don’t like it or don’t know that it exists. It just works. It’s just like the proven marketing principles in the mobile food business, they work whether you know about them and use them, or not.

One simple but highly effective marketing principle is creating an ongoing relationship with paying customers. There are a number of ways you can create relationships with your paying customers such as:

• Starting conversation with them about things in general
• Remembering their first name
• Remembering their preferences and food orders
• Offering special deals

Many mobile catering entrepreneurs underestimate the value of the relationships they have with their existing customers and the value in being able to market to them. You will always make more money from a continuing relationship than you will with a one off customer, so who’s better to market than the customer who just ate at your outlet.

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Being able to get into high earning pitches and events and attract customers to your mobile catering stand is the most powerful skill you could ever learn in this business. Without getting a good catering pitch and attracting some money spending customers you’re going to be dead in your tracks. Some of the things you should be thinking about when looking for a pitch:

• The number of people that go past the area every day. Obviously a higher footfall is better as it means that there will be more potential to attract customers.

• Amenities and services in the surrounding area. If there are 5 places selling food in the area, what can you do to make people buy from you? Is it worth setting up in an area that sells the same food as you?

• Attractions. Look for places that attract tourists and people. For example, places like parks, beaches and basketball courts are places where people like to buy food.

• If there are entertainment events in your local area, try to find out if you can set up nearby as this will most certainly be a good pitch.

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• A good place to start is using local directories and the internet. Many people collect catalogs so they can compare. Shop for specific designs and options that are important to you, as well as quality, value, service, warranty and delivery schedule.

• Once you have selected a manufacturer, before you order your concession trailer, use a copy of the trailer floor plan and sketch in your equipment, counters, sinks, water tanks, and storage space. Take your time and have fun. It is much easier to correct mistakes or make other changes in your plans when done in pencil, than it will be later when done in stainless steel.

• By making several sketches of the interior design of your intended trailer you will develop a clear vision of what your trailer, equipment and operational needs are. You will be able to decide which interior systems you are skilled and willing enough to install yourself, and which you will want to purchase as an option.

• Once you have ordered your trailer from a manufacturer, they will manufacture it with the options you selected. After delivery, you can either install the equipment you need yourself or the manufacturer can install it for you. If you plan to spend the time shopping for equipment while you are waiting for your trailer to be built, be sure to have full spec sheets of every detail of your trailer. As you shop for equipment you will need to know the exact dimensions of the allotted space in which it will be squeezed. In designing the layout of the interior you will be trying to squeeze utility out of every possible inch of space.

Many vendors are of the opinion that manufacturer trailers have a generic appearance, lacking in character. This is true of any booth that is lacking in distinctive signs, attractive menu boards and colorful skirting. With imagination any booth can be decorated to reflect your personality and inform the public that you are serious about what you do. The apparent craftsmanship of these trailers implies to the public that your product and service are of equal quality.

New manufactured concession trailers are not cheap. Most concessionaires opt to get a few years of experience and develop a solid line up of events before they invest in a brand new manufactured concession trailer. If you are on a strict budget, check out our used concession trailer section for some bargains.

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- It is the core of all of your marketing and will be attracting the eye of potential customers from every which way

- Your concession trailer represents how customers identify your business name, products and brand

- Your concession trailer also determines what foods you can sell with the equipment included and will often determine the menu options of your business

- It also determines how fast you can operate and effectively sell items through its structure and inner equipment layout which if positioned right can exponentially increase productivity and will ultimately determine your profits

- It will be one of, if not THE biggest asset of your business proving you with a sustainable income and giving your business value both on and off paper

-It will be the biggest single investment of your business and depending on your operation and budget can be a huge outlay ranging from just $500 up to $250,000+

The catering equipment you use is an essential part of running a successful mobile catering business and therefore it is important to know what to look for, the legal implications involved with owning and using this equipment, how to get the best deals and how to use your equipment correctly.

There are a range of factors in mobile catering which will influence your sales. Such factors include the weather, season, time of year, types of people and their tastes etc. Ideally the catering equipment you choose to buy or rent should be as flexible as possible to deal with such factors.

In summer for example you may wish to sell summer foods such as smoothies, while in winter they would not sell as well so switching that particular product line to a product like hot soup would be a smart move. Having this flexible equipment arrangement means you can adopt a more flexible menu so that ultimately you can cater a wider range of foods.

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For example, when it comes to health and food safety, managing your mobile food operation effectively is an absolute must and can determine whether your business stays open or not.

Show them you mean business and get your catering operation to be seen as a professional mobile food outlet by using forms and organized schedules for your food and management operations.

When you use rotas, forms and schedulers to effectively manage the day-today operations, the job just gets so much easier. With systems in place to manage each task such as setting up your catering van, preparing food, organizing staff, serving customers etc your business can literally double its productivity and produce food and products faster and fundamentally sets up your business to run more effectively.

Set up an effective trading system with a step-by-step process for each important task within your mobile catering operation. Tasks can include preparing certain menu items, attracting customers to your outlet, positioning the food and equipment in a layout that is optimized for cooking and serving food items and so on. This will not only save you time but also increase your serving times, your productivity and result in greater profits almost instantly.

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Without a plan and strategy in place you can’t do anything. You can’t set clear objectives; you can’t work out the financial requirement and you’ll find it much more difficult to get funding as lending institutions such as banks require at least a basic business plan.

A huge mistake that many new mobile caterers make is starting a mobile food business often spending thousands of their hard earned money without a even knowing where they will trade from, how they will attract custom or even what they will sell. They may get lucky and survive in the short term but over a matter of months, their business will fail due to mounting expenses and debt repayments.

The truly successful mobile catering business owners spend a significant amount of time planning their success and making sure they have everything organized such as the legal process to obtain their trading pitch, the look of their concession stand and / or where to source cheap supplies and used concession trailers cheaply to maximize profits and reduce expenses.

To be able to plan successfully, you must educate yourself as much as possible and read more about the industry. Learn as much as possible about the road ahead and prepare for business professionally by reading up on the best methods to used. Almost everything can be set out and planned before even purchasing any catering equipment and having a written plan will most likely determine the feat of your financial success.

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Along with site news and latest industry news, you will also find videos and articles on everything related to concession trailers. If there is a specific article you would like to see, just leave a comment below and we will try to write one up as soon as possible.

Our goal for Concession Trailer Bay is to provide an excellent  resource for concession business owners to share information and help each other out.

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