catering business plan template free download

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10 free catering business plan templates and examples

• Published on February 8, 2024
• by Patricia Fernandes
• Last updated: 2 months ago

When starting a catering business, it’s essential to have a well-structured business plan in place. A comprehensive business plan not only helps you outline your goals and strategies but also serves as a detailed roadmap for success. However, creating a business plan from scratch can be a daunting task. That’s where catering business plan templates come in handy. Understand the importance of a well-devised plan for your catering venture , as it can significantly improve your chances of overcoming challenges and achieving long-term success.

Once you’ve found a suitable template, the next step is to customize it to fit your unique catering business. This involves filling in the specific details of your business, such as your target market, menu offerings, pricing, marketing strategies, and financial projections. Customizing key elements of the template allows you to tailor it to your specific goals and vision, ensuring that your business plan accurately reflects catering businesses. Understanding the challenges that come with taking on the catering industry, developing a strategy through a tailored catering service business plan from the onset can significantly influence your path towards achieving long-term success and stability.

Why Creating a Catering Business Plan is Essential

In the catering industry, having a well-thought-out business plan is crucial for success. It provides a roadmap for your business and helps you make informed decisions. Here are some key reasons why creating a catering services business plan is essential:

Defining Your Goals: A business plan allows you to clearly define your goals and objectives. It helps you identify what you want to achieve with your catering business.

Understanding Your Target Market: By conducting market research and analysis, you can gain valuable insights into your target market. This information will help you tailor your services to meet the needs and preferences of your customers.

Outlining Strategies: Your business plan serves as a guide to outline the strategies you will implement to achieve profitability. It includes details on your menu, pricing, marketing tactics, and financial projections.

Setting Yourself Up for Success: By carefully considering all aspects of your business and planning for potential challenges, you can set yourself up for long-term success in catering companies.

If you’re dreaming of starting your catering biz, you’re in the right place. We selected 10 catering business plan templates to help you get from daydreaming to doing. We’ve broken them down into three categories: Basic, Intermediary, and Complete, so you can find just what you need, no matter where you’re at in your catering business planning process.

Basic Catering Business Plan Templates

Template 01: the quick start guide.

This business plan template is like the fast food of business plans – quick, easy, and gets the job done. It’s perfect if you’re just getting your feet wet. Considering launching a catering service? Ensure you have a robust plan for your catering venture by understanding the essential components and pitfalls to steer clear of.

Use the Quick Start Guide Template

Template 02: The Budget Buddy

Focused on the numbers, this one helps you figure out your starting costs and financial plan for how you’ll keep the lights on.

Use the Budget Buddy Template

Template 03: The Startup Planner

This template helps you outline your business concept’s initial needs, legal structure, and pricing strategy.

Use the Startup Planner Template

Intermediary Catering Business Plan Templates

Template 04: conscious catering strategy.

Focusing on the growing trend for healthy and dietary-specific menus, this sample menu template is perfect for caterers wanting to market and specialize in health-conscious catering industry food offerings. Learn to adapt and enhance your catering business plan to cater to health-conscious consumers, ensuring the long-term growth and success of your business.

Use the Conscious Catering Strategy Template

Template 05: Full-Service Catering Plan

Designed for established catering services and catering companies ready to expand, this template focuses on operational and pricing strategies, detailed menu planning, and advanced, marketing strategies and techniques. It’s ideal for caterers looking to scale their operations and refine their service offerings. Discover strategies on constructing a lucrative catering business plan , with guidance on enhancing operations, menu selections, and marketing approaches. Visit Metrobi’s website to delve deeper.

Use the Full-Service Catering Plan Template

Template 06: Catering Growth Accelerator

Unless you’re planning to do everything yourself (spoiler: not a good idea), this template helps you plan out your dream team.

Use the Catering Growth Accelerator Template

Complete Catering Business Plan Templates

Template 07: the full feast.

This is the big one – a comprehensive marketing plan for a full catering company template that covers everything from A to Z. If you’re ready to dive deep, this is for you. Planning to launch or manage a catering service? Ensure you have a detailed catering service business plan to guide you through every step.

Use the Full Feast Template

Template 08: The Event Ace

Specializing in events? This template focuses on planning for different types of clients at events and managing bookings at networking events.

Use the Event Ace Template

Template 09: The Growth Guru

Thinking ahead? This template helps you map out marketing strategy detailed plan for how you’ll expand and grow over time.

Use the Growth Guru Template

Template 10: The Risk Wrangler

Every serious business owner faces challenges. This template helps you identify potential risks to business goals and plan how to handle them.

Use the Risk Wrangler Template

Taking Action and Customizing Your Business Plan

Now is the time to take action and start creating your catering business plan. While examples and templates can be helpful starting points, it’s important to customize them to fit your unique business needs. Remember, your catering business plan template is a living document that can be updated and adjusted as your business grows and evolves. Learn how you can adapt and refine your catering business plan to ensure it aligns with your goals, enabling sustainable growth and success in the competitive catering landscape. Explore strategies to advance and update your catering business plan , positioning your venture for enduring prosperity and distinction in the bustling catering market.

Turning Your Catering Company Dreams into Reality

Starting a catering business is super exciting, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. That’s where the catering business plan template comes in. They’re like your road map to success, whether you’re just starting to sketch out your catering equipment ideas or you’re ready to launch. So, grab the first operations plan template that fits your stage and start cooking up your new catering business and plan!

Why you must have a solid catering business plan

How will your catering business plan evolve as you grow your catering business

How to create a profitable catering business plan

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Catering Business Plan Template

Catering business plan.

If you want to start a catering business or expand your current one, you need a business plan.

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their catering businesses.

How to Write a Business Plan for a Catering Company

Below are links to each section of your catering business plan template:

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Catering Company Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my catering business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Catering Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Catering Business Plan.

Where Can I Download a Catering Business Plan PDF?

You can download our catering business plan PDF template here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

What Is a Catering Business Plan?

A catering business plan provides a snapshot of your own business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business’ goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan for a Catering Company?

If you’re looking to start a catering business or grow your existing small business you need a business plan, especially if you are seeking financing for your business. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your company in order to improve your chances of success. Your catering business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your catering company grows and changes.

How Do I Write a Successful Catering Business Plan?

The best way to write a catering business plan is to follow a proven catering business plan template. This template should include the following information: Executive Summary, Company Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Industry Analysis, Customer Analysis, Marketing Strategy & Plan, Operations Plan, Management Team, Financial Projections & Plan, and Appendix.

What Are the Sources of Funding for a Catering Business?

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a catering business are savings and/or credit cards of the business owner, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for a catering business or cafe is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Venture capitalists will not fund a catering business. They might consider funding a catering company with multiple locations or a massive footprint, but never an individual location. This is because most venture capitalists are looking for millions of dollars in return when they make an investment, and an individual or small location could never achieve such results.

What Are the 3 Types of Catering Service Businesses?

There are three types of catering service businesses: on-premise catering, off-premise catering, and event catering.

• On-premise catering is when the caterer sets up a temporary commercial kitchen space at the client's location.
• Off-premise catering is when the caterer provides delicious food for events such as picnics, weddings, cocktail parties, and other meetings off-site.
• Event catering is where the caterer prepares food that is served at special events, corporate events, or family events.

What Are The 5 Steps to Starting a Catering Business?

Starting a catering business is not as difficult as one might think. Here are the five steps needed to get your catering business up and running:

• Come Up With a Business Idea : This is probably the most important step, as it will lay the foundation for everything else you do. When brainstorming business ideas, make sure to think about what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing.
• Do Your Research : This step is important to ensure your business is viable and has the potential for success.
• Create a Catering Business Plan : A business plan is a document that outlines your goals, strategies, and financials. It’s a must-have for any business, but especially for a catering business.
• Obtain Your Business License : In order to legally operate your catering business, you will need to obtain the necessary business licenses.
• Secure Funding : If needed, you will need to secure funding in order to get your catering business off the ground.

Once your business is up and running, it’s time to start promoting it! Create a marketing plan and start spreading the word about your new catering business to potential clients.

What are the Benefits of Starting a Catering Business?

There are numerous benefits of starting a catering business, including:

• Low Overhead Costs : One of the benefits of catering is that the overhead costs are relatively low, especially when compared to other food preparation businesses such as restaurants. This means you can make a profit with fewer customers and staff members.
• Flexible Schedule : Typically have a flexible schedule, which is ideal for those who want to be their own boss and have more control over their time.
• Variety of Services : Can offer a variety of catering services and menus, which gives you the ability to target a range of customers.
• Repeat Customers : Typically have a high percentage of repeat customers, as people often use catering for specific events like weddings, business meetings, conventions, etc.
• High Demand : Another benefit of catering is that there are typically high demands for this type of service during certain times of the year, including holidays and warm weather months when people are hosting events outside.

What are the Pitfalls of Starting a Catering Business?

While there are many benefits to starting a catering business, there are also some potential pitfalls that should be considered. These include:

• Not Enough Demand : Before starting a catering business, it’s important to do your research and make sure there is enough demand for your services.
• Lack of Experience : If you don’t have experience in the catering industry, it will be difficult to start and succeed in this business.
• High Startup Costs : This type of business can have high startup costs because of the equipment needed, as well as all of the miscellaneous costs that come with starting any business.
• Competition : Catering is highly competitive and there are many established catering companies already servicing your market. This means you need to do everything possible to set yourself apart from your competitors in order to be successful.
• Time-Consuming : Catering is a time-consuming business and it can be difficult to balance it with other obligations.
• Limited Scalability : Catering companies are limited in their scalability, meaning you can only expand so much before you hit a limit. This could be problematic if your goal is to grow your business significantly.
• Unpredictable Income : Catering services can be very unpredictable when it comes to income, as they can vary greatly from one event to the next.
• High Risk : As with any business, there is a certain amount of risk involved in starting and running a catering business. You need to be prepared for the possibility of not making a profit or even losing money.

CATERING BUSINESS PLAN OUTLINE

• Catering Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan
• 10. Appendix
• Catering Business Plan Summary

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Catering Business Plan

Every event or occasion calls for good food. And although the majority of people like good food, not everyone has the talent to cook the same.

And if you are someone who receives constant compliments for your cooking then you must have thought of having your catering business.

But having a catering business is much more than that. It all boils down to the quality of your service in the end, but before that, you need to have a strategy to attract your customers’ attention, build trust, manage your finances, and many more.

All of the above might sound a little overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. All you need is a catering business plan.

Catering Industry Highlights 2023

Here is an overview of the current state of the catering industry in 2023:

Market size and growth potential:

Employment scenario:, number of operational businesses:, major market drivers:, key market trends:, financial plan:.

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How Can a Catering Business Plan Help You?

The catering business is one of the most rewarding careers as it not only lets you pursue your passion, it has the potential to grow into a huge business by size and volume if planned properly.

A business plan is helpful for a catering business because along with great cooking skills, great management skills are an integral part of a successful catering business.

A business plan can help you conduct your daily business activities without chaos, have good finances, help you find your desired customers, and make your unique business idea a marketable one.

Things to Consider Before Writing Your Catering Business Plan

Make a list of items you can serve.

Having a list of items you will serve, helps you organize your services better. It also helps your customers understand what you can offer and decide if your service is the right one for them or not.

It also becomes important that you design your menu as per your target audience’s tastes and preferences.

Figure out your location and staffing coasts

Figure out from where you’ll provide services, what would be the amount of rent you’ll have to pay, which location would be good for your business , etc.

Apart from that, you also need to figure out staffing costs, the size of your team, the skills required, and so on.

Figure out where you’ll get your supplies from

Getting good supplies is essential for a catering business. Because you need to pay attention to quality as well as the taste of the food you’ll offer. Having a fixed supplier helps you maintain consistency in the quality of your food.

Make a list of important equipment

Although many catering services work on the go and prefer to rent equipment, it is a good practice to have the basic equipment in case of contingency. It would also decrease your reliance on other people, and pose fewer challenges while gathering supplies for new orders.

Having your equipment also makes it easier for you and your team to prepare orders as you get familiar with how to use those tools.

Now that you have done the research, let’s learn how you can write a business plan for yourself.

How to Write a Catering Business Plan?

A good catering business plan consists of a clear description of your business’s functioning, your target market, the services you offer, the size of your company, a pricing strategy, and a well-designed employee management system.

Now you might wonder, where to start from, how to go about writing a plan from scratch, and most importantly how to know if you have written a good one.

Well, you need not worry.

You can easily write a well-rounded business plan either through a pre-designed template or through online business plan software.

Moreover, online business plan software can help you write a flexible business plan that grows alongside your business.

Catering Business Plan Outline

This is the standard catering business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.

• Keys to Success
• Financial Summary
• Legal Entity
• Locations and Facilities
• Facility Design
• Boxed lunches
• Buffet style lunches
• Alternative Providers
• Future Products
• Internal Bright Future Customers
• Nonprofit External Customers
• For-profit External Customers
• Market Analysis
• Market Trends
• Market Growth
• Value Proposition
• Competitive Edge
• Distribution Strategy
• Marketing Programs
• Pricing Strategy
• Promotion Strategy
• Of Grape & Grain
• Cravings Fine Foods
• Ariana’s Deli
• Fettuccini and Co
• Napoli Restaurant
• Brindiamo Catering
• Wild Duck Brewery
• Oregon Electric Station
• Local and national grocery stores chains
• Local and national sandwich fast-food chains
• Strategic Alliances
• Organizational Structure
• Management Team Gaps
• Personnel Plan
• Other General Assumptions
• Fundraising Strategy
• Fundraising Programs
• Funding Forecast
• Start-up Summary
• Income Statement (5-Year Projections)
• Balance Sheet (5-Year Projections)
• Cash Flow (5-Year Projections)

Although your plan will keep changing as your business grows, here are a few key sections that would form the foundation of your business plan:

1. Executive summary

This executive summary section would be the first one on your plan. It provides a summary of all that your business stands for. It can be divided into the following subsections:

• Objectives : This segment would consist of the chief objectives of your company. What it aims to achieve, who it wants to serve, and where it wants to reach.
• Mission : This segment includes the mission statement of your business, it consists of what market gap you plan on filling with your business.
• Financial Summary : This segment will give a summary of the past and present condition of your finances as well as projected gains of your business.

A clear executive summary can come in handy if you need funding.

2. Operational Strategy

The operational strategy section helps you plan how to work toward achieving your business goals. It can be divided into the following subsections:

• Day-to-day activities : In this segment, you’ll write an overview of the best way of carrying out your business from onboarding clients to fulfilling the services.
• Long-term goals : This section would consist of long-term goals like serving a certain number of clients, growing your business to a certain size, and expanding to a certain number of branches, etc.

A good operational strategy would make your business activities less chaotic and prevent them from being all over the place.

3. Market Analysis

In this segment, you’ll write down every single detail you can find out about the market. It would include the following segments:

• Market trends : Knowing about all the prevailing market trends can help you design a plan that would change as per the evolving market, and also help you maintain the foundation your company stands on. It would also give you an overview of what your competitors are doing.
• Target Market : This segment would describe everything about your target market. The locations they prefer, the kind of cuisines they are into, how and when they procure catering services, etc.

This segment helps you understand what you are getting yourself into.

4. Services

This section consists of a detailed description of the services you offer. For example, the events you cater to, the volume of people you can serve, the food options your services have, what additional services you offer, etc.

This segment helps your target audience understand your services better, it helps them in deciding whether you are the right fit for them or not. So, make sure you describe your services in a clear and precise manner.

5. Financial Plan

The financial plan segment includes everything starting from the funds you need to start your business, the funds you need for procuring supplies and employing people, the projected cash flow of your business, expected profit, and loss of your business, pricing strategy, etc.

Download a sample catering business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go; download our free catering business plan pdf to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your catering business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

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Write your business plan with Upmetrics

A business plan software like Upmetrics is the best way to draft your business plan. This incredible tool comes with step-by-step instructions, customizable templates, and 400+ sample business plans to help you get started.

So, whether starting a catering business or planning to grow an existing one, Upmetrics is the tool you need to create a business plan.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning today!

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Frequently asked questions, how do i write a business plan for catering.

Writing a catering business plan from scratch requires a lot of research, but you can report it most effectively with the help of a catering business plan example. Using our business plan software, you can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less.

What should be included in a catering business plan?

These are the key components of a business plan your catering plan must include to stand out to investors:

• Executive summary
• Business Overview
• Products and services
• Sales and marketing strategies
• Operations plan
• Management team
• Financial plan

Where to find business plan writers for your catering business?

While many business plan writers are available to help you, believe it or not, no one knows your business better than you. So we recommend you write your catering business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind. You can use AI business plan generators like Upmetrics to speed up the writing process.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a catering business plan?

Following are some of the common mistakes to avoid when writing a catering business plan:

• Poor market research and ignoring industry trends.
• Inadequate and inaccurate financial projections.
• Undefined goals and lack of details.
• Including outdated and irrelevant information.
• Not proofreading the document for typos and grammatical errors.
• Not regularly updating your business plan.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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How To Write a Catering Business Plan w/ Templates (PDF, Word Doc)

Whether you’re starting a catering business full-time or planning to operate out of your house initially , writing a business plan is essential to getting clear on the type of catering business you want to open. After all there’s some pretty important stuff covered inside of what can seem like a stuffy document.

For the purposes of starting a catering company, think about the business plan as the one place you put your operation details. Things like the cooking equipment you need to purchase and the total cost, tentative catering menu, food costs, and who your target customer is. These are all super important details you need to understand before opening! This document provides a place for you to organize everything.

By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to draft your plan and start on that first catering gig you’ve been planning to open. We also provide templates you can use in PDF and Word Doc you can download and edit. Let’s get started.

Executive Summary

Catering spread for a Mexican food concept.

Start your business plan with an executive summary. This is a way to introduce your catering business so whoever is reading your business plan will know what to expect. This will include a brief introduction of your catering business, a description of your company, the services your catering business will be providing, and the customer focus.

Introduction

A quick introduction helps the reader get a bird’s eye view of your catering business. Here you’ll be talking about what to expect and what you can offer as part of your catering service.

This section isn’t considered lengthy. This usually has two to three sentences. What you need to focus on when writing this down is by the end of it, your reader will more or less understand what your catering business is all about.

Here’s an example introduction you can use as a guide:

The Big Spoon is a small catering business headed by Lydia Smith. She specializes in Italian cuisine but can cater to American, Mexican, and Asian dishes as well. The Big Spoon can accommodate an intimate dinner for 2 up to a large party of 50 accompanied with table settings and chafing dishes to complete that delicious home-cooked meal experience.

Just by the introduction, the reader will know how big your catering business is, what cuisine they can expect to order, and how many people the business can cater for. It also gives them an introductory glance about your catering style wherein you already provide more than just food but also a table setting so they don’t have to look for a supplier for this separately.

Keep your introduction informative but also short enough. You will be able to add in more to the details later on.

Company Description

Some food trailers make more than 50% of their annual revenue from catering gigs.

A little background on your catering business is needed in the company description part of the business plan. Here, you can describe the meaning behind the name for your catering business, who the owners are, and what their roles are going to be. Who will be in charge of cooking? Who will be in charge of accounts and marketing?

This may just be brief but this is a way for you to introduce what’s going to happen behind the scenes of your catering business.

Catering works great for food trucks and restaurants.

Although your catering business may sound self-explanatory, it would still be of great help to you if you mentioned the services you’ll be offering.

For example, The Big Spoon already mentioned in their introduction that they’ll be catering food and offering table settings. They could also add that they will be offering an ice cream station and even a cocktail bar.

You will describe more of this in detail later on but you can summarize it and mention it here already.

Customer Focus

For a catering business to flourish, you must know your target market early on. And though a thorough explanation of that can be found in the Market Analysis section, you can briefly state them in this portion as well.

Also, remember that your customer focus would also have to coincide with your skills. You can’t be targeting customers who are vegans if your culinary skills and knowledge do not include cooking vegan food. This is why it’s important to write this early on so you can narrow down the customers you are planning to cater to.

Mission Statement

What’s your mission statement?

Businesses with clear goals stated from the start lead to a successful operation. Why? Because every decision you make revolves around these goals which will lead you closer to success.

Here’s a sample mission statement to picture it out clearly:

The Big Spoon aims to cater delicious home-cooked meals to its customers. Every dish that is served will contain natural and fresh ingredients. We see to it that the service we provide is top-notch so that our customers will feel as if they are being served in a fine restaurant in the comforts of their own home or wherever they choose to have us cater them.

By writing this down in your business plan, you and your staff will have to stand by the standards you’ve set for yourselves. For instance, as stated in The Big Spoon’s mission statement, no fast food will be served and no artificial ingredients will be used so you and your staff will always remember this by heart.

By following this and revolving your decisions around your mission statement, you will be able to keep such standards which will lead to pleased and returning customers.

Company Concept

This is the section of the business plan where you can finally put in detail the concept you’ve been planning for your catering business. Remember the things you’ve been holding back in saying in the introduction? This is the time to write them all down now.

Related Reading: 7 Powerful Ways I Promote and Market My Catering Business

You can start by answering the following questions:

• What cuisine will you be offering?
• How many people can you cater to?
• Will you be offering healthy options such as vegan, keto, or paleo meals?

You may also add in other concept ideas that are not mentioned above. Just make sure to cover everything so you can have a basis for your product line and services to be tackled later on.

Market Analysis

A compelling catering business logo.

Planning to put your business out there means you also have to know the industry you’ll be diving into. This is to help you analyze your potential customers, the growth of the catering business in your area, and the competition.

Target Market

As mentioned above in the customer focus, your skills will have to match your target market. You’ve already written a brief introduction about it so in this section, all you have to do is to explain it in detail.

Industry Analysis

The catering business has been going on for a long while now so it’s important to gather in as much information as you can regarding this industry. This is to help you figure out if there is a potential market for your business and how to put your plans into action.

Another helpful guide is to look into the type of cuisine most people in your area look for. You can then incorporate it into your business and offer it as part of your menu.

The bottom line is that analyzing the industry around you helps you plan better for the future of your catering business.

Competitive Analysis

You will not be the only catering business in your area. You’ll have to consider restaurants as your competition too. Check their prices and set menus. Do a competition check by tasting their food once in a while. Knowing who the players are in this competitive business game gives you the upper hand because you’ll be aware of their strengths and weaknesses and how to deal with them on the field.

Management Structure

Determine the key players in your business.

A catering service is run by a few people. In this section of the business plan, you’ll list down everyone who is working on this business alongside you as well as the roles they possess in your business. This includes:

• Business Partners
• Accountants
• Co-chefs (If you’re not the only one doing the cooking)

Why is this so important, you might ask? Stating clear business roles and laying out the management structure keeps everyone in check and helps avoid any misunderstandings. Most businesses that don’t define this early on end up having a messy workflow. So make sure to state each duty clearly for everyone to follow.

Product Line and Services

Burgers are a proven catering option.

This section of the business plan goes hand in hand with your company concept. Here you can present your different sample menus for all the cuisine you wish to cater to. Be sure to include the prices for the set menus per head.

You can also write down the services you plan to offer. Here are some you can consider for your catering business:

• Out of town catering
• Cocktail station
• Set up style (buffet or plated)
• Table setting (formal or casual, rustic or summer feel)
• Wait staff or food display only

Writing them all down in this section will keep your business more organized which is very important when you start on your catering business.

Sales and Marketing

Grilled chicken is another popular option for caterers.

How are you going to market your catering business? Do you plan to have an ad out in your local newspaper and on social media? Both strategies are fine but you need to find more ways to get your catering business out there.

One way to market yourself is to partner up with rental spaces such as function halls that do not provide food. Give them a proposal that when there are inquiries regarding the rental of their halls, they would present your set menus to the guests as well so they don’t need to trouble over finding a caterer.

Related Reading: How I Started a Legit Catering Business Out of My House

Partnering with several event coordinators is also a way to get your business known. People these days hire event coordinators to do all the planning for them. They expect these coordinators to answer all their questions from food, music, and decorations. By partnering up with an event coordinator, they’ll be the ones to pitch in your catering business to their customers.

Remember to uphold your mission statement as well. By providing good food and high-class standards during your catering event, you’re already marketing your products and services to the number of people you’re catering to. So always make an exceptional first impression because that will stay with the guests long enough for them to remember hiring you on their next and succeeding events.

Financial Plan

Plan your financial future.

Knowing where you’re going to get the funds to start your catering business is a must. This is how you’ll know if your plans are going to be achievable or not. Besides, having a solid financial plan will also allow you to go through with your ideas without any interruptions.

In this section, break down your financial plan into two categories which are your plans to request for funding and your financial forecast.

Funding Request

Some business owners are ready to put up their catering business due to having saved enough money through the years. But what if you lack the funds to do it? Don’t fret. You can still loan from the bank and invite investors.

Whatever your plan is that deals with requesting for funding, include it here so you can document it.

Financial Forecast

Make conservative and best case scenario financial forecasts.

Reaching break-even is the ultimate goal when you’re putting up a business. You can compute how long it will take you to reach it early on in the planning stage.

You can also list down all your proposed expenses here which include the following:

• Pots, pans, and other large kitchen appliances and tools for cooking
• Chafing dishes
• Dessert displays and trays
• Table cloths, plates, glasses, and utensils
• Uniforms for you and the staff
• Storage boxes and food warmers

You may also add in tables and chairs if you do not want to keep on renting these. But sometimes, the venue where you’ll be catering can provide these as well.

Download Now: Bakery Business Plan Templates for 2021

Be sure to include your staff’s payroll expenses. Since catering events are not done daily (unless you’ve already made a name for yourself and you’re booked every day), you can just have your wait staff be on call and pay them per catering event rather than a daily wage.

By computing these, you’ll know just how much you should allot for your startup capital and how much should your goals be to reach during every catering gig in order to profit off of it.

Operational Plan

What’s your operation plan?

Put your plan into action by making a timeline of your operations. Here is an example:

Date Plan [Insert Date Here] – Finalize the business documents you need such as permits and registrations for your catering business.[Insert Date Here] – Start marketing your business on social media and the local news. Send out proposals for partnerships with event coordinators and function halls.[Insert Date Here] – Hire and train staff.[Insert Date Here] – Start catering when booked.[Insert Date Here] – Achieve goals and reach break-even.

The appendix section of the business plan is where you can put all your documentation. This includes photos of your food and table setting and your copies of the permits and registration for your catering business.

Download Templates

Here are the catering business plan samples in PowerPoint, Word Doc, Google Doc, and PDF. These are ideal for commercial or home-based catering businesses.

• Catering business plan template Google Doc
• PDF catering business plan sample
• Catering PowerPoint template
• Catering businesses are ideal because there is no space for you to rent which is considered one of the main expenses that can be quite heavy on the pockets. You will be cooking in the comfort of your own home. Just make sure your place can handle heavy cooking and there is enough space for you and your staff to move about.
• It would be nice to learn more about the different cuisines as you go along so you can cater to a wide variety of audiences.
• Include a checklist of all the equipment you need to operate at the start. These equipment requirements make up the bulk of your startup costs. You can download a checklist of frequently used catering equipment here .

Throughout this entire guide, we have been referring to your readers as one of the main reasons why you should make your catering business plan easy to understand. But in truth, making this business plan is for you as well. You will need this plan when you’re requesting for financial assistance in banks and this would also serve as your work guide. So remember to keep it detailed and easy to comprehend because you will be using this on the road to putting up your business.

While opening a catering business can be extraordinarily rewarding there are a few factors you should consider before deciding to push ahead. Creating a business plan lets you understand what the factors are, what’s going to make this business become a success, and how you can profit from the venture.

If you’re serious about starting a catering business, don’t forget to sign up for our Food Business Startup Kit . This free community will give you access to exclusive interviews with catering professionals you can use to help grow your own business.

Want to start your own food business?

Hey! 👋I’m Brett Lindenberg, the founder of Food Truck Empire.

We interview successful founders and share the stories behind their food trucks, restaurants, food and beverage brands. By sharing these stories, I want to help others get started.

If you liked this story, sign up for our newsletter that includes our food business startup kit and most popular interviews sent straight to your inbox.

Know someone interesting that should be interviewed on the website? Tell us about them here. 

About the Author: Brett Lindenberg

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How to Create a Catering Business Plan (Plus Free Template)

Elizabeth started her career at a small local restaurant close to her home. She had big dreams of owning a large catering business. 

Three years later, she learned the ropes, worked hard enough to save money and was ready to launch Chefdini Catering.

Hers is a tale of overcoming all odds.

Within five years, Elizabeth expanded her operations. She employed some staff and was raking in around $5 million in revenue annually.

In an era where 20% of new businesses fail within the first two years, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, how did Elizabeth pull this off?

Well, it may have taken five years, but one thing that helped her navigate her journey smoothly was: 

…a Catering Business Plan.

And she’s not alone. About 70% of new businesses that manage to survive for five years follow a strategic business plan in the US.

So while several factors contribute to businesses failing within the first couple of years, there’s no doubt lack of a business plan is a major reason.

And this isn’t far-fetched.

Imagine building a house without floor plans. How long do you think it’s going to stand? Not long enough.

That’s precisely what happens when you operate your drop-off catering business without a solid plan. And this has nothing to do with how passionate you are.

Think of a business plan as a roadmap or a guide that outlines your goals and details how you intend to achieve them. It’s central to how you start and grow your business. Also, it turns your visions into a concrete action plan for success.

Having a plan is essential for drop-off caterers hoping to thrive in the current, highly competitive catering industry. 

As you read this, over 12,000 establishments are vying for the same customer as you. So running a catering business without a solid plan will only give an opening for your competitors to be many steps ahead of you.

Take Abbey Duke, CEO of SugarSnap Catering, for instance.

From the get-go, part of her strategy was to always stay competitive by serving her customers how they prefer. 

So when the pandemic hit and online ordering became the norm, she quickly leaned on HoneyCart’s order automation software to give customers the convenience they desired. And at the same time, to ensure she wasn’t losing sales to her competitors.

In her words:

“But I knew if we didn’t offer online ordering, we’d be losing sales to companies like Panera that make it easy to order. Busy customers expect convenience and will often choose it over quality.”

Making this kind of game-changing decision at a moment’s notice is one of the perks of having a solid business plan.

Now, you may be wondering:

“How do I create an effective catering business plan?” One that gives you an edge over your competitors and sets you on the path to success like Elizabeth.

Well, I got you covered.

We’ve developed a free catering business plan template you can customize to your specific needs. I know, creating a business plan, even with a free template, is still a daunting task for drop-off caterers. 

Don’t worry.

As we progress through this article, I’ll guide you on how to create one step-by-step. 

Download the free template to follow along with me:

Before we dive in, let’s take a look at some reasons why you must have a catering business plan.

Five Reasons Why You Need a Catering Business Plan

1. it shows you mean business.

Today, technology has made it easy for anyone to start a catering business. Even amateurs can create an Instagram account, post some mouthwatering dishes and wait for orders to flood in.

But is this strategy going to cut it in the long run? 

Absolutely not!

If you intend to scale your business, then it starts with a foolproof business plan. One that gives you insight into where your business is headed in the next five to ten years.

Having a business plan also emphasizes the commitment of you and everyone involved. It guides you in making smart decisions that will help scale your operations.

However, a catering business plan isn’t set in stone. This means you can change the plan as you progress. But the overall goals remain the same.

2. It Increases Your Chances of Securing Investments

Take Elizabeth, the fictional character I used at the start of this article. 

One reason she could expand her business within five years is that she secured investment and raised funds.

And what’s one crucial thing potential investors will ask before giving you funds? 

Yep, that’s right – a well-detailed business plan.

Imagine she didn’t have one. She wouldn’t have been able to raise the funds needed to expand her operations.

Here’s why:

Investors like to see your plans for scaling the business, its financial projections, industry analysis, level of risk involved, and so on.

Not having a business plan shows you are not intentional about scaling. And this significantly reduces the chances of securing funds needed to expand.

To drive home my point, Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software , did a survey asking his customers questions about their businesses, goals, and business planning.

The result?

From the above report, you’ll see that those who had business plans were almost twice more likely to grow their businesses by securing capital than those who didn’t write a plan.

This emphasizes the importance of having a business plan.

3. It Helps You Understand Your Competitors

A business plan isn’t complete without researching and analyzing your competitors.

Because it helps you understand what they are doing, their offerings, pricing, and how you can improve on them.

Michele Levy , an independent brand strategy consultant agrees:

“Keeping track of who your competitors are, what people are saying about them, and what they are saying themselves can help you differentiate your business and stay ahead of trends that could impact your business.” 

Furthermore, it’s a way to:

• Learn more about the latest market trends
• Recognize opportunities your competitors don’t offer
• Get an idea of your ideal customer persona
• Threats to your business
• Understand the catering industry better.

As a result, you can create a strategic plan that will improve your business.

4. Discover New Opportunities

Another benefit of creating a catering business plan is discovering new opportunities to boost your business in ways you never imagined.

Through research and competitive analysis, you may realize there are one or more niches that are underserved in your area.

So, instead of doing what every other drop-off caterer does, you can carve out a niche for yourself by doing something different.

For example, during the global pandemic that crippled catering activities, Chef Jolie of Low Country Quisine needed another source of revenue.

So she went back to the drawing board. 

The result? She launched a Gourmet Takeaway Service.

By making it a habit to spot opportunities in market trends, she realized the need for an online ordering platform.

According to her:

“We needed to find new ways to generate revenue during the pandemic. We launched our Gourmet Takeaway Service and needed an online platform for customers to order.”

And if she didn’t do this, here’s what would have happened:

“We would not have been able to reach as many customers without the ability to accept orders and payments online.”

5. Measure the Success of Your Business

One of the goals of running a business is to hit milestones and achieve major goals.

And the only way to measure your success is to compare results with the actual plan. This way, you can see whether you’ve achieved your operational and financial goals within a specific timeframe.

For example, you set a goal of getting at least 150 customers within six months, expanding to at least four locations within 12 months, or like Elizabeth, hit $5 million annually.

By documenting these goals, not only does it make you committed to achieving them, but it also ensures you have something to measure your success against. 

And it will give you a sense of fulfillment when you finally accomplish your goals. Without a doubt, a well-documented business plan fast-tracks achieving your goals.

Now that you know the importance of a catering business plan, let’s look at the essential elements of an ideal business plan.

Essential Elements of a Catering Business Plan

Creating a catering business plan may sound like a daunting task. But in reality, it isn’t. It’s not much different from the usual business plan. 

However, it focuses on elements specific to the food and catering industry.

So what are these elements?

• Confidentiality Agreement
• Executive Summary
• Business Focus
• Market Research
• Marketing Plan
• Financial Plan

Let’s take a brief look at what each of these elements should contain.

Want to create yours as you go through this guide? 

Don’t forget to download (and make a copy) of the template here . 

1. Confidentiality Agreement

How do you ensure anyone reading your business plan doesn’t disclose the content to other people? 

That’s where a confidentiality agreement comes in.

It’s an agreement between you and anyone reading your business plan not to reveal the content to any other person without your permission. 

And to be on the safe side, you should have a proper legal counsel review any agreement you use in your business.

So if they do reveal the content, you will have the right protections in place.

Here’s an example of a confidentiality agreement:

The undersigned reader of [Company’s Name] Business Plan acknowledges that the information provided is completely confidential. Therefore, the reader agrees not to disclose anything found in the business plan without the express written consent of [Business Owner’s Name].

It is also acknowledged by the reader that the information to be furnished in this business plan is in all aspects confidential in nature, other than information that is in the public domain through other means, and that any disclosure or use of the same by the reader may cause serious harm and or damage to [Company Name].

Upon request, this business plan document will be immediately returned to [Business Owner’s Name].

This is a business plan. It does not imply an offer of any securities.

Applicable Law

This contract shall be governed by the laws of the County of ________ in the State of _______ and any applicable Federal law.

________________________________

Printed Name

2. Executive Summary

They say you only get one chance at a first impression. An executive summary is an opportunity to show anyone reading it what your catering business is about.

Chances are, if it lacks specific information or doesn’t capture the reader’s attention, they may not read further.

The executive summary should include a brief introduction to your catering business, your services, and who you cater to.

Here’s an example of an executive summary of Elizabeth’s fictional catering business.

Chefdini is a small catering business located in Georgia. It was founded by Elizabeth White six years ago. We specialize in Asian cuisine but also cater to Mexican and Italian dishes. Chefdini operates off-premise and on-premise catering with a focus on events, retreats, and social gatherings. 

At a glance, this brief introduction shows what Chefdini is about, the kind of cuisines they specialize in, and who their audience is. Anyone who reads it can immediately get an idea of what to expect.

3. Business Focus

The business focus details how you’ll run your business, so anyone reading it will have a clear understanding of plans, goals, and priorities.

Information to include in your business focus are:

• Mission statement: an action-based statement that declares the purpose of your business, what you want to achieve, and how you intend to do it.
• Business details: a summary of your business, the founders, business location, services, and ethos. 
• Professional support: details of any professional help you have received from an individual, an organization, or the government.
• Founders: history and background of anyone involved in starting the business
• Team members: details of those involved in the operations of the business and their roles.
• Aims & Objectives: as the name implies, here you include the details of what you hope to achieve with your business and the steps you’ll take to achieve it. Your aims and objectives can be short, medium, or long-term.

4. Market Research

Dan Zarrella , an analytical marketing leader and author of four books on marketing once said:

“Marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed.”

And how do you get this data? Through Market Research.

Market research is the process of gathering information to understand your target market better. As such, it’s a fundamental part of a business plan.

Under market research, you’ll find:

Client Research

Your clients are the set of people who need your catering services and are most likely to pay for them. 

To have any chance of making sales, you need to understand your ideal customers, their pain points, challenges, and how you can take them from point A to their desired point B.

So, any information related to the ideal clients like age, location, gender, income, interests, pain points, or goals would add value here.

The goal is to ensure you are not targeting the wrong audience, which would result in wasted efforts.

But when you narrow down your target audience, you will be better placed to tailor your offerings to fulfill their needs.

Competitor Profiling

As I mentioned earlier, competition in the catering industry gets tougher each day, with more caterers and restaurants springing up. But this doesn’t mean there isn’t enough space in the sky for birds to fly.

However, it’s important to know how to stand out. 

And one way to do this is to research your competitors to learn more about their strengths and weaknesses. This way, you’ll discover things that will give you an edge over them.

In addition, well-detailed research about the competition will help you make a realistic assessment of your chances of success in the industry.

Some of the things to add under competitor profiling are:

• Competitor’s Name
• Products/services offered
• Target audience

SWOT Analysis

The word SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

A SWOT analysis is used to evaluate your business’s chances of success and develop a strategic plan. Here you analyze internal and external factors that may help scale your business or throw a wrench in your growth.

5. Marketing Plan

A comprehensive catering marketing strategy will be crucial to your success. After all, people will only patronize you if they know your business exists. 

How do you plan to market your business? Where are you going to get catering clients from? Which channels do you plan to reach them? What’s your marketing budget?

All these are questions that need answers. So you must include your plans for marketing in your catering business plan. A solid marketing plan should contain:

• Unique Selling Point
• Pricing Policy
• Sales & marketing strategy

Don’t forget we have sections in our free template to fill all essential marketing points listed above. Download it here if you haven’t. 

6. Financial Plan

Without a doubt, you need money to finance your catering business. But if you don’t have adequate financing, your business will struggle. 

Because you’ll need to pay for space, pay your staff, pay for equipment and so on. All these require a sufficient amount of funds.

And if you plan to take online orders, investing in online ordering software is a no-brainer. This will help you:

• Process orders faster
• Make it convenient for your customers to order
• Save more time
• Streamline operations without the need for hiring additional staff, thereby saving cost
• And generate more revenue for your business.

So if you want to finance your catering business yourself, a financial plan helps you understand how much funds you need, where to cut expenses and what you need to do to become financially sustainable.

And if you plan to source funds through investors, it will provide them with enough information to determine whether they’ll get their return on investment.

Some of the things you need to include in your financial plan are:

• Startup costs
• Sales forecasts
• Cash Flow forecasts
• Other financials 

Want to know what to fill in these sections? We’ve got you covered. Simply download and make a copy of our free template to fill all essential financial plans listed above.

7. Appendix

This is where you add additional information that is referenced in the business plan. 

It can include things like:

• Financial charts / graphics
• CV’s / Resumes
• Images of work
• Partnership Agreements

Conclusion: Scale Your Catering Business with an Actionable Business Plan

As you’ve seen, creating a business plan is not as difficult as it sounds.

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve started your business or you are just about to start. A catering business plan is crucial to the success of your business.

It helps you understand your business, your customers, and your competitors. Also, it gives you more insight into the catering industry, market trends, threats, and opportunities.

Another advantage of a business plan is the opportunity to set a budget aside for investing in important things that will contribute to your company’s growth. 

For example, investing in commission-free catering software like HoneyCart helps you manage your catering operations without hiring more staff.

This levels the playing field for small business caterers, helps you save cost, and generate more revenue. Just as Abbey Duke, founder of SugarSnap Catering, realized when she switched to HoneyCart. 

It automates mundane tasks to allow us to use our time as efficiently as possible. HoneyCart truly enables small caterers to compete with larger companies by having a really professional and easy-to-use online ordering system.

Want to see how it works?

Start your 14-day free trial right away.

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Catering Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Catering Business Plan Outline

• Catering Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan

Start Your Catering Plan Here

Catering Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your catering business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start a new catering business or grow their catering company.

Below are links to each section of a catering business plan template example:

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Catering Business Plan FAQs

What is a catering business plan.

A catering business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your catering business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your catering business plan using our Catering Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Catering Businesses?

Catering services are available for a variety of different occasions including parties, weddings and corporate events. 

What Are the Main Sources of Revenues and Expenses for a Catering Business?

The primary source of revenue for catering companies is individual, private events and corporate events. 

The key expenses for catering companies are rent, wages and salaries, equipment and food costs.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Catering Company Business Plan?

Catering companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Catering Business?

Starting a catering business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Catering Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed business plan for a catering business that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, market resarch on the catering industry, the services or products you will offer, business operations details, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  You can quickly complete your catering business plan using our Catering Business Plan Template here .

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your catering business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your catering business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Catering Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your catering business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your catering business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Catering Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your catering business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your catering business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful catering business and catering business planning:

• How to Start a Catering Business
• How to Start a Catering Company

Where Can I Get a Catering Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free catering business plan template PDF here . This is a sample catering business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Other Helpful Business Plan Templates

Photography Business Plan Template Event Venue Business Plan Template

Catering Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Catering Business Plan Template

If you want to start a Catering business or expand your current Catering business, you need a business plan.

You can download the Catering business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

The following catering business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning plan for your own catering company. In addition to this template, conducting market research for your local customer base will help you identify potential market trends and customer segments to better understand the viability of your catering business.

Sample Business Plan For a Catering Company

Below are links to each of the key sections of a sample business plan for a successful catering business.

I. Executive Summary – The Executive Summary provides an overview of your business opportunity and summarizes the business plan.

II. Company Overview – The company analysis includes information about your business concept, catering services and legal structure.

III. Industry Analysis – The industry analysis includes market research that supports your business and provides insights into market trends and the catering industry.

IV. Customer Analysis – The customer analysis provides an overview of your target market.

V. Competitive Analysis – The competitive analysis should identify your direct and indirect competitors and highlight your competitive advantage.

VI. Marketing Plan – The marketing plan includes your marketing strategy, pricing strategy and search engine optimization plan.

VII. Operations Plan – The Operations Plan includes information on your company’s day to day operations and processes.

VIII. Management Team – The management team section includes a profile of the business owner and business management, their experience and company responsibilities.

IX. Financial Plan – The financial plan includes financial projections, a cash flow statement, profit and loss statement and balance sheet.

Download the Catering business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

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Catering Business Plan Outline

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Catering Business Plan Template

Whether you want to start your own catering business or expand an existing one, you need a business plan. the following catering business plan template lets you know which elements you need to include in a successful catering business plan., fill the form to download business plan templates.

To ensure your catering business success in this highly competitive market, you need a properly structured catering business plan. With over 12 years of experience, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs create business plans to start and grow their catering businesses. Using the following catering business plan template, you can put together an effective business plan.

Things to Know Before Writing a Catering Business Plan

The caterer’s industry is composed of companies that specialize in providing catering services for events. The companies usually have equipment and vehicles for preparing food off-site and transporting it to events.

There are many types of events catered by industry establishments, including graduation parties, wedding receptions, business luncheons, and trade shows.

Due to low entry barriers, this industry is highly competitive based on price and product offerings.

The Caterers industry revenue is expected to recover over the 3-year period up to 2024 as platforms that connect clients with caterers gain popularity and an improving economic climate contributes to the recovery. Overall, catering industry revenues will grow at an annualized rate of 1.7% to $15.5 billion by 2024.

The main products and services offered in this industry are

• Alcoholic drinks
• Food products that are ready to be consumed
• Catering services on caterers’ premises
• Food served at events on the premises of customers or third parties
• No-service catering
• Other services

Key Success Factors for Catering Business

Despite the challenges of the catering industry, We have identified 6 factors that can help you boost profitability, efficiency, and ultimately success.

A reasonable pricing policy is essential: The cost of food, drinks, and any other services provided must match the type of event being catered.

Accessing niche markets: Specialization or expertise in catering can give operators an edge.

Diversified location capability: Operators should be able to host events at different locations.

Multi-skilled and flexible staff: Having the ability to hire a qualified workforce is essential to ensuring quality employees.

Compliance with government regulations: Industry operators are required to comply with all government regulations, including health regulations.

The ability to control stock: Food waste must be minimized in order to reduce costs.

What is a Catering Business Plan?

Preparing quality food in large quantities necessitates extensive knowledge, expertise, experience, staff management, precision, and culinary talent that few possess.

A catering business plan is a road-map for starting and growing your catering business. Your business plan outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing strategy, and details your financial projections.

Any bank or investor you approach will require a catering business plan, so putting one together will be critical to securing funding.

In short,  writing a business plan  can help you succeed if you’re thinking of starting a catering business or pitching to investors or venture capitalists.

Free: Business Plan Examples

Do you need help creating a business plan? Check out these six free, proven business plan examples from different industries to help you write your own.

Why You Need a Catering Business Plan

Catering business plans can be used to gain interest from potential investors or to secure loans from banks. They are also helpful to you as the owner. A catering business plan allows you to thoroughly analyze every aspect of your potential business.

A solid, detailed plan gives you a clear path to follow, forces you to examine the viability of a catering business idea, and may help you better understand your company’s finances and competition.

Catering business owners who have a business plan grow 33% faster than those who don’t, and 76% of fast-growing businesses have one.

A catering business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Funding Sources for Catering Business

No matter how large or how small your catering business is, you should think about your financing options. Below are four types of funding you should investigate:

Government Incentives

When  choosing a business location , you can consider different community incentives before making your final choice. Government incentives can help reduce operating costs and long-term overheads.

You can begin your catering business with the help of the U.S.  Small Business Administration (SBA).  You can find government resources about financing your catering business by using the website’s Loans and Grants Search Tool.

Many banks offer small business loans. See if a business loan is right for you by contacting your bank. Banks also offer business lines of credit and other resources to help you find the right option.

Equipment Financing

Worried less about payroll and more about having the right tools for the job? This is where equipment financing can come in handy. Catering business owners use equipment financing to finance purchases such as industrial ovens and serving trays, among other things.

Consider finding an investor or group of investors to finance your catering company. Be sure to do your research and have the numbers and information to back up your business before you contact an investor. You will need to show progress to investors, and they will do research and investigation concerning your catering business plan. In return, investors often desire ownership of a part of your company.

Looking to Build Credit for Your Catering Business ?

Build your business credit quickly with an easy approval net 30 account from Wise Business Plans . Or check out the top 10 net 30 vendors to find the best one for you to help build your business credit .

How to Write a Catering Business Plan

To write a catering business plan, you don’t need to be an expert. Our step-by-step guide will show you how to write a catering business plan, or you can just download our proven sample business plan pdf  to get a better idea.

Catering Business Plan PDF and Word

Download our catering business plan in PDF and Word here.

Executive Summary

The executive summary is the most important part of the document since it outlines the whole business plan. Despite the fact that it appears first in the plan,  write the executive summary  last so you may condense key concepts from the other nine parts.

It’s a part that catches the investor’s eye and provides key information about your company’s overview and upcoming short- and long-term goals.

Tell them what kind of catering business you have and what stage you’re in; for example, are you a startup, do you have a catering company that you want to expand, or do you have a lot of catering businesses?

Finally, an executive summary should provide investors with a preview of what they may expect from the rest of your document.

• Provide a high-level overview of the catering industry
• The name, location, and mission of your catering company
• A description of your catering business, including management, advisors, and a brief history
• Discuss the type of catering business you are operating, Give an overview of your target customers., and how your company differs from competitors in the industry
• Create a marketing plan that describes your company’s marketing strategies, sales, and partnership plans.
• And give an overview of your financial plan

Check out these  executive summary examples  to help you write a perfect one for your catering business plan.

Free: Executive Summary Examples

An executive summary is the most important part of your business plan, and it need not be challenging to write. This is why we have put together some awesome free Executive Summary examples for you.

Company Analysis

The company analysis follows the executive summary as the second section of a catering business plan. Your company overview will be short and clear, similar to the executive summary.

Even if they just have a few minutes, your reader has to understand what your company does and who your customers are.

The following sections will be included in your business plan’s Company Analysis:

• Company summary:  Your company analysis will describe the type of catering business you are running and its future goals. The type of catering business you might be focused on : Social Event Catering ,  Door to Door catering ,  Wedding Catering ,  Private catering ,  Concession Catering ,  Functions/occasional Catering ,  Corporate Catering ,  Mobile Catering ,  etc )
• Company history:  When and why did you start your catering business?
• What milestones have you achieved so far?  Your milestones could include served 100th customer, new fleet purchase, etc.
• Legal structure and ownership:  Do you have  S-Corp  status? Is it an  LLC ? A  sole proprietorship ? Describe your legal structure.
• Mission statement:  An overview of your catering company’s guiding principles. Learn  how to write a perfect mission statement .

Industry Analysis

You need to include an overview of the catering business in the industry analysis you performed before sitting down to write your catering business plan.

While this research may appear to be unnecessary, it helps you to build strategies that maximize business opportunities while lowering or avoiding the identified risk.

Furthermore, market research can improve your strategy, especially if it identifies market trends. As an example, if there is a trend toward low calorie catering options, make sure your plan includes plenty of healthy, low calorie options.

The third purpose for conducting market research is to demonstrate to readers that you are an industry expert.

Industry analysis can be presented as a  8-step process  when written as part of a company’s business plan.

• Give a quick overview of the catering industry. Define the catering business in terms of size (in dollars), historical background, service region, and products.
• Examine previous trends and growth patterns in the catering industry.
• Identify the market’s major competitors.
• Age, gender, and general lifestyle of the targeted market
• Determine the factors that have an impact on the catering industry. These might include government regulatory rules and other businesses’ competitive activities.
• Using research data, the industry forecast expected growth over the next five to ten years. Predictions should be made for both the long and short term.
• Describe how your catering business intends to position itself in the industry. Concentrate on how your catering business can benefit from opportunities highlighted in the industry.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section is an important part of any catering business plan since it evaluates the consumer segments that your company serves. It identifies target customers, determines what those customers want, and then explains how your catering services will meet those requirements.

Customers can be categorized into the following segments :

Business to Business Catering ,  Social Events ,  Personal collaborations and Small events like personal gatherings ,  Cultural Organisations ,  Consumer Catering(birthday parties, weddings) ,  etc.

Customer analysis may be divided into two parts:  Psycho-social profiles  (why your catering services suits a customer’s lifestyle) and  Demographic profiles  (descriptions of a customer’s demographic qualities).

With regards to demographics, include information about: the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of your customers. When targeting businesses, describe what kind of business, size, and location your target customers are.

The psychological profiles of your target clients reveal their wants and needs. The better you understand and identify these demands, the better your chances of attracting and retaining customers will be.

Competitor Analysis

It is necessary to do a competitor analysis. Because you may use their data to define your goals, marketing plans, tactics, new product lines, pricing, and more.  Use competitor analysis to:

• Identify the strength and weakness of your catering business competitors.
• Search for opportunities to distinguish your catering from competitors.

The first step is to determine who your direct and indirect competitors are.

The direct competitors consists of other catering businesses that offer essentially the same catering services to the same people as you do.

Your indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors.

Among indirect competitors are Hotels, Restaurants, delis, supermarkets, and customers preparing food for events at home are all included.

Once you’ve identified the competition, concentrate on the direct, head-to-head competitors, since they are the most threatening to your catering business— but keep an eye on the indirect competition as well, just in case.

Provide an overview of each direct competitor’s business and detail their strengths and weaknesses.

You will be able to position yourself competitively in the market if you perform proper competition research. Perform a  SWOT Analysis  to learn your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and competitive advantages in the following areas:

• Prices –  Are they offering cheaper catering services or more costly than you and other competitors, what value do buyers get for that price?
• Quality –  Are they offering premium catering products or services, the perceived worth in the eyes of the customers
• Customer service  – How they respond to their consumers, whether they treat them poorly or well, and the degrees of satisfaction customers show
• Reputation  — The sum of everything mentioned above: their credibility, how loved the brand is, and the loyalty of their customers

The final section of your competitive analysis should include a list of your areas of competitive advantage. for example: Are you going to offer premium catering services? Will you make purchasing your services easier or faster for customers? Will you offer better pricing or will you offer greater customer support?

Consider how you will outperform your competitors and include them in this portion of your catering business plan.

Free: SWOT Analysis Examples

Take advantage of our free SWOT analysis examples. Make your business future-proof by identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using this free SWOT Analysis Template.

Marketing Plan

Creating a marketing plan for a catering business involves identifying the target demographic and finding catering service that suit their preferences.

As part of your marketing plan for a catering business, you should include:

Pricing and Product Strategy

Your catering business must offer the unique lovable catering services that are different from those of your competitors.

Research what your competitors offer and how they price their catering services. Unique catering services identifies your catering business as the place to go for unique catering services and differentiates it from others.

Placing and Promotions

Place explains all your distribution methods, such as retail stores, company websites, and third-party retailers.

Promoting your catering business is the final part of your marketing plan. In this step, you will document how you will drive customers to purchase your catering services. A few marketing methods you could consider are:

• Free samples
• Marketing on social media
• Make your food look professional
• Marketing by Banner and flyers
• Web Marketing
• Attend Events and bring samples
• Word of Mouth & Referrals
• Customers also depends on menu(what food options do you offer) you provided them

You should also think about your catering company’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP), which should explain why clients should choose you over other catering businesses. Ensure that your USP is reflected in your marketing.

Recommended Article: Learn how to create a marketing plan in a business plan to create a winning catering business plan.

Operations Plan

While the previous sections described your goals, your operational plan in business plan discusses how you will achieve them.

An operations plan is helpful for investors, but it’s also helpful for you and employees because it pushes you to think about tactics and deadlines.

Your operational plan should be able to answer the following questions:

• Who  – Personnel in charge of completing specific tasks.
• What  – A breakdown of the responsibilities of each personnel.
• Where  – The location of everyday operations.
• When  –The deadlines for completing tasks and goals.
• How much  – The amount of money required for each department to perform their job.

Your operations plan should be divided into two individual parts, as seen below.

Your daily short-term processes include all the tasks of meeting prospective clients, drawing up contracts, providing catering services (set-up, serving, clean-up, etc.), increase daily net restaurant sales, improve your top-selling services, and procuring supplies, etc.

Long-term goals  are milestones you hope to reach. they might be growing your business, such as introducing new items or services, meeting particular sales milestones, and meeting other essential business-oriented goals like recruiting more staff, opening additional locations, and so on.

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Management Team

The management team section in a business plan outlines your management team, staff, resources, and how your business ownership is structured.

This part may be easily organized by dividing it into the following points:

Ownership Structure

Internal Management Team

External Management Resources

Human Resources

This section outlines your catering business’s legal structure. If your company is a  sole proprietorship , it may simply be one phrase. It might be longer if your company is a partnership or a  corporation . You should make it a point to clarify who owns what part of the business.

This section should not only outline who is on your management team but also how each person’s skill set and experiences will contribute to the growth of your catering business. Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct expertise in the catering business. If this is the case, highlight your experience and skills.

Think of these external management resources as your internal management team’s backup. Consider forming an advisory board if your team is lacking expertise and experience with catering business.

An advisory board would consist of 3 to 7 people who would serve as mentors to your catering company. They would assist in answering queries and providing strategic direction.

If necessary, search for advisory board members with expertise running catering business.

Describe all of your company’s external professional advisers, such as accountants, bankers, attorneys, IT experts, business consultants, and/or business coaches. 

The final topic to consider in the management area of your catering business plan is your human resource needs.

Financial Plan

As part of your financial plan, you should present a 5-year financial statement broken down monthly or quarterly for the first year, and then annually. Financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

Pro Tips: Learn how to create a financial plan in a business plan to create a winning catering business plan

Income Statement

A profit and loss statement is more commonly called an income statement . It shows your revenue and subtracts your expenses to determine whether you were profitable or not.

As you develop your income statement, you need to develop assumptions. Will you serve 50 customers per day or 200? Will sales grow by 2% or 8% per year? Your choice of assumptions will greatly impact your business’s financial forecasts. Conduct as much research as possible in order to ground your assumptions in reality.

Free: Income Statement Template

Create a financial statement for your business by downloading our free income statement templates.

Balance Sheet

While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities.

The balance sheet shows your catering business’s net value at a specific point in time. It categorizes all of your company’s financial data into three categories:

• Assets:  Tangible goods with the monetary worth that the company owns.
• Liabilities:  Debt owing to a company’s creditor.
• Equity:  The net difference when the total liabilities are subtracted from the total assets.

The equation that expresses the relationship between these financial data elements is  Assets = Liabilities + Equity.

Create a pro forma balance sheet for your catering business plan that highlights the information in the income statement and cash flow projections. A balance sheet is normally prepared once a year by a company.

Balance sheets indicate your assets and liabilities, and while they contain a lot of information, they are simplified to highlight the most important things you need to know.

For example, spending $500,000 to build out your catering will not result in instant revenues. Rather, it is an asset that should help you earn money for many years to come.

Similarly, if a bank sends you a check for $200,000, you do not have to pay it back right now. Rather, that is a liability that you will repay over time.

Cash Flow Statement:

Your cash flow statement will help you determine how much money you need to start or grow your catering business. In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a catering business:

• Fees for registering a catering business
• Equipment costs such as blenders, stoves, and refrigerators.
• Taxes and licenses costs
• Business insurance
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Facility rent and security deposits
• Construction / remodeling
• Start-up Inventory

Free: Balance Sheet Template

Create a financial statement for your business by downloading our free balance sheet templates.

List any additional material you cannot include elsewhere, such as resumes from key employees, licenses, equipment leases, permits, patents, receipts, bank statements, contracts, and personal and business credit histories.

Attach your full financial projections along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling in the appendix.

Bonus Tip: Learn what to include in a business plan appendix when writing a catering business plan.

Summary of the Catering Business Plan

A catering business plan is a worthwhile investment. As long as you follow the template above, you will become an expert in no time. By following the template, you will understand the catering business, your competition, and your customers. The plan will help you understand the steps necessary to launch and grow your catering business.

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Wouldn’t it be nice if your business plan could be completed faster and easier?

With Wise Business Plan Template , you can finish your catering business plan in just 6 hours or less with a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

You can also download our 300+ free business plan templates covering a wide range of industries.

OR, we can create your catering business plan for you

Since 2010, Wise business plans ‘ MBA professional business plan writers has developed business plans for thousands of companies that have experienced tremendous success.

Download Our Catering Business Plan Template

We will show you some real-world business plan examples so you may know how to write your own, especially if you are seeking a bank loan or an outside investment and need to use SBA-approved formatting.

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Catering Business Plan Template

Start your Catering business with our comprehensive business plan template. It features targeted market research for the catering and event industry and includes financial projections to secure your success in the catering sector.

Download the template today!

Features of our catering business plan template:.

Market Research : Conduct in-depth analysis of local market trends, competitors, and customer preferences to identify opportunities and challenges.

Unique Selling Proposition: Clearly define what sets your catering business apart from competitors, such as specialty cuisines, exceptional customer service, or unique presentation styles.

Benefits of Using Our Template:

Marketing Planning : Develop strategies for efficiently coordinating and executing catering services for various events.

Targeted Strategy: Develop a focused business plan based on thorough market research, ensuring alignment with market needs and preferences.

Competitive Advantage: Establish a compelling unique selling proposition that differentiates your catering business and attracts customers.

Increased Success Potential: Enhance your chances of success by crafting a strategic business plan that effectively positions your catering business in the market.

Catering Business Plan Frequently Asked Questions

Q: why do i need a business plan for my catering business.

A: A business plan for your catering business is crucial for guiding your success in the industry. It helps analyze the market, set objectives, and devise strategic approaches. Additionally, a well-structured plan can attract potential clients, investors, or partners interested in supporting your venture.

Q: What are the key components of a catering business plan?

A: A comprehensive business plan for a catering business should include vital elements such as market analysis, your business model, financial projections, marketing strategies, and operational plans tailored to catering needs. These components are essential for understanding the market, managing finances, and outlining how you will provide quality catering services.

Q: How can a catering business plan help in securing funding or partnerships?

A: A well-prepared business plan demonstrates to potential investors, lenders, or partners your understanding of the catering industry, a strong business model, and a clear strategy for delivering quality catering services while achieving financial sustainability. Financial projections play a vital role in showcasing the potential for a return on investment. Presenting a comprehensive business plan can significantly enhance your chances of obtaining the necessary capital to establish or expand your catering business, highlighting your commitment to providing exceptional catering services.

We Know a Good Business Plan When we See One

Collectively, our team has reviewed thousands of business plans and has nearly 20 years of experience making SBA loans. We've also helped more than 50,000 businesses create financial projections across many industries and geographies.

Adam served as Executive Director for a SBA microlender in Indiana for over 10 years helping businesses and reviewing thousands of business plans.

Grace has built hundreds of custom financial models for businesses as well as our projection templates which are used by thousands of businesses every year.

Kyle served as an SBA loan officer for 7 years working directly with startups and business owners to review their business plans, projections, and prepare their loan package.

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Catering Business Plan Template

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Follow these tips to quickly develop a working business plan from this sample.

1. Don't worry about finding an exact match

We have over 550 sample business plan templates . So, make sure the plan is a close match, but don't get hung up on the details.

Your business is unique and will differ from any example or template you come across. So, use this example as a starting point and customize it to your needs.

2. Remember it's just an example

Our sample business plans are examples of what one business owner did. That doesn't make them perfect or require you to cram your business idea to fit the plan structure.

Use the information, financials, and formatting for inspiration. It will speed up and guide the plan writing process.

3. Know why you're writing a business plan

To create a plan that fits your needs , you need to know what you intend to do with it.

Are you planning to use your plan to apply for a loan or pitch to investors? Then it's worth following the format from your chosen sample plan to ensure you cover all necessary information.

But, if you don't plan to share your plan with anyone outside of your business—you likely don't need everything.

More business planning resources

How to Write a Business Plan

How to Start a Catering Business

How to Start a Business With No Money

Simple Business Plan Outline

Business Plan Template

How to Create a Business Plan Presentation

How to Write a Business Plan for Investors

10 Qualities of a Good Business Plan

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Catering Business Plan Template

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What You Get

• A compelling & detailed pre-written Catering business plan template in WORD
• A full and automatic Catering financial plan model in EXCEL you can easily customize
• Text tailored to the Catering business
• The ability to paste advanced charts and tables within a click
• No accounting or specialized financial knowledge needed
• A truly cost-effective solution that saves you time and money

Catering Business Plan Package Description

Our Catering business plan package comes with a pre-written business plan in Word and automatic financial plan in Excel tailored to the catering business. All you need to do is easily customize the templates in just a few hours according to your project’s needs and then you’ll end up with a solid investor-grade Catering business plan ideal to show to prospective investors. Save time and money by taking advantage of our ready-made catering business plan package. Check below the full details of the package’s content.

Catering Business Plan Document in Word

Our ready-made Catering business plan template is in Word format and includes 24 pages. The document is divided into multiple sections. Each section contains the essential points that are necessary to effectively present your Catering project. Each section and sub-section offer you a sample text that you can easily customize to make your business plan unique. Below is a small excerpt from your pre-written Catering business plan in Word.

Automatic Catering Financial Plan in Excel

Our pre-populated automatic financial model is in Excel format and includes multiples worksheets. You can easily edit the model’s inputs including changing costs and revenue assumptions to generate pro-forma financial forecasts including P&L, Cash flows and Balance Sheets. Below is a small extract from your automatic Catering financial plan in Excel.

The Benefits of Creating a Business Plan for your Catering Business

• A business plan is a crucial document that can help your catering business clarify its concept, target market, and value proposition. It can also help you understand the needs and preferences of your target customers, and determine how you can meet those needs better than the competition.
• If you need outside financing, a business plan and financial plan can be key in convincing investors to fund your catering business. The financial plan should include detailed projections that show how you plan to generate revenue and achieve profitability, including information on start-up costs, pricing strategy, and marketing budget.
• A business plan and financial plan serve as a roadmap for your catering business, allowing you to track your progress and make adjustments as needed. By regularly reviewing and updating these documents, you can stay on track and identify potential financial risks or opportunities.
• A financial plan is an important tool for managing the financial aspects of your catering business. It provides a clear overview of income and expenses and helps you create a budget that aligns with your business goals. It can also help you make informed financial decisions by identifying potential risks and opportunities.
• A business plan can also help your catering business attract and retain top talent. By outlining your business goals, values, and culture, you can attract employees who are aligned with your vision and mission. A well-written catering business plan can also help you communicate your goals and expectations to your team, keeping them motivated and engaged.

This Ready-Made Catering Business Plan is For

• Entrepreneurs wishing to start a Catering business
• Aspiring Catering business owners who want to create a business plan fast & easy
• F&B entrepreneurs who wish to pitch their project to investors
• F&B professionals who wish to better understand the potential of the opportunity

Immediate Delivery by Email

• Once you complete the order, you will receive an email with links to download your documents
• Your order will contain the full pre-written business plan in Word
• Your order will contain the full customizable financial model in Excel

Your Catering Business Plan Content

Executive Summary:  Our Catering business plan template starts with a compelling Executive Summary. This key section is very important as it summarizes in 1 page your Catering concept. It will introduce your business model, the key people behind the project as well as the unique selling proposition offered by your Catering concept. This section will also mention how market conditions and consumer trends are favorable for launching your project.

The Problem Opportunity:  Next, your ready-made Catering business plan will list a number of problems experienced by your prospects in your target market and will show how this presents a unique opportunity for your Catering business. These can include issues such as lack of quality Catering companies in a certain location, undifferentiated offerings by current actors in the market…etc.

The Solution:  This section explains how your Catering company will take advantage of the current problems in the market and will detail your innovative solutions.

Mission & Vision:  Your mission will explain in a couple of sentences your Catering company’s business ethos. In other words, it will summarize your unique value proposition and will explain how you are different than the competition. Your vision will explain the long-term plans for your Catering concept. Are you planning to start with one branch today and expand to a multi-branch business model? Are you looking to transform your Catering business into a franchise model?…etc.

Business Model:  This section details your Catering concept using the business model canvas method. In a visually appealing table, we will detail your Catering company’s key partners, activities, resources, value proposition, customer segments, customer relationship plan, marketing channels, cost structure and revenue streams.

Products & Services:  Next, we will talk in detail about your various products and services. We will describe your various menu options and catering services as well as provide information about your pricing.

Market Analysis:  This important section describes the various market statistics and consumer trends in the catering industry and explains how they support your own Catering concept. The purpose of this section is to show that the market conditions are favorable for launching your new Catering project.

General Market Trends:  In this sub-section of the market analysis, we will discuss the latest general market trends in the Catering industry. We will look at the global industry size, growth rate, growth diving factors and consumer trends.

Local Market Trends:  This sub-section explains the local market trends that are relevant to your specific Catering business.

Target Customers:  In this section, we will describe your various customer profiles by providing information about their demographics, behavior and purchasing habits.

Competitive Analysis:  We will analyze key competitors active in your target market and provide insights about their strengths and weaknesses.

Competitive Advantages:  After looking at the competitive landscape, we will then show how your Catering business is differentiating itself from the competition through a number of key advantages.

SWOT Analysis:  This section features a 4-quadrant table with explanations about how your Catering intends to leverage its key strengths, mitigate weaknesses, capture opportunities and thwart any future threats.

Marketing Plan : This chapter provides detailed information about your go-to-market strategy. It includes a detailed action plan to help you build brand awareness and generate sales.

Branding & Awareness:  We will describe in this sub-section your choice of key marketing channels to build branding and awareness.

Customer Acquisition:  We will describe in this sub-section your choice of key marketing channels to acquire customers and increase sales.

Operating Plan:  This chapter provides information about your Catering company’s opening hours, internal processes and describes the interactions between various key departments and teams.

Management Team:  It is very important to present the key people behind your Catering project and thus we have dedicated a section for this very purpose. It is also important to talk here about the founder’s vision, his past education and professional experience.

Hiring Plan:  No business can succeed without having on board the right team. This section lists all the key positions you plan to hire with information about their salaries and expected start dates.

Key Milestones:  To be able to launch and execute your Catering project, you need to follow a set of actionable tasks with target deadlines. This section serves this purpose.

Financial Plan:  Without a robust financial plan, your Catering business plan would be an incomplete document. This important section provides crucial information about your pro-forma financial projections and shows that you have really done your homework. The data mentioned in this and the following sections will be provided by the dynamic Excel financial model accompanying your Catering business plan.

Projected Revenue:  This module shows your Catering company’s revenue projections over the next three years.

Projected Profit and Loss:  This module shows your Catering company’s income statement (also called profit and loss statement) over the next three years. Your income statement includes detailed projections about your sales and expenses and shows how your Catering company’s revenue is converted into a net profit.

Projected Cash Flows:  This module shows your Catering company’s cash flow projections over the next three years. The first year of operation is even detailed on a monthly basis. Your cash flow statement will detail the various cash inflows your Catering business will generate from its day to day operations and from funding sources, as well as the various cash outflows required to pay for operating expenses and business investments.

Projected Balance Sheet : This module shows your Catering company’s balance sheet projections over the next three years. The balance sheet will provide a summary of your Catering project’s short term and long-term assets in addition to your short term and long-term liabilities and capital.

Profitability Analysis:  In this section, we will provide information about your gross margin, net margin and discuss the profitability of your Catering business.

Funding Requirement:  This module states the amount of funding your need to be able to comfortably launch your Catering business. It also describes the planned allocation of the funds between Opex and Capex.

Conclusion : Finally, we will conclude your business plan by recapitulating the key points that make your Catering project compelling and reiterate the rationale behind your business opportunity.

Catering Business Plan Excerpt

Catering Financial Plan Excerpt

Why Use our Ready-Made Catering Business Plan?

• Speed & Convenience:  Once you complete your order, you will receive the Catering business plan directly in your mailbox. Since it is already pre-written with fully customizable financials, you will only need to spend a couple of hours to edit it and adapt it to your own Catering project.
• High Quality:  Your Catering business plan has been written by our professional team of business plan writers and experts from the F&B industry. You will receive a professional Catering business plan template ideal for presenting to potential investors or banks.
• Low-Cost:  Our pre-written Catering business plan template is the most cost-effective solution in case you need to build a solid and professional Catering business plan. We are confident you will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars by ordering our premium business plan compared to hiring a consultant or subscribing to complicated and expensive software.

If you have any question regarding our ready-made Catering business plan package,  do not hesitate to contact us , we are here to help.

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10 Free Business Plan Templates in Word, Excel, & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Turning your vision into a clear and coherent business plan can be confusing and tough. 

Hours of brainstorming and facing an intimidating blank page can raise more questions than answers. Are you covering everything? What should go where? How do you keep each section thorough but brief?

If these questions have kept you up at night and slowed your progress, know you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve put together the top 10 business plan templates in Word, Excel, and ClickUp—to provide answers, clarity, and a structured framework to work with. This way, you’re sure to capture all the relevant information without wasting time. 

And the best part? Business planning becomes a little less “ugh!” and a lot more “aha!” 🤩

What is a Business Plan Template?

What makes a good business plan template, 1. clickup business plan template, 2. clickup sales plan template, 3. clickup business development action plan template, 4. clickup business roadmap template, 5. clickup business continuity plan template, 6. clickup lean business plan template, 7. clickup small business action plan template, 8. clickup strategic business roadmap template , 9. microsoft word business plan template by microsoft, 10. excel business plan template by vertex42.

A business plan template is a structured framework for entrepreneurs and business executives who want to create business plans. It comes with pre-arranged sections and headings that cover key elements like the executive summary , business overview, target customers, unique value proposition, marketing plans, and financial statements.  

A good business plan template helps with thorough planning, clear documentation, and practical implementation. Here’s what to look for:

• Comprehensive structure: A good template comes with all the relevant sections to outline a business strategy, such as executive summary, market research and analysis, and financial projections 
• Clarity and guidance: A good template is easy to follow. It has brief instructions or prompts for each section, guiding you to think deeply about your business and ensuring you don’t skip important details
• Clean design: Aesthetics matter. Choose a template that’s not just functional but also professionally designed. This ensures your plan is presentable to stakeholders, partners, and potential investors
• Flexibility : Your template should easily accommodate changes without hassle, like adding or removing sections, changing content and style, and rearranging parts 🛠️ 

While a template provides the structure, it’s the information you feed it that brings it to life. These pointers will help you pick a template that aligns with your business needs and clearly showcases your vision.

10 Business Plan Templates to Use in 2024

Preparing for business success in 2024 (and beyond) requires a comprehensive and organized business plan. We’ve handpicked the best templates to help you guide your team, attract investors, and secure funding. Let’s check them out.

If you’re looking to replace a traditional business plan document, then ClickUp’s Business Plan Template is for you!

This one-page business plan template, designed in ClickUp Docs , is neatly broken down into the following sections:

• Company description : Overview, mission, vision, and team
• Market analysis : Problem, solution, target market, competition, and competitive advantage
• Sales and marketing strategy : Products/services and marketing channels
• Operational plan : Location and facilities, equipment and tools, manpower, and financial forecasts
• Milestones and metrics: Targets and KPIs

Customize the template with your company logo and contact details, and easily navigate to different sections using the collapsible table of contents. The mini prompts under each section guide you on what to include—with suggestions on how to present the data (e.g., bullet lists, pictures, charts, and tables). 

You can share the document with anyone via URL and collaborate in real time. And when the business plan is ready, you have the option to print it or export it to PDF, HTML, or Markdown.

But that’s not all. This template is equipped with basic and enterprise project management features to streamline the business plan creation process . The Topics List view has a list of all the different sections and subsections of the template and allows you to assign it to a team member, set a due date, and attach relevant documents and references.

Switch from List to Board view to track and update task statuses according to the following: To Do, In Progress, Needs Revision, and Complete. 

This template is a comprehensive toolkit for documenting the different sections of your business plan and streamlining the creation process to ensure it’s completed on time. 🗓️

If you’re looking for a tool to kickstart or update your sales plan, ClickUp’s Sales Plan Template has got you covered. This sales plan template features a project summary list with tasks to help you craft a comprehensive and effective sales strategy. Some of these tasks include:

• Determine sales objectives and goals
• Draft positioning statement
• Perform competitive analysis
• Draft ideal customer persona
• Create a lead generation strategy

Assign each task to a specific individual or team, set priority levels , and add due dates. Specify what section of the sales plan each task belongs to (e.g., executive summary, revenue goals, team structure, etc.), deliverable type (such as document, task, or meeting), and approval state (like pending, needs revisions, and approved).

And in ClickUp style, you can switch to multiple views: List for a list of all tasks, Board for visual task management, Timeline for an overview of task durations, and Gantt to get a view of task dependencies. 

This simple business plan template is perfect for any type of business looking to create a winning sales strategy while clarifying team roles and keeping tasks organized. ✨

Thinking about scaling your business’s reach and operations but unsure where or how to start? It can be overwhelming, no doubt—you need a clear vision, measurable goals, and an actionable plan that every member of your team can rally behind. 

Thankfully, ClickUp’s Business Development Action Plan Template is designed to use automations to simplify this process so every step toward your business growth is clear, trackable, and actionable.

Start by assessing your current situation and deciding on your main growth goal. Are you aiming to increase revenue, tap into new markets, or introduce new products or services? With ClickUp Whiteboards or Docs, brainstorm and collaborate with your team on this decision.

Set and track your short- and long-term growth goals with ClickUp’s Goals , break them down into smaller targets, and assign these targets to team members, complete with due dates. Add these targets to a new ClickUp Dashboard to track real-time progress and celebrate small wins. 🎉

Whether you’re a startup or small business owner looking to hit your next major milestone or an established business exploring new avenues, this template keeps your team aligned, engaged, and informed every step of the way.

ClickUp’s Business Roadmap Template is your go-to for mapping out major strategies and initiatives in areas like revenue growth, brand awareness, community engagement, and customer satisfaction. 

Use the List view to populate tasks under each initiative. With Custom Fields, you can capture which business category (e.g., Product, Operations, Sales & Marketing, etc.) tasks fall under and which quarter they’re slated for. You can also link to relevant documents and resources and evaluate tasks by effort and impact to ensure the most critical tasks get the attention they deserve. 👀

Depending on your focus, this template provides different views to show just what you need. For example, the All Initiatives per Quarter view lets you focus on what’s ahead by seeing tasks that need completion within a specific quarter. This ensures timely execution and helps in aligning resources effectively for the short term.

This template is ideal for business executives and management teams who need to coordinate multiple short- and long-term initiatives and business strategies.

In business, unexpected threats to operations can arise at any moment. Whether it’s economic turbulence, a global health crisis, or supply chain interruptions, every company needs to be ready. ClickUp’s Business Continuity Plan Template lets you prepare proactively for these unforeseen challenges.

The template organizes tasks into three main categories:

• Priorities: Tasks that need immediate attention
• Continuity coverage: Tasks that must continue despite challenges
• Guiding principles: Resources and protocols to ensure smooth operations

The Board view makes it easy to visualize all the tasks under each of these categories. And the Priorities List sorts tasks by those that are overdue, the upcoming ones, and then the ones due later.

In times of uncertainty, being prepared is your best strategy. This template helps your business not just survive but thrive in challenging situations, keeping your customers, employees, and investors satisfied. 🤝

Looking to execute your business plan the “lean” way? Use ClickUp’s Lean Business Plan Template . It’s designed to help you optimize resource usage and cut unnecessary steps—giving you better results with less effort.

In the Plan Summary List view, list all the tasks that need to get done. Add specific details like who’s doing each task, when it’s due, and which part of the Business Model Canvas (BMC) it falls under. The By Priority view sorts this list based on priorities like Urgent, High, Normal, and Low. This makes it easy to spot the most important tasks and tackle them first.

Additionally, the Board view gives you an overview of task progression from start to finish. And the BMC view rearranges these tasks based on the various BMC components. 

Each task can further be broken down into subtasks and multiple checklists to ensure all related action items are executed. ✔️

This template is an invaluable resource for startups and large enterprises looking to maximize process efficiencies and results in a streamlined and cost-effective way.

The Small Business Action Plan Template by ClickUp is tailor-made for small businesses looking to transform their business ideas and goals into actionable steps and, eventually, into reality. 

It provides a simple and organized framework for creating, assigning, prioritizing, and tracking tasks. And in effect, it ensures that goals are not just set but achieved. Through the native dashboard and goal-setting features, you can monitor task progress and how they move you closer to achieving your goals.

Thanks to ClickUp’s robust communication features like chat, comments, and @mentions, it’s easy to get every team member on the same page and quickly address questions or concerns.

Use this action plan template to hit your business goals by streamlining your internal processes and aligning team efforts.

For larger businesses and scaling enterprises, getting different departments to work together toward a big goal can be challenging. The ClickUp Strategic Business Roadmap Template makes it easier by giving you a clear plan to follow.

This template is packaged in a folder and split into different lists for each department in your business, like Sales, Product, Marketing, and Enablement. This way, every team can focus on their tasks while collectively contributing to the bigger goal.

There are multiple viewing options available for team members. These include:

• Progress Board: Visualize tasks that are on track, those at risk, and those behind
• Gantt view: Get an overview of project timelines and dependencies
• Team view: See what each team member is working on so you can balance workloads for maximum productivity

While this template may feel overwhelming at first, the getting started guide offers a step-by-step breakdown to help you navigate it with ease. And like all ClickUp templates, you can easily customize it to suit your business needs and preferences.

Microsoft’s 20-page traditional business plan template simplifies the process of drafting comprehensive business plans. It’s made up of different sections, including:

• Executive summary : Highlights, objectives, mission statement, and keys to success
• Description of business: Company ownership and legal structure, hours of operation, products and services, suppliers, financial plans, etc.
• Marketing: Market analysis, market segmentation, competition, and pricing
• Appendix: Start-up expenses, cash flow statements, income statements, sales forecast, milestones, break-even analysis, etc.

The table of contents makes it easy to move to different sections of the document. And the text placeholders under each section provide clarity on the specific details required—making the process easier for users who may not be familiar with certain business terminology.

No business template roundup is complete without an Excel template. This business plan template lets you work on your business financials in Excel. It comes with customizable tables, formulas, and charts to help you look at the following areas:

• Highlight charts
• Market analysis
• Start-up assets and expenses
• Sales forecasts
• Profit and loss
• Balance sheet
• Cash flow projections
• Break-even analysis

This Excel template is especially useful when you want to create a clear and visual financial section for your business plan document—an essential element for attracting investors and lenders. However, there might be a steep learning curve to using this template if you’re not familiar with business financial planning and using Excel.

Try a Free Business Plan Template in ClickUp

Launching and running a successful business requires a well-thought-out and carefully crafted business plan. However, the business planning process doesn’t have to be complicated, boring, or take up too much time. Use any of the above 10 free business plan formats to simplify and speed up the process.

ClickUp templates go beyond offering a solid foundation to build your business plans. They come with extensive project management features to turn your vision into reality. And that’s not all— ClickUp’s template library offers over 1,000 additional templates to help manage various aspects of your business, from decision-making to product development to resource management .

Sign up for ClickUp’s Free Forever Plan today to fast-track your business’s growth! 🏆

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Catering Business Plan Template in PDF

Join One of Our Subscription Plans and Get Access to Various Free Catering Business Plan Templates. We Also Provide Materials for a Food Truck Flyer, Executive Summary, Business Proposal Sample, Mobile Catering Service Poster, Planner Template Design, Catering Company Logo, Fast Food Marketing Plan, and More. Visit Template.net and Download Our Catering Business Plans in PDF!

• Catering Business Plan
• Catering Invoice
• Catering Letter
• Catering Plan
• Catering Proposal
• Catering Proposal Letter
• Catering Quotation

Catering businesses earn money from bookings by the company and yearly events. They provide food at weddings, canteens, and even restaurants. Mobile catering also provides essential catering services in a truck setting. If you want to build this kind of business, you need a concrete business plan. Get these kinds of files from our website. These are editable and printable in PDF to make editing easier for you. 

There are varying formats of business plans, but the very important thing to remember is writing the content concisely. When you create a catering business plan, think about the food that you want to offer and analyze the competitors. Unlike proposals, business plans depict how your business starts from the ground up. The next thing that you need to consider is the budget. Determine the amount of money you need to spend on raw ingredients, labor, lease, and other factors. After that, include your objectives and marketing strategies for the business. It's also advisable to create a financial projection for the first two years of operations. State the key people who hold responsibilities in your business as well. Wrap up your content by checking the document and fixing some errors. 

All of our templates contain sample content and design. You don't need to waste time and effort in creating a template from scratch. You can also get access to more templates when you join the monthly premium subscription. Make a catering business plan to start your putting your vision into action. Download our templates now!

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