So, you want to be a food vendor, right? It looks easy, doesn't it. You buy a tent, a couple of coolers, a few other supplies, and then decide upon what you want to sell. This stage of your transition from a traditional job or career into the world of vendor food service (even as a part-time job) is as easy as it gets. The next steps might seem to you as though you are preparing for a hike in the Alps in the dead of winter. At this stage, you finally decide on what kind of venues you would like to attend--festivals, fairs, shows, or exhibitions, to name a few opportunities. Next, you decide on the type of equipment you need--flat top grill, deep fryer (think funnel cake or curly fries), popcorn kettle for kettle corn, or even a small pull-behind, enclosed trailer with a sink, refrigeration, and/or cooktop of some kind. Of course, you could always do what my brother and I did and purchase a self-contained, one food-type, apparatus such as our Texas Corn Roaster. And then there are those vendors whose operations are smaller with just a tent, crockpots, waffle irons, or other small appliances. Now that you've decided on what you want to offer and how you want to prepare it, you need to begin the application process and try to get into events. There are easy ways to find the right type of venue for your operation. The first is to complete a simple Google search. You will find such sites as "where the shows are" or "Florida's seafood festivals." These sites will lead you to others, like BBQ cook offs and such. At this point, you are really excited and ready to go. WARNING: Before you purchase the first plastic spoon, be sure to read every article or book you can find on food vending. You will be surprised to learn that it may take two to three years before you really start turning a decent profit. The learning curve can be steep and filled with as many disappointments as it is with great experiences. Our blog will try to provide current articles on food vending and the festival circuit for customers and fellow food vendors alike.
Food Vendor 101
by All Fresh Kitchen, posted May 26, 2018|
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