How To Grow A Successful Catering Business

You’ve managed to launch your catering business, and now you are ready to see some serious growth. After the catering industry experienced a long series of setbacks  — thanks a lot, pandemic! — it has officially bounced back, with some experts estimating a $103.28 billion global increase from 2022 to 2027. People are ready to mix and mingle over passed appetizers like never before. If there was ever a time to reevaluate your business tactics and dial in your growth strategy, it’s now.

In this article, we will share expert advice on how to effectively market your catering business, fine-tune your menu to reflect the latest trends, strengthen relationships with clients, and streamline day-to-day operations. In short, this is your one-stop shop for how to grow a catering business.

How to grow a catering business: Effective strategies for business growth 

Identify Your Target Market

Whether you are just starting out (here’s a guide to securing funds) or you are a wise catering veteran, it’s crucial to really know the businesses and people who will hire you. Party and dining trends are a moving target, with preferences changing faster than you can say poulet de jour. Understanding your potential customers and what type of services they are looking for (casual cocktail parties or elegant galas?) will allow you to tailor your menu and marketing approach to speak directly to them. Take a look at these 15 unique catering concepts to get the wheels turning. 

Perfect Your Menu

The heart of every catering business is the menu. Giving it a sense of adventure and humor helps. Designing a menu that is visually inviting and reflects the tastes of your target audience will make it that much easier to attract customers away from competitors.

While French-inspired appetizers and fusion seafood are having a moment, no one can predict with total accuracy which catering trends will explode in 2024 and which will fade away. One thing is certain: all savvy caterers offer a diverse range of dishes that encompass dietary requirements and restrictions, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options. What’s more - seasonal, organic ingredients will never go out of style.

Network and Build Relationships

With so many digital tools at our fingertips, it’s easy to forget about the oldest trick in the book: networking.

Take Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, a chain of casual restaurants whose hot and spicy offerings inspire a rabid following. Mynor Espinoza, the Catering Coordinator, attends fundraisers and community events to meet industry professionals and to feed potential clients. “I do my best to get chicken in people’s mouths, and it sells itself,” he says. “I try to be at any event I can get my hands on,” he enthused.

Collaboration with industry partners and contacts can lead to referrals, new business ventures, and cross-promotional opportunities to expand your audience. For instance, the popular Masters of Taste fundraiser at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, lets small caterers mingle with hundreds of restauranteurs, high-profile chefs, and food journalists behind the scenes - not to mention the chance to connect with thousands of visitors who show up extremely hungry. 

Networking opportunities are especially important for wedding caterers, who will need to have top-notch florists, photographers, and wedding planners in their contact list. 

Invest in Marketing and Advertising 

In addition to being a social butterfly in real life, you will need to heavily market your business online. Consider investing both time and money in these four areas. 

• Email marketing campaigns: Building a mailing list allows you to regularly share your fabulous catering achievements and also build lifelong relationships with clients. Companies often write short and engaging newsletters for their fans and customers to communicate exciting menu additions, special offers, and upcoming events. This is just one of many smart marketing strategies that you can apply to your catering business.

• Content marketing: It’s important to have a dynamic website — with thoughtful, high-quality blog posts and videos — to inspire people to click back. Did your mixologist expertly muddle a mojito at a recent party?  Showcase a video of their culinary expertise on your site. Share a few of your secret party-planning tips and chime in on industry trends to keep clients engaged and attract potential customers.

• Influencer market: Connect with influential individuals and organizations in your town or city and have them promote your catering business to their social media followers. Before you dive in, tap our Social Media Marketing Guide for tips and inspiration.

• Website and SEO: Search engine optimization is not just for big corporations. Brush up on basic SEO techniques with our beginner’s guide to improve your company's visibility in search engine results.

Provide Excellent Service 

Service is one of the essential keys to successful catering. Even with the most riveting buffet spread, nothing can tank a food business faster than a negative interaction with your employees.

Quality and Consistency

These two words should be your mantra and also the guiding principle for your servers. Train all employees to provide friendly, professional, and attentive service. 

Prompt and Responsive Communication

It’s not all about the server-customer interaction. Excellent service begins from the moment a potential client contacts you for a quote. Maintain a high level of professionalism from the planning stages to the post-party cleanup for each event. Listen to your clients’ needs and look for small cues that they are happy (or unsatisfied) with your services. Exceeding their expectations will cement your business relationship and go a long way toward winning referrals. 

Develop Systems and Processes 

You attracted a strong client base, crafted an incredible menu, and negotiated a fair price, but all that groundwork can vanish if you don’t have efficient systems in place for all aspects of your catering business. 

Streamline Operations 

When your catering business goes next-level, and clients are knocking down your door, you’ll be glad you have systems and processes already in place to scale up easily.

It goes beyond putting in a double or triple order at your local butcher or organic farm. All areas of your business should have streamlined operations, including the booking process, menu planning, inventory management, and all transportation and setup logistics.

Customer feedback can be crucial to your growth, so you should research a system to monitor reviews, food preferences, and any complaints or words of praise. Perhaps you have a broken link on your website or a new server that was a bit rude. You will want to act on that input immediately. 

Stay Organized

Mistakes, accidents, and even disasters are inevitable. The trick to rise above them is strong organizational skills. Keeping organized also keeps you and your staff more calm. And, if you’re calm, cool, and collected, your clients will be too — and you will be that much better equipped to handle multiple jobs simultaneously without sacrificing the consistent quality that builds reputations — and catering empires.

A business owner without a schedule and checklist is like a ship without a sail. No matter how small or large your catering outfit is, you need a schedule and checklist to ensure that everything is completed on time and to the client’s liking.  

Just as a well-stocked kitchen is the foundation for good cooking, an organized and comprehensive business plan is essential for growth. Hundreds of thousands of people eat food prepared and served by caterers. Though the industry’s influence is quiet, it’s also extremely powerful. So, keep this how to grow a catering business guide in your back pocket so that you can take advantage of a thriving industry and make your catering dreams come true.