Food Business Start-up Boot Camp: London, 15-16 September 2012

Food business expert Monique Borst

A brand new workshop for people dreaming, or at the early stages, of running their own food business comes to London on September 15-16, 2012.

Led by food industry expert Monique Borst, the Food Business Start-up Boot Camp is touring the country this year and comes to Wallacespace Covent Garden at the end of September.

London is home to many innovative and entrepreneurial food businesses from individuals making cakes, pickles and jams to sell at farmers markets to success stories like Neal’s Yard Dairy and The Monmouth Coffee Company.

But starting a food business can be a daunting task ... you need to be aware of all the rules – environmental, health, licensing and insurance – competition is fierce and profit margins are small. You also need a marketing strategy to give your business the best chance of being seen and heard and a realistic business plan.

For anyone starting that journey, or people with a fledgling business who are wondering ‘where next’? this Food Business Start-up Boot Camp will be a practical, inspiring and fun weekend. A combination of talks, exercises and a glimpse behind-the-scenes of a local food producer and retailer.

Delegates will:
• Increase awareness of their own business environment, including generating a business idea, the best legal structure for your business and understanding what skills, knowledge and personal qualities you need.

• Find out how well they know their market. Learn that your customers really aren’t ‘everyone’.

• Look at costing and pricing their product or service. How do you work out how much to charge? Whether you are selling a product or providing a service this session helps you to decide on a clear structure for your pricing policy,

• Take the time to learn about ways of financing their business and work out when their business will break even? In this session you will complete a personal survival budget and test the financial viability of your business.

• Learn how to stay on the right side of the law: the minimum standards for premises, personal hygiene and food safety, licensing, insurance.

• Learn how to control your business: get a grip on the records you need to keep and how to manage overheads

Monique is a great facilitator: calm, funny & credible. I thoroughly enjoyed and benefited hugely from her "Food Business Start-up Boot Camp"!

Details
Food Business Start-up Boot Camp, 15-16 September 2012
£295 per person including all refreshments and a delicious local lunch
Venue: wallacespace, 2 Dryden Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9NA

About Monique Borst
Monique is passionate about good food, made and sold with integrity and imagination. She brings a practical, business focused perspective on the niche food sector and start-up knowledge. She has over 20 years experience in the food and retail sectors and worked with companies like Harrods, The John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose and clients including House of Fraser, Blenheim Palace and Knebworth House as well as a number of smaller, independent food retail and food service clients on food strategy, improving sales and profitability, developing products ranges and menus. Monique’s clients are very honest about the fact that the reason they chose to work with her is because they either simply don’t have the time, expertise or confidence as an owner to make the decisions to really drive their businesses forward on their own. Monique is an independently selected member of The Future 500, a network for rising stars across the UK.