Home Based Outdoor Hog Roast Catering Business For Sale

Business description

Established in 2007, this professional hog roasting business was set up when the vendor noticed a gap in the market for this type of outdoor catering company. The business has subsequently gone from strength to strength since inception and is still experiencing excellent growth, which is moving the business above the lifestyle level the owner originally envisaged.

The catering company supplies a range of service options from simple hog roast, which compliments other catering firms on-site, to a full service. This full service includes staff, additional foods plus full sets of crockery and cutlery. The flexibility and range of services offered by the business appeals to all budgets and sizes of events. Customers hiring the business include those organising private functions such as weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries as well as corporate clients looking for something unique for their discerning clientele. Prices range form £950 to around £5,000 depending on requirements.

The business is home based, and very easy to operate with customers finding the business via the highly visible website, which generates a good stream of enquiries along with word of mouth recommendations. Bookings are confirmed, some many months in advance, with a 50% deposit. The remaining 50% is to be paid on the day of event. This revenue structure offers excellent cash-flow, and by employing all staff on a casual basis, including those who are senior and have been with the firm for a number of years, the business has limited overheads and on-going liabilities.

From the initial start of a few garden birthday parties in 2007, when the vendor enjoyed a more relaxed lifestyle business, the workload has extensively, and with minimal direct competition in the region able to offer the same comprehensive service, or with the same name recognition, the company is now in the situation where they are working to capacity through-out the peak months of the year, and have to turn away business or pass it over to smaller firms via recommendation.

Although the business receives a revenue split from these recommendations, the company is now at the stage where that with a little additional investment in assets and premises, there are real opportunities for exceptional growth.

Equipment:

The business currently has 2 high quality hog roast machines, built by the key UK manufacturer. There is an arrangement in-place where the business can utilise a third machine during peak weekends also. For full-service events the business has a number of gazebos, tables and catering equipment. There is also a comprehensive website, and company van currently on hire purchase.

Customer Service:

Key customers expect excellent service, especially those looking for catering on some of the most important days in their life. The business can confidently and professional offer an outstanding service to many guests in any normal weekend and has the systems, processes and people to ensure that both profitability and customers’ needs are satisfied.

The most important aspects of customer management and satisfaction considered by the business are honesty and reliability combined with an uncompromising attitude to the quality of service and produce used, which is responsible for the business receiving many testimonials, the strong name recognition and excellent reputation which has led to the acquisition of new customers via the high levels of recommendation and referral.

Key Strengths:

The strong trade name which has been built rapidly over the past few years, is obviously a great asset to the business, strengthened by the fact the there is limited competition offering a comparable service, or as easy to find for the growing base of customers seeking a unique outside catering service. The business is very easy to operate, and has streamlined operations with low overheads and a good cash-flow basis. This combined with the levels of future bookings at any given time providing 50% initial deposits offers a stable revenue level from which to grow.

Financial profile:

The business is being offered for sale on a going concern basis, all financial discussions will take place directly between the vendor and all interested parties under the auspices of Turner Butler.

For the last financial year, Turnover was circa £145,000, with a Gross Profit circa £89,000 and an Adjusted Net Profit circa £30,000. Nest Assets are conservatively valued at circa £25,000. There is currently confirmed future business valued at around £65,000, with 50% due on the event day.

Property information

Location:

The business is home based and fully relocatable, no premises are included in the sale.

Business Operation

Expansion potential:

This business is very well placed for further growth, and this is one of the key reasons the vendor is now looking to hand the business over to new ownership. Currently the business re-directs enquires to other small businesses in the sector which are capable of providing a similar service when they are booked at capacity. The vendor has already considered making these relationship more formal or utilising one of them for an initial trial franchise model. Obviously there are also opportunities to increase revenue by expanding the assets and team of staff to handle a higher level of enquires both from the local region and further a field.

The vendor also believes that the business can start providing complimentary outside catering services to increase revenue for each booking, and also by moving to larger scale events higher levels of revenue and margins can be achieved. Currently the business handles regular bookings from a number of Hotels, Country Parks and Restaurants, with additional direct promotion, this corporate client base could be greatly expanded.

Competition / Market:

Initially the business took advertising positions in local press and lifestyle / bride magazines. This has now been wholly replaced with the on-line marketing mix. The vendor of the business spent considerable time and effort with a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) specialist to enhance my organic listing on Google and other search engines. As such the company website enjoys high natural search engine rankings which is supported with an advertising spend of around £1,000 per month on Google ‘Ad-words’. The business receives very high levels of enquires from recommendation and referral.

Reasons for selling:

The vendor of this business is looking to return to regular work hours due to family commitments, and feels that this business is primed for investment to take the operations to the next level of growth.

Trading hours:

Monday – Friday: Flexible hours, with around 10 hours per week to handle business operations and bookings.

Weekends: Around 12 hours per day, per event.

Employees:

The business is currently operated by the vendor who handles all day-to-day operations, business administration and overall booking and event management. In support are 6 regular staff who have been employed on a casual basis during weekends for a number of years, with additional reliable staff to call upon during peak periods. This results in the capability to operate three events simultaneously at any given time.

Years established:

2007

Other information

Support & training:

The current owner will provide all necessary training and pass on all relevant contacts to allow continuity of trading and is prepared to assist in further support and training if required.

Relocatable:

This business can be relocated.