A food side hustle might sound like a good idea, but have you really thought about it? There are many complexities around business in general, and even more so with products meant for human consumption. From establishing a unique selling point to engagement, give these a try.

Upgrade the Payment System

As a food enthusiast, you already have the passion and knowledge for a business such as a restaurant, pop-up cafe or home bakery. However, that’s not always enough. Finances are, of course, required for a business to operate successfully. Whether you are a hobbyist or a fledgling business owner, you need income and accounts. A restaurant POS system or similar wireless tech will help process transactions from customers and also record the required data.

Identify a Unique Selling Point

So, what is a unique selling point? In short, it is the services and products that set your business apart from all the others. For instance, anyone can throw pre-made, frozen Cornish pasties in the oven. However, customers will pay more and appreciate fresh and hand-made. Food is a wide niche, and specialising in something will help you stand out. Perhaps offer exotic food such as authentic Japanese dishes, or even food alternatives for a particular diet such as gluten free.

Branding a Food Side Hustle

Even as a slide hustle, a business is still a business. Around 1 in 5 side hustles in the UK make over £1,000 per month. While this is respectable, you can make more. As they say, you must put in to get something out. Branding should be a part of your company’s monthly expenses, as building a strong visual brand will help customers recognise quality and associate your products with a specific niche. There’s a reason Coca-Cola and McDonald’s spend billions each year!

Study Food Safety Compliance

A food business is a great way to make people happy and make some cash at the same time. However, food is more complex than most other ventures because it directly affects the consumer’s health and safety. Because of this, it is essential that you fully understand food safety compliance regulations. Unfortunately, people die more than they should because of food-related mishaps, such as not detailing allergens and ingredient cross-contamination.

Engage with Your Customers

Customer engagement is a critical part of running any modern business, even micro ones. People love it when they feel connected to a product. As a food manufacturer, you can help people reconnect with childhood or relive distant memories. Building relationships on social media is a powerful way to retain customers and show you are a brand that cares about experience more than profit. It also helps gauge sentiment so you can adapt and change.

Summary

An upgraded payment system will help grow your food side hustle into something more with transaction data and prompt payment. Branding is also a powerful tool that can reach a wider audience. However, you must also engage with that audience to show how much you care.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.