So, where are we? We have an idea, we are working in the industry and we have worked out what we can afford to start our business with. We have a legal trading entity, a brand with a logo and a colour palette and you can now to test your dishes out with public and friends and family.
Invite people around for a weekend dinner or barbecue, or one better, try a supperclub.
Case Study – BAO Menu
BAO started their street food journey with a supperclub at the Pacific Social Club in Hackney – they now have four (nearly five) sites across London! They had great bao buns, incredible fried chicken and some questionable three bean crumble. All of it was working under a brilliant brand, and we don’t just mean the bun eating man.
Why did a supper club help them? People got to try their food and they started a small but quickly growing fan base. The fan base loved their food, who were invested in them and their success as they grew. Their HERO dishes became clear as they traded more and more, moving from supperclubs to street food markets. They refined their product offering and understood what customers wanted.
Regardless of whether you’re a professional chef or an amateur home cook, if you’re at this stage then it’s probably because a) you love food and cooking and b) you can cook well (or are least willing to learn). Before getting to supperclubs or events to showcase your food, family and friends are a great place to gather feedback about your food.
We suggest an important caveat to getting feedback from family and friends – make them pay. Feedback from paying ‘customers’ (your friends!) will provide you with important insights into your food that a ‘normal’ barbecue or dinner party might give you.
So, invite friends and family round for dinner or a barbecue. If you have a garden, great – set up your stall or van and serve them as if you were in a real market. Try and get it as close to the real thing as possible – as we’ve said before, making sure you understand each and every part of your process will help make your brand shine. This kind of event will allow you to play with your menu and gauge people’s interests in your brand. When customers pay, you’re more likely to get real and constructive feedback that can help your business.
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Remember – this is not a supperclub! Whilst supperclubs are a great way to test a range of dishes or perhaps an extended menu, we’re focusing on a street food business here. The more specialised and succinct your menu, the better.
So organise a friends/family weekend dinner or barbecue with your friends. Invite as many as you like – the more people, the more you’ll understand what works and what does not work. If you have friends in the food industry, definitely get them to come.
Club Mexicana’s Supperclub back in 2013
Supperclubs are a great way to try out an extended menu of dishes, especially if you’re interested in serving a particular cuisine that may not be familiar to your area. Also getting genuine feedback from paying customers can help you narrow your focus onto the dishes that may do well in markets. Lots of successful street food businesses and restauranteurs have started this way, many of whom had little formal kitchen experience.
Popular supperclub platforms in the UK include: