meal prep business plan pdf

Meal Prep Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Meal Prep Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their meal prep companies.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating a meal prep business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a meal prep business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Meal Prep Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your meal prep business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Meal Preparation Business

If you’re looking to start a meal prep business or grow your existing meal prep company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your meal prep business to improve your chances of success. Your meal prep business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Meal Prep Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a meal prep business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for meal prep companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a meal prep business.

If you want to start a meal prep business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your meal prep business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of meal prep business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a meal prep business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of meal prep businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the meal prep industry.
• Discuss the type of meal prep business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of meal prep business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of meal prep businesses:

• Uncooked and prepared : this type of meal prep business consists of delivering all of the ingredients and instructions for the customer to prepare in the comfort of their own home. Everything other than cooking utensils is provided.
• Pre-made and fresh: this type of meal prep business involves you cooking a variety of dishes and having your customers pick up their week’s worth (or a few days) that are ready to be eaten. It only involves the customer having to warm the dish – everything is already cooked.
• Meal prep workshops: this type of business will involve you hosting workshops to a variety of people. You’ll provide and prepare the ingredients for a tasty recipe, as well as the workspace to cook the meals. Your customers will cook their recipes onsite and take their meals  home.

In addition to explaining the type of meal prep business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of customers served, the number of meals with positive reviews, reaching X number of meals served, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the meal prep industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the meal prep industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your meal prep business plan:

• How big is the meal prep industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your meal prep business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your meal prep business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals of all ages, health fanatics, busy professionals, singles or couples, and families.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of meal prep business you operate. Clearly, families would respond to different marketing promotions than single busy professionals, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Meal Prep Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other meal prep businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes grocery stores, restaurants, or farmers markets. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of meal prep business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide a variety of meals?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a meal prep business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of meal prep company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide pre-cooked meals, recipes and ingredients, or workshops?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your meal prep company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your meal prep business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a gym, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your meal prep marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your meal prep business, including purchasing ingredients, planning and preparing meals, customer calls and orders, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to sell your Xth meal, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your meal prep business to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your meal prep business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing meal prep businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a meal prep business or successfully running a small restaurant.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you sell 5 meals per day, and/or offer meal packages? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your meal prep business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a meal prep business:

• Cost of kitchen equipment and food inventory
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your kitchen location lease or a list of meals you plan to offer.  

Writing a business plan for your meal prep business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the meal prep industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful meal prep business.  

Meal Prep Business Plan Template FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my meal prep business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your meal prep business plan.

How Do You Start a Meal Prep Business?

Starting a meal prep business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Meal Prep Business
• Create Your Meal Prep Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Meal Prep Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Meal Prep Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Meal Prep Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Meal Prep Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Meal Prep Business Equipment
• Develop Your Meal Prep Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Meal Prep Business
• Open for Business

Learn more about how to start your own meal prep business .

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Meal Prep business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan professional services can help you create a winning business.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Meal Prep Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Meal Prep Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Meal Prep business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Meal Prep businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Meal Prep business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Fresh Meals is a new meal prep company that provides meal kits to customers located throughout the United States. We offer numerous recipes for our customers to choose from and switch up the recipe options every week. Once a customer selects the recipes they want for the week, we send all the ingredients required in those recipes so they can cook the meal in the comfort of their home. All ingredients are organic and every recipe is delicious and healthy. We also offer recipes catered to specialized diets, such as vegetarian, vegan, keto, and paleo.

Fresh Meals is founded by Jennifer Lynd, an experienced chef. After years of working in a busy restaurant kitchen, she has decided to use her skills to create healthy meals that consumers can cook in the comfort of her home. Her experience in the restaurant industry and skills as a chef will ensure that we become the #1 meal prep company in the United States in the next several years.

Product Offering

Fresh Meals offers hundreds of meal prep kits made from organic and healthy recipes. Every week, customers look at our menu options and pick the meals that are the most appetizing to them. After their order and payment, we ship a box of ingredients to the customers so they can make the meals in their home. Every recipe is made with organic ingredients and takes about 30 minutes or less to make.

Customer Focus

Fresh Meals will serve customers living throughout the United States. We offer meals that are healthy and organic but are priced cheaper than buying organic foods from a grocery store. We expect that our meal prep kits will particularly attract Gen Z and Millennial middle class individuals and families.

Management Team

Fresh Meals is founded by Jennifer Lynd. Jennifer has worked for one of the most popular restaurants in town for the past 20 years as a chef of organic and healthy meals. She has been eager to leave behind the restaurant scene and use her talents to help consumers cook healthy meals in the comfort of her home. She saw how popular meal prep companies were and decided to create a meal kit delivery service that exclusively offered organic meals. Her experience and skills will be the company’s most valuable assets.

Success Factors

The following success factors will set Fresh Meals apart from the competition:

• Fresh Meals will focus on providing recipes made with organic ingredients, which most other meal prep companies do not provide.
• Fresh Meals will offer free meals and deep discounts to customers who consistently purchase meal kits with us.
• Fresh Meals offers cheap and speedy shipping to ensure our meals get to the customer as fast as possible.
• Fresh Meals will offer high quality meal kits for a cheaper cost than the competition.

Financial Highlights

Fresh Meals is seeking a total funding of $450,000 of debt capital to launch. The funding will be dedicated to the website design, food preparation equipment and supplies, marketing expenses, working capital, and three months worth of payroll expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Website Development: $50,000
• Equipment and Supplies: $50,000
• Marketing and Brand Development: $100,000
• Three Months of Overhead Expenses (Payroll, Rent, Utilities): $150,000
• Working Capital: $100,000

The following graph outlines the pro forma financial projections for Fresh Meals.

Company Overview

Who is fresh meals.

Fresh Meals is a meal prep company dedicated to making it easier for consumers to purchase and cook organic and healthy meals. We do this by offering hundreds of recipes to choose from and providing our customers with all the ingredients they need to cook the meals they ordered. Every meal is made with organic ingredients and takes about 30 minutes or less to cook.

  We offer a large variety of meals to cater to several diets. When signing up, customers can indicate their preference to only get vegetarian, vegan, paleo, keto, or gluten free meals. Once they indicate their preferences, we will show them the list of recipes that meet the criteria for these diets.

Fresh Meals is led by Jennifer Lynd, who has been a chef for 20 years. Jennifer has spent most of her career working for a five star restaurant that serves completely organic meals. She has decided to leave behind the stressful environment of a restaurant kitchen and use her talents to make meals that consumers can cook in the comfort of her home. Her experience and skills will be the company’s most valuable assets.

Fresh Meals’ History

Jennifer Lynd incorporated Fresh Meals on July 1st, 2023 as an S-corporation. The business is currently being run out of her kitchen/home but will run out of a commercial space once a lease is signed.

Since incorporation, Fresh Meals has achieved the following milestones:

• Found a commercial space and signed a Letter of Intent to lease it
• Developed the company’s name, logo, and website
• Determined equipment and fixture requirements
• Created initial menu
• Found partners who will supply organic ingredients

Fresh Meals’ Services

Fresh Meals offers hundreds of meal prep kits made from organic and healthy recipes. Every week, customers look at our menu options and pick the meals that are the most appetizing to them. After their order and payment, we ship a box of ingredients to the customers so they can make the meal in their home. Every recipe is made with organic ingredients and takes about 30 minutes or less to make.

We offer numerous recipes that our customers will enjoy. A few example recipes from our initial menu include the following:

• Mozzarella Crusted Chicken
• Fajita Lettuce Wraps
• Cheese Tortellini
• Italian Noodle Soup
• Buffalo Chickpea Sandwiches

We also offer several recipe options for those following a vegetarian, vegan, paleo, or keto diet.

Industry Analysis

The Meal Kit industry has grown substantially in the past five years. Very few people in modern times have the time, money, or energy to cook elaborate meals. Getting ingredients can get expensive, especially when using ingredients that will only be used for one recipe. As a result, many consumers (particularly Gen Z and Millennials) have looked for convenient ways to get food on the table without all the work involved. One option that consumers have opted for is to get meal kits delivered to their door.

Meal kit delivery services let consumers choose from a selection of recipes on their website. Once the consumer has completed their order, the companies ship all the ingredients needed for those recipes to the consumer. The consumer can cook the meals whenever they want and not have to worry about shopping for all the ingredients or throwing out wasted food. All ingredients are perfectly portioned for each recipe so every bit is used up.

Meal kits have also made it much easier for Millennials and Gen Z to eat healthier, as these kits are often cheaper and easier to make than healthy recipes found online or in a health cookbook. The increasing awareness of the obesity epidemic and the importance of healthy eating have influenced millions of people to look for healthy meal options. Meal prep companies that incorporate healthy or organic ingredients are more competitive in the market.

According to Grand View Research, the Meal Kit Delivery Service industry is set to grow at a CAGR of 15.3% from now until 2030. This shows how significant the demand is for these services. Therefore, now is a great time to start a new meal prep company.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market, customer segmentation.

Fresh Meals will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Middle class Americans
• Millennials

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Fresh Meals will be competing with other popular food delivery apps. A profile of each competitor is below.

Green Apron

Green Apron is a meal prep company that ships healthy vegan meal kits to their customers. All Green Apron meals are free from meat and other animal products and are made with high-quality ingredients. This is a great service for consumers who want to try meal prep kits but can’t find many vegan options with other companies. Though Green Apron won’t be a major competitor for us, they will heavily compete for customers looking for vegan meal kits.

Tasty Meals

Tasty Meals is currently the most popular meal prep service in the United States. The company offers thousands of recipes, with hundreds to choose from every week. They offer everything from steak and burgers to salads and soups. As such, they target a large demographic, as they have a variety of meals to appeal to everyone. Consumers can even narrow down their options based on their diet and preferences, such as vegan or keto. We expect Tasty Meals will be our biggest competitor, but we have a significant advantage by using organic ingredients in our meals.

Yummy Kits delivers hundreds of delicious meal kits to customers that all use organic ingredients. They have a wide selection of options to choose from, including sandwiches, pasta, tacos, burgers, and more. Since Yummy Kits exclusively uses organic ingredients in their kits, they will be a major competitor. However, they do not cater to consumers with specialized diets (vegan, keto, etc.) so we will still be a more appealing option to these customer segments.

Competitive Advantage

Fresh Meals offers several advantages over its competition. Those advantages are:

• Organic Ingredients : Fresh Meals will focus on providing recipes made with organic ingredients, which most other meal prep companies do not provide.
• Loyalty Rewards : Fresh Meals will offer free meals and deep discounts to customers who consistently purchase meal kits with us.
• Speedy Shipping : Fresh Meals offers cheap and speedy shipping to ensure our meals get to the customer as fast as possible.
• Pricing : We offer high quality meal kits for a cheaper cost than the competition.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Fresh Meals will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Comprehensive list of recipes that appeal to a large demographic
• Loyalty rewards and specials
• Fast shipping and delivery
• Moderate pricing

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Fresh Meals are as follows:

Social Media

Fresh Meals will utilize the most popular social media platforms for ads since the majority of the clientele will be active on social media. The company will also have business accounts on each major platform and post pictures of popular recipes regularly.

Website/SEO

Fresh Meals will invest heavily in developing a professional website and app that displays current recipes and information about our pricing. The company will also invest heavily in SEO so that the brand’s website will appear at the top of search engine results.

Fresh Meals understands that the best promotion comes from satisfied customers. The company will encourage its customers to refer to other individuals by providing discounts on future meals for every new customer who signs up for our service. This strategy will increase in effectiveness over time.

Special Offers

Offers and incentives are an excellent approach to bringing in new customers. The company will introduce special offers on meal plans to attract new consumers.

Despite using fresh and organic ingredients, Fresh Meal’s pricing will be moderate so consumers feel they are receiving great value when ordering our recipes. We will also offer discounts, promotions, and rewards for loyal consumers.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Fresh Meals. Operation Functions:

• Jennifer Lynd will operate as the CEO of Fresh Meals. In addition to running the general operations, she will design the recipes, plan the weekly menu, and help prepare the ingredients.
• Jennifer will hire 2-3 web developers to run the website and app.
• Jennifer will hire several kitchen staff to help prepare and ship the ingredients.
• Jennifer will also hire an administrative team for accounting/bookkeeping, sales and marketing, and customer service support.

Milestones:

Fresh Meals will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

• 8/202X – Finalize website development
• 9/202X – Finalize lease agreement
• 10/202X – Hire and train initial staff
• 11/202X – Kickoff of promotional campaign
• 12/202X – Launch Fresh Meals
• 1/202X – Reach break-even

Though Jennifer has never run a business of her own, she has worked in the industry long enough to gain an in-depth knowledge of the operations (e.g., running day-to-day operations) and the business (e.g., staffing, marketing, etc.) sides of running a meal prep business. She will also hire several professionals to help her run other aspects of the business she is unfamiliar with.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

Fresh Meals’ revenues will come primarily from the sale of meal prep kits. The cost per kit will depend on how many meals customers order per box as well as how many servings they order. Customers who order in bulk will have a cheaper cost per serving than someone only ordering one or two servings.

The cost drivers for the company will include food prep costs, salaries, the lease, and marketing expenses.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following table outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the business loan.

• Number Of Orders Per Month: 100
• Average Order Value Per Customer: $60.00

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, meal prep business plan faqs, what is a meal prep business plan.

A meal prep business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your meal prep business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Meal Prep business plan using our Meal Prep Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Meal Prep Businesses? 

There are a number of different kinds of meal prep businesses , some examples include: Uncooked and prepared, Pre-made and fresh, and Meal prep workshops.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Meal Prep Business Plan?

Meal Prep businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Meal Prep Business?

Starting a meal prep business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Meal Prep Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed meal prep business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast. 

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your meal prep business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your meal prep business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Meal Prep Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your meal prep business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your meal prep business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Meal Prep Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your meal prep business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your meal prep business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful meal prep business:

• How to Start a Meal Prep Business

Unlock the Secrets to Starting a Successful Meal Prep Business

Introducing: the ultimate meal prep business plan guide, download the 35+ page meal prep business plan here..

Are you a chef, cook, nutritionist, or maybe even a personal trainer, and you've been toying with the idea of diving into the growing meal prep industry? 🍲   Or maybe you're spotting an opportunity to grow beyond restaurants and into a more profitable venture.

We’ve got you covered because we've cooked up something just for you. 🎉  Our comprehensive 45-page Meal Prep BusinessPlan PDF is like having a chat with a mentor over coffee (or a smoothie, if that's your thing). It's packed with friendly advice, insights, and the kind of actionable strategies that'll make you say, "Hey, I can do this!"

What’s on the Menu?

Starting Your Business

Turn that passion into a plan with clear, step-by-step guidance.

Money Matters

From competitive pressures to sneaky expenses, we’ve got the financial tips to keep you on track.

People, Processes, and Technology

The secret sauce to managing it all.

Building Your Business Plan

Need to impress investors? We’ve got the recipe.

Ready to whip up something awesome?

Grab your free guide today and let’s get cooking., **download your meal prep business plan now**.

How To Write a Winning Meal Prep Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any food business, but it can be especially helpful for meal prep businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you will accomplish it. To create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every meal prep business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Business Plan Template

What is a Meal Preparation Business Plan?

A business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business plan or strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Meal Prep Business Plan?

A meal prep business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your food business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Meal Prep Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful  business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your meal prep company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast, among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your meal prep or meal prep delivery business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your meal prep firm, mention this.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is a crucial component of a business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the meal prep industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, a meal prep business’ customers may include busy families, working professionals, or health-conscious individuals.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or meal prep services with the right marketing. This could include a plan for meal an additional meal prep delivery service to go along with your food prep business. 

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your meal prep business may have:

• Comprehensive meal planning
• A variety of dietary options
• Affordable pricing
• Fresh and healthy ingredients
• Convenient delivery

Marketing Plan

The marketing plan part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or you may promote your meal prep business via word-of-mouth marketing.

Operations Plan

This part of your business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a meal prep business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include launching a new product line or opening a second location.

Management Team

List your team members here, including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific meal prep industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Meal Prep Business

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Meal Prep Business

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup meal prep business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Meal Prep Business

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of your own business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Tips for Writing a Meal Preparation Business Plan

• Keep it concise – A business plan should be easy to read and understand. Make sure to keep it concise and to the point.
• Be realistic – It’s important to be realistic when writing a business plan. Don’t over-promise or make unrealistic assumptions.
• Use graphs and charts – Graphs and charts can help illustrate your points and make your business plan more visually appealing.
• Use a professional tone – A business plan should be written in a professional tone, using proper grammar and spelling.
• Have someone else proofread it – It’s important to have someone else proofread your business plan before you submit it. This can help ensure that it is free of mistakes.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your meal prep company or meal prep delivery business. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you will accomplish it.

Now that you know what should go into a business plan, it’s time to get started on your own business plan . Follow the steps we outlined above, and refer to our business plan template below to help you get started.  

Finish Your Meal Prep Business Plan in 1 Day!

Other helpful articles.

How To Write a Winning Food Business Plan + Template

Food & Meal Tracking Spreadsheets + Template

How To Write a Winning Personal Chef Business Plan + Template

Don't bother with copy and paste.

Get this complete sample business plan as a free text document.

Food Preparation Business Plan

Start your own food preparation business plan

What's For Dinner?

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

What’s For Dinner? is an exciting, new business with a unique approach to helping people enjoy home cooked meals with their families. Customers will come to our Plano, TX location and prepare 12 meals that they pre-select from a menu in a party atmosphere. In two hours, they will have a month’s worth of meals to put in their freezer.

By focusing on our competitive edge (no direct competitors in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area), our customers, and their needs, What’s For Dinner? will increase sales to a point that exceeds $1.3M in three years.

What’s For Dinner? is owned jointly by Alan and Kim Kirby as an S Corporation. Alan and Kim have 15 years of experience in the food service and entertainment industries, as a party planner and personal chef, respectively. They know the kinds of food preparation available in the Collin County area. With two teenaged children, have experienced the frustration of trying to feed a whole family healthy food both cheaply and quickly. Alan’s existing contacts with local social and community groups, and Kim’s ongoing relationships with food distributors, specialty grocers, and high-end clients will all help to generate high sales from early in the first year.

What’s For Dinner offers several advantages to its target market:

• Relatively inexpensive meal preparation: ~$15 for a four-person meal.
• Fun, social, party atmosphere.
• Convenient: eat your prepared meals in your home, when you want.
• Saves time: no shopping, no prep, no clean up.
• For seniors, special menus and transportation assistance make meals easy.
• And, best of all, not having to decide “What’s For Dinner?”

The purpose of this plan is two-fold. The first is to acquire funding of $259,708. The second is to lay the foundations of the company’s vision, philosophy, and strategy, to ensure that we know where we are going and how to get there.

1.1 Mission

What’s For Dinner? is a specialized business that provides a variety of people with the opportunity to prepare health conscious, yet savory meals that can be frozen to take home and eat at a later time.  The purpose of this process is to both optimize the time investment needed to prepare the quality of meals that What’s For Dinner? will become known for, within the clients’ current schedules, and also for them to practice the proper health conscious behavior that has become the target lifestyle of a health deficient society.

What’s For Dinner? will provide a unique and distinctive service that will unite a party-like atmosphere with professional food preparation that will attract a growing repeat customer base.  What’s For Dinner? will allow families and busy professionals the ability to prepare a variety of meals quickly in a fun atmosphere, away from home, thus giving people more of what they are looking for – time.

Our goal is to be a self-sustaining corporate enterprise within 3 years from the company’s inception to begin expanding our menu offerings within 3 months and its location offerings within 4 years.  What’s For Dinner? will employ 4 individuals full time within 3 years, and will hit net profit goals of $100,000 by the end of its second year of existence.

In short, we will be in the business of helping our customers to relieve their daily stresses of what to fix their families for dinner by providing them with a great menu choice of meals that they will prepare.

1.2 Keys to Success

The keys to success in this business are:

• Creating a high level of customer satisfaction in our service and products, which will lead to customer retention each month. 
• Marketing: getting our name out to the public, primarily through an intensive marketing campaign driven by our customers (word of mouth) with a supplemental vehicle of standardized and conventional marketing tactics. 
• Great product quality and variety that will be used to aid in customer retention and growth. 
• Finances: as our customer base increases we will be better able to lower our supply costs by buying more in bulk through food service distributors.
• Variety of menus offered based on seasons, trends and customer preferences.
• Exceeding our customers’ expectations by offering them a higher quality of food for a competitive price.
• What’s For Dinner’s website will be an efficient and convenient place for customers to register and pay for parties.

1.3 Objectives

The objectives for What’s For Dinner? in the first three years of operation include:

• To exceed customers’ expectations for food service and food service products.
• To increase the number of clients served by 25% per year through superior service.
• To develop a sustainable start-up business that is profitable.
• To achieve an after tax net profit of $134K by year three.
• To achieve a net income of more than 10% of sales by the third year.

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

What’s For Dinner? is a unique business where customers come to our Plano, TX location and prepare twelve pre-chosen meals that will be taken home and frozen until they are ready to cook and serve. All of the planning, shopping, food preparation and containers are provided with no worries to the customer. The meals will be prepared in a party like atmosphere where customers will have separate workstations to prepare their meals and have a good time with friends, both new and old.

Our goal is to provide our customers with home cooked meals that their families will enjoy, while saving them time and effort and relieve stress from that age-old question of What’s For Dinner?

The scheduling aspect of our company will be combination of a standard walk-up scheduling procedure, a phone messaging service and an intensive highly-interactive e-commerce website that will allow the customer to not only schedule parties but also to pay online, using standard secure technology.

2.1 Start-up Summary

The start-up expenses include:

• Rent expenses include a deposit and rent for one month at $28.75 per square foot for 1,854 square feet, in the total amount of $5,182.
• Utilities expenses for one month.
• Insurance deposit and first month.
• Sales & Marketing expenses including stationery, brochures, outdoor signage.
• Website development.
• Office, kitchen and janitorial supply expenses.
•  Leasehold improvements, including contractors fees and permits.

The required start-up assets of $50,000 include:

• Kitchen Equipment (long-term assets)
• Prep Tables (long-term assets)
• Cooking utensils
• Various Kitchen Utensils
• Computer and small business software

Please note that the long-term assets above will be depreciated using G.A.A.P. approved straight-line depreciation method.

The purpose of this business plan is to secure $259,708 in funding. This loan appears in the long-term liability row of the attached Start-up Funding table.

The following chart and table summarize the start-up assumptions.

2.2 Company Ownership

What’s For Dinner? is a privately held Sub Chapter S-corporation. This allows for the protection allowed by the corporate legal structure combined with the “fall through” Generally Accepted Accounting Principals that will make personal financial sense to the corporations principle owners.  The principle owners of What’s For Dinner? are Alan and Kim Kirby; each owns a 50% stake in the company. This company operates under the jurisdiction of the State of Texas and the United States of America.

What’s For Dinner? will provide its customers with twelve home cooked meals that they will freeze until customers are ready to serve them. These meals will be chosen from a set menu designed weekly by us and the meals will be prepared in our location. All of the planning, shopping, food preparation, recipe directions and containers will be provided to help make it as easy as possible for our customers to enjoy their time at our establishment.

Our customers will prepare their meals in a fun, party-like atmosphere where they can relax, meet new friends or spend time with old friends while preparing dinners for their families for the next month.

The Key benefits our customers will receive from using What’s For Dinner? are:

• Spend less time in the kitchen
• Less money on groceries & eating out – it keeps you from being tempted to eat out
• Home style meals & better eating
• Able to sit down at the table together as a family – including conversation and socialization
• Clean up is easy, because prep is done outside the home, and all meals come in disposable containers
• Less time spent on grocery shopping
• In 2 hours you will have 12 dinners for you and your family
• We create the menus – order the ingredients – slice, dice, chop and prepare
• Social hour preparing dinners

Our menus and portion sizes are tailored for the group and individual customers. Seniors get added benefits, with diabetic, low-cholesterol, and low-sodium choices. Families can increase portion sizes for a small fee to accommodate more children or guests.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

The Dallas area’s meal preparation market is untapped. As a matter of fact, there is no other business of this kind in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  Though there are no exact replicas of our company there are some types of companies that we would have to consider to be indirect competitors.  These include such companies and service professionals as caterers and those that will come to your home and prepare meals for you to freeze.  What’s For Dinner?, at this time, has few direct competitors, with exception to area restaurants and your basic home cooking. At the inception of What’s For Dinner?, there will be no type of company like ours in the area, thus giving us the overwhelming competitive advantage of first entry. 

The What’s For Dinner? market is primarily in the Collin County area: Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney. We will be focusing on households in these areas that have more than one person. Primarily, those households whose income is over $50,000, with someone under the age of 18 living there.  As a secondary target market, we will market to the elderly population in the aforementioned areas. Initially, the greater portion of our customers will be busy, working class people and the growing group of single-parent families, but it will be of great benefit now and in the future to market our services to the highest growing population demographic – senior citizens.  

The following statistics were taken from Table DP-1 Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 for Collin County.

4.1 Market Segmentation

What’s For Dinner? has three distinct target populations:

• Family households with children under 18 years old. This group of people is generally busier than other families with their time split between work, home and their children’s activities. This group may be single parent households, which only adds to the stress resulting from lack of time, coupled with the need for proper meals for their children.  This provides them with a desire to provide their families with good meals and free time to enjoy being together.
• Family households with no children living at their home. This group has a need for our services, as hectic schedules, professional careers, and daily demands on time come up against the need for tasty, healthy meals.  Depending on their work and home situations this demographic could use our service to enhance their selection of meals all the while minimizing their time in the kitchen. This group does recognize the benefits of our service and want to enjoy making meals for themselves and socializing through our business.
• Senior and Elderly Citizens. This group (65 and older) is the fastest growing portion of the population, and needs our services for several reasons:
• A good portion of this group is simply unable to cook nutritious meals and does not have the knowledge or skills to continue to effectively maneuver themselves in the kitchen. 
• Many seniors do not have the time, energy, or means to make it to the grocery store. 

We will market several menus designed for the diet needs of the senior populace (diabetic, low cholesterol, low sodium), with pick-up and drop-off coordinated with a local senior-transportation center. All prep and measuring will be done beforehand, so they will need only to stir and combine ingredients. In addition to meeting their practical needs, we will create the social experience that this group consistently hunts for, and help them to enhance their lifestyle through a higher quality of health.

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

These target market segments were chosen based on their greater need for our services. Families with children are very busy, and they can end up spending a great deal on fast food and junk food because they don’t have time to cook healthy meals at home. Busy working couples and individuals without children are also busy, and may not have the skills or desire to plan and cook entire meals at home just for themselves; they can spend a lot on going out to eat. Seniors have special challenges in obtaining and preparing quality ingredients to feed themselves, including the loneliness of cooking for oneself. Options like “Meals on Wheels” are generally last-resorts, and many would prefer alternate food preparation arrangements, if any were available at a reasonable price – fixed incomes can be hard on the palate.

Our marketing strategies for all groups will emphasize our relatively inexpensive, fun, and easy approach to preparing healthy meals. We will vary our serving sizes, menu options, and level of preparation for each group; the family-size entree just right for a family of four makes no sense for a single individual. Different sized families have different needs, and it will be our goal to look to accommodate most family sizes through our variations in serving size.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

Our service is unique among Dallas meal preparation options. There are no direct competitors for What’s For Dinner? The closest competitors are personal chefs, who will come to your home and prepare your chosen meals for you and freeze them, at a very high price. Our target market segments cannot afford personal chefs.

Our indirect competitors are area restaurants. These include family-oriented, inexpensive diners and casual restaurants, as well as fast food and takeout. We will generally not be competing with upscale, adult-oriented restaurants, since those are “special occasion” locations, and do not fulfill local residents’ daily meal needs.

Our competitor restaurants compete on price, perceived convenience, and atmosphere. They succeed when they convince customers that going out to eat is an affordable “treat” that is easier and more pleasant than preparing meals at home. In truth, the restaurants with the lowest prices also offer poor quality food and atmosphere, and the struggle to get children ready, out the door, and have them behave in a restaurant setting can make these choices less appealing in families’ realities than in their imagination. For all customers, the time it takes to get ready, travel to a restaurant, order dinner, eat, pay, and get home make going out to a eat a full-evening’s commitment – hardly the convenience it claims.

With the introduction of What’s For Dinner? to the Dallas market, we will revolutionize the way that the community looks at cooking convenience. Our prices really are much lower than restaurant meals, with much higher quality meals. In addition, our “convenience” comes in two ways – preparing meals at a set time, outside the daily routine, so they are ready in advance, and eating and minimal clean-up right in the customer’s own home, which saves time and energy at the end of a long day.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

Even though What’s For Dinner? has no direct competitors, we will set up our business as if we are entering an already aggressive and hostile market.  This is aimed at helping us to become successful through a constant drive for increased service model efficiencies and marketing effectiveness. We will strive to excel in customer service excellence, continuing our menu varieties and achieving the highest standards for our food products. As owners, we feel that word of mouth and customer retention are significant factors in our success. Our convenient locations, sanitary facilities, competitive pricing structure and honorable reputation will all play a part in satisfying our customers and increasing our clientele at an accelerating rate. What’s For Dinner? will focus on these factors and always strive to improve our business model and service offerings.  We will strive to be the very best in our industry and will not rest until we not only have the largest market share in our industry, but also have the most satisfied customers.

The buying patterns of our customer base will be affected by our initial meal prep party prices.  We have concluded through our exhaustive focus market groups that we could set our prices high, since there is no direct competitor, but we feel that to attract and retain customers and be able to steadily grow our customer base, so we should price ourselves at a lower level first. By setting ourselves at the lower end of our pricing range, we will not only gain the attention of the vast majority of our target markets, but we will also be able to start our revenue streams off with an upward growth pattern. The price that we will choose will be reasonable for our customers and be adequate for the business to maintain a gross margin around 25%.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

What’s For Dinner? will gradually gain market share in the four focal geographic markets (Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney) by leveraging its competitive edges. These edges are superior attention to detail in the local food service market, a revolutionary food-servicing outlook and excellent nutritional meals at competitive price. These advantages have been unavailable in this market for some time. We will market our services  with a targeted advertising campaign and networking.

5.1 Competitive Edge

What’s For Dinner? will begin with a critical competitive edge: we have no direct competitors in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  By being the first-mover and (for at least a while) the only service of our kind, we will have the initial market buzz that is normally reserved for the first company of its kind into a given market. Our positioning is very hard to match, but only if we maintain focus on our strategy, marketing, business development, and fulfillment of quality and customer service will we be able to continually grow and outpace the “copy-cat” businesses that are sure to follow our market lead. We are aware that the tendency to relax due to lack of competition could weaken our competitive edge. What’s For Dinner? will be operated as if our direct competitors were conducting the same service business that we are in and we will be looking for additional enhancements to our operating procedures from day one.

In addition to our unique positioning, we offer the following advantages to our customers:

• High quality meals
• Relatively low prices
• Time saving meal preparation
• Reducing mess in customers’ kitchens
• Reducing stress around meal prep
• Saving them from that perennial problem of deciding, “What’s for Dinner?”

5.2 Marketing Strategy

As a food service business, our main goal is to provide high quality food with excellent customer service.  Our challenge as a new company is to quickly establish a reputation for such quality among our potential markets. With this in mind, the initial focus of our marketing strategy will be to get our name and reputation out to the public to create “buzz.” Creating brand recognition for our new concept will be the first measurable milestone in our marketing strategy.

 This will be one of the most important factors when measuring success within the first couple of months after inception.  The basis for our ideology is simple; the more people that hear our name and become familiar with our services, the more people will use it. The marketing campaign will involve a targeted advertising campaign, different specials to entice the customers to try our business and a very intense networking campaign. All of these tactics will be used to help gain a loyal clientele aimed at fostering our happy customer base.

At start-up, we will begin a focused advertising campaign toward target segments in our geographical area. We will update our advertising campaign regularly to fill in gaps based on follow-up research: do people recognize our name? Do they know what we do? What is their impression of our services’ costs and quality?Marketing campaigns will work via:

• Local area newspapers that are viewed by our target market.
• Homeowner associations’, churches’ and specific groups’ newsletters.
• Direct mail advertisements/flyers to our target market purchased through a direct mailing company with lists specifically of our target market.
• Various flyers and pamphlets that will be available at many shopping centers and grocery stores throughout the area.
• Yellow pages advertisement.
• Dynamic website.
• Registered keyword searches that will lead to our website.
• Various Radio advertisements.
• Various event sponsorships.

What’s For Dinner? will also have a networking campaign that will start with the owner’s contacts and friends attending our first months’ meal prep parties. This will be the “word of mouth” campaign that will feature:

• Private parties with discounts for the host/hostess of the party. This will encourage them to invite 11 friends that will be introduced to our business and will be return customers.
• Special discounts to return customers when referring new customers.

5.3 Sales Strategy

In the food service business, as in any customer service intensive business, sales revenue is our lifeblood.  The way in which we present ourselves to our customers and deal with the public will determine the success of our business.  The food service industry is facilitated by repeat business and referrals. In order to continuously compete against other food providers, we need to enhance our repeat customer service business by making this our main sales focus. We cannot expect to have a satisfied customer by selling them one month’s of meals and then never seeing them again. We must make our sales strategy revolve around making the customer’s experience with us the best it possibly can, and further, making every effort to get our current customer base to visit us again.  It is much more expensive to get new customers than to keep the customers you already have. Our customers cannot stop eating, but they could stop using our services. We will be selling our service to our current customers each time they come, in order to have repeat business and new business through their word of mouth.

These are just a few of the ways we will sell to our customers to gain repeat business and word of mouth advertising:

• High levels of customer service; friendly, comforting and entertaining
• Good variety of menus from which to choose
• The best quality of foods and ingredients
• Creating a fun and social atmosphere for our customers, so they want to return
• Reminders at each party to sign up for the next month’s party, along with the next month’s menu and samples
• A follow up and reminder program for our current customers that will be done through email and mail.
• Focus a specific portion of our advertising campaign on getting our repeat customers to come back and visit us
• Allow our best repeat customers to get special quantity specific discounts.
• Enlist a comprehensive and highly interactive e-commerce initiative to help to accommodate our customer’s payment and scheduling options.

The What’s For Dinner? website will serve as a productive and consistent selling tool. Our website will be set up to explain what we offer and the many benefits customers will receive for using our meal prep services. The website will help “close the sale;” customers will be able to register for the meal prep party they would like to attend and accepting payments online. This will be our main source of registrations for parties. The ease of use allowed by the Internet will be key to driving our customer pipeline.  Our sales and marketing campaigns will help focus our customer traffic through our website, so that people can see how easy it will be to interact with our company. This element of efficiency will also help enhance our bottom line by allowing for a 24 hour customer service mechanism without having to keep a customer rep staffed all the time.

5.3.1 Sales Forecast

Through our research of other businesses like ours in Seattle, WA and Omaha, NE, we found that all of them quickly increased their sales over their first year. All of these researched companies went from their first month of 100 customers on average to over 1,000 customers within their first year of business. One company opened in Seattle against two other competitors and now has over 2,000 customers with three different locations.

We are optimistic that What’s For Dinner? will grow and prosper just as these other companies have, but we want to set reasonable forecasts for growth. We have therefore taken a conservative approach in preparing our Sales Forecast Table.

The following table and chart give a run-down on forecasted sales. We have forecasted that sales will increase each month with the exception of the summer months, when vacations and other seasonal activities may reduce purchases. Once we get our first few customers, our sales will increase through customer retention, and gaining new customers through networking. We expect sales to grow incrementally over the first year, reaching profitability by the fifth month of operation.

After the first year of operation, we expect sales to continue increasing, from 10% the first year up to 25% by the third year. As sales increase, we will make modifications to our facility and hire new employees to share in the work. Our proposed location allows room for expansion. Based on our research, and the size of our potential market, we expect to reach close to one million dollars in sales by the end of 2005.

Our direct costs of sales listed here are inventory used up in sales, including the meal ingredients and additional supplies, such as themed-party decorations, containers, napkins, and so on. Fixed operating expenses are listed in the Profit and Loss.

5.4 Milestones

The accompanying table lists important program milestones, with dates and budgets for each. The milestone schedule indicates our emphasis on planning for implementation.  What the table doesn’t show is the commitment behind it. Our business plan includes complete provisions for plan -vs. – actual analysis, and we will follow-up often to discover variances and course corrections.

What’s For Dinner? will have several milestones, including:

• Business plan completion. This will be done as a roadmap for the organization. This will be an indispensable tool for the ongoing performance and improvement of the company.
• Building set up.
• Our first meal prep party.
• Profitability.

Web Plan Summary

The What’s For Dinner? website will be the virtual business card, party scheduler and payment acceptance source all rolled into one. It will showcase our services and highlight the benefits of using our company.  The website will be a crucial portal for party scheduling, as well as having availability cross-referenced with party menus. Customers will also use this website to register for their parties and pay for them using PayPal, which accepts MasterCard, Discover Card, Visa, or e-checks.

6.1 Website Marketing Strategy

The What’s For Dinner? website will be a strategic and very important part of our marketing mix. It will be used as a marketing tool to attract new customers, and as a sales tool to schedule parties, select menus, and pay. We will be promoting our website in all marketing programs, including newspaper ads, yellow page ads, business cards and flyers. We will also purchase targeted key word searches to help potential customers find our website. In addition, our website will feature prominently on all napkins, packaging, and receipts which current customers bring home, making repeat business easy and convenient.

Our main internet strategy is to direct the majority of our potential clients to our website first, as the introduction to our services, prices, and availability. This will reduce the time necessary for staff to provide basic information over the phone, allowing them to answer customer questions and provide more details, once customers know who we are, what we do, and how we might help them.

To encourage customers to use the website, we will offering special discounts to those who register their parties with our website and pay online. Our website must be easy to access and navigate, and must answer every customer question we can anticipate. It must use a legitimate, well-respected security feature and a reliable payment method. If it is all these things, many of our repeat customers will be happy to save time by researching party options and scheduling them online.

Clearly, we expect website use to be highest among younger, internet-savvy customers. We anticipate that our senior customers will use phone and direct contacts for most scheduling and payment interactions.

6.2 Development Requirements

The What’s For Dinner? website will be developed with the technical resources of a local web design artist. He has designed websites for over 325 businesses, most with e-commerce capabilities. He is designing a database interface which will let us adjust the schedule and track click/sales ratios, and easily update menu offerings.

As the website development progresses, he will work with a local graphic artist we have hired to come up with the website logo and graphics. We are still researching hosting possibilities, but feel our needs will be best served by subcontracting out the hosting of the site and the technical back-end supporting.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

The What’s For Dinner? management team will initially consist of the founders/owners themselves, Alan and Kim Kirby. We do not anticipate the need to hire anyone else on a full time basis during the first year, because all of the services that a normal small business needs will be outsourced. These services include the e-commerce infrastructure, accounting, marketing, and legal services. We do plan to employ one part-time employee from the beginning to help with cleaning and dishwashing.

Alan and Kim have 15 years of experience in the food service and entertainment industries, as a party planner and personal chef, respectively. Until the second year, Kim will continue to work part-time as a personal chef for several couples in Plano, doing the prep work and menu planning for What’s for Dinner? in the mornings. Alan will host the majority of the parties, after having prepared test batches of every menu item with Kim. The owners anticipate possibly hiring local high-school students as sous-chefs in years 2 and 3; Kim’s experience with local restaurants has shown that these students can often do quite well, paid only minimally in exchange for professional restaurant and food preparation training. Alan’s existing contacts with local social and community groups, and Kim’s ongoing relationships with food distributors, specialty grocers, and high-end clients will all help to generate high sales from early in the first year.

Throughout the first two years we will conduct an aggressive cost analysis as to what our capabilities are as owners and with what activities we need assistance.

7.1 Personnel Plan

The following table summarizes our personnel expenditures for the first three years, with compensation increasing from $34K the first year to about $60K in the third. We believe this plan is a fair compromise between fairness and expedience, and meets the commitment of our mission statement. The detailed monthly personnel plan for the first year is included in the appendices.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

What’s For Dinner expects strong sales, based on research into our target market, similar businesses in other parts of the country, lack of direct competition, and the experience, reputations, and know-how of its owners/managers. By steadily repaying our long-term loan and holding down costs, we will generate a net profit midway through the first year and increase net worth dramatically by year 3. Our major fixed expenses are payroll and rent.

8.1 Important Assumptions

The financial plan depends on important assumptions, most of which are shown in the following table as annual assumptions. The monthly assumptions are included in the appendices. 

Three of the more important underlying assumptions are: 

• We assume a relatively strong economy, without major new recessions. Although an ailing economy would not allow us the growth that we anticipate, we believe that it would not drastically hurt the business because the service is economically feasible. The $175 session fee breaks down to $14.58 per meal – a deal hard to beat at even a fast-food restaurant for a family of four to six.
• We assume that our market needs will be seasonal, with a decrease in sales during the summer months.

8.2 Break-even Analysis

The following chart and table summarize our break-even analysis. With fixed costs of $10,520 per month at the outset (to cover payroll and other operating costs), and variable costs (inventory) at 74% of sales, we need to bill $41,167 to cover our costs. We do not expect to reach break-even until the sixth month into the business operation.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

What’s For Dinner?’s projected profit and loss is shown in the following table, with sales increasing from $10K the first month to close to $1.4M by the third year. We will reach profitability in the middle of our first year.

We are projecting very conservatively regarding cost of sales and gross margin. Our costs of sales are based on grocery store prices, which will decrease once we are to consistently able to buy our food in larger quantities from a food distributor. This will significantly lower our cost of sales, and increase our gross margin more than in this projection. We prefer to project conservatively so that we make sure we have enough cash.

The Sales and Marketing Expenses vary from the food preparation industry norms. Our Sales and Marketing Expenses will be to consistently maintain our advertising and promotions, while our biggest marketing will be word of mouth from our customers. We are budgeting for a high level of service from our website hosting company and payment processor, since the website is a key component of our Sales and Marketing Strategies.

 The detailed monthly projections are included in the appendices.

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

The following cash flow projections show the annual amounts only. Cash flow projections are critical to our success. The monthly cash flow is shown in the illustration, with one bar representing the cash flow per month, and the other the monthly cash balance. The annual cash flow figures are included here and the more important detailed monthly numbers are included in the appendices.

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

The balance sheet in the following table shows managed but sufficient growth of net worth, and a sufficiently healthy financial position. Our negative net worth, due to borrowed capital for start-up, makes a significant increase by the second year, and becomes positive in year three. It is common for start-up businesses to have a negative net worth their first few years.

The monthly estimates are included in the appendices.

8.6 Business Ratios

Business ratios for the years of this plan are shown below. Industry profile ratios based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 2099, Food Preparation, are shown for comparison.

The following table outlines some of the more important ratios from the Food Preparation industry. The final column, Industry Profile, details specific ratios based on the industry as it is classified by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code, 2099.

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

Learning center series

How to start a meal prep business

• Published on March 5, 2024
• by Marketing Team
• Last updated: 2 months ago

Consider a chess game: a strategic play of moves, a delicate dance of decision-making, a fascinating interplay of foresight and adaptation. Now, imagine applying the same intricacies in orchestrating a meal preparation business. Surprisingly similar, isn’t it? And that is exactly how to start a meal prep business. Embark on your journey in the thriving meal preparation industry of 2024 with our detailed guide, which encompasses everything from conducting market research to navigating legal requirements and devising pricing strategies.

Within this guide, you’ll find a multitude of valuable insights, akin to a grandmaster’s brain download on how to start a meal prep business. Venturing beyond common sense to encounter strategic moves that could surge your business forward. Baring factors are often overlooked yet pivotally significant for ensuring businesses rise above mere mediocrity. To make your venture flourish online, ascertain that the website for your meal prep business is thoughtfully designed and echoes these insights for wider customer reach.

Finally, remember gold prospectors scrutinizing the river’s gravel, searching tirelessly for golden nuggets? Devouring this guide bears a striking resemblance. As you sift through, uncover countless valuable nuggets of wisdom – secrets that mean the difference between surviving and thriving in the meal prep business realm. Let’s embark on this intriguing journey, shall we?

Step-by-Step Guide: How To Start a Meal Prep Business

Step 1: crafting your meal prep business plan.

Crafting a detailed business plan works as a road map of sorts for new entrepreneurs. It presents a clear direction to your meal prep business by fostering much-needed clarity about your targeted clients, competitive landscape, and distinguishing strengths. Embark on your journey in the thriving meal prep industry of 2024 with our in-depth manual, exploring key areas like market analysis, legal requirements, and strategies for setting prices.

Validate these points to build your own business and marketing plan. Assess competition, define your business structure and unique selling proposition, identify the target market and audience, and financial forecasting.

Upfront planning reduces the risk of oversights during the launch phase. It is an essential exercise for gauging the viability of your business concept and for obtaining funding or investments. Remember, a well-strategized, focused business plan is more likely to persuade investors than a poorly thought-out or vague one.

Step 2: Understanding Licensing and Regulations

Global Meal Kit Boom 🍽️ In 2023, meal kit revenue worldwide is expected to grow to over 17 billion U.S. dollars, showcasing a rapidly expanding market.

Understanding your region’s licensing needs and adhering to food industry regulations can make the difference between a thriving meal prep service and one that’s whimsically hit by heavy fines or legal complexities. Do your research on how to start a meal prep business in legal terms.

Confirm the exact licenses required for running a meal kit  delivery service  in your location. Research the food industry standards you must comply with from local government health and safety websites.

Savvy entrepreneurs prioritize gaining in-depth knowledge about the necessary permits, inspections, insurance, and certifications in their early planning stages. Do remember, acing operational legalities can be a differentiator for a business entity and not just a functional prerequisite. Your adherence to rules builds trust among prospective customers, boosting your new business’s credibility.

Step 3: Setting Up Your Kitchen

The backbone of your meal prep business is the kitchen where you will be creating your culinary magic.

Collect detailed notes on establishing a functional, ergonomic kitchen layout. Consider industry hygiene standards and efficient kitchen management practices.

It is essential to plan your kitchen’s layout, ensuring it optimizes storage spaces and working areas without compromising efficiency or hygiene. The right equipment depends on the nature of your goods, cooking methods, and number of meals to be prepared. Do bear in mind, investing in high-quality kitchenware may mean a higher upfront cost, but will likely save you money in the long run by avoiding frequent replacements or repairs.

To summarize, setting up your kitchen takes an in-depth understanding of menu requirements, workflow, equipment functionality, and sanitary standards. A well-organized, compliant kitchen is instrumental in delivering consistent quality, thus building your meal prep service provider’s reputation.

Marketing Strategies for Your Meal Prep Company

Building a strong online presence.

Today, a significant portion of marketing and customer acquisition happens online.

Millennial and Gen X Dominance 🌟 Millennials and Generation X together account for approximately 63.7% of total meal prep business customers, marking them as the primary demographic.

It’s safe to say, your business’s survival largely depends on a robust online presence. Consider providing stats to support the aforementioned statement. Learn vital tactics for engaging and keeping meal prep service clients to ensure your growth within the lucrative meal prep market sphere.

The foundation of a powerful online footprint is a functional, eye-catching meal prep website. It does more than convey your brand story and showcase your products – it’s also a platform to engage with users and convert them into customers. You may also consider creating meal prep software once your business finances are solid. Strengthen your online presence by enhancing your meal prep business site with effective design strategies, sidestepping usual errors, and ensuring your venture thrives.

Social Media

Social media platforms are not only for selfies or memes but they have turned as precious digital marketing ozones. Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are particularly effective for food businesses, encouraging users to share your products visually, and boosting their virality. Integrating your online meal prep business into social media platforms is crucial.

Leveraging Local SEO

Being readily discoverable online when potential customers search for meal prep services in their locality is crucial. That’s where the magic of local SEO comes into play.

Importance of Local SEO

Local SEO increases the visibility of your business by driving your website to the top of local listings. If you have a local business, you need geographically-relevant traffic to your site, courtesy of targeted local rankings.

Implementing Local SEO

To effectively execute local SEO, you need to optimize your site with relevant keywords, maintain accurate and consistent contact details across all online platforms, and garner positive customer reviews. Implementing effective SEO strategies for your meal kit delivery service can significantly enhance your online visibility, driving more customers to your doorstep on-time.

Soaring Meal Kit Market 💼 The revenue of the meal kit service market (fresh and packaged food) is forecast to grow to around 64.4 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, highlighting a significant upward trend.

Implementing a Referral Program

1 in 3 people come to a business through referrals. A referral program incentivizes your existing clientele to bring in new customers for meal kit subscriptions for attractive rewards, creating a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Benefits of Referral Programs

Referral programs are effective because they benefit both the referrer and the referee. Additionally, ‘referred’ customers usually have a higher lifetime value and are more likely to refer others to your service.

Running a Successful Referral Program

Running a successful referral program is all about balance. Offer incentives that are attractive and of perceived value to your customers, but also don’t break the bank for your small business funding either. Consistency and visibility of your program can also significantly impact its success. A referral program nobody knows exists, is a failed program.

Provide statistic sources on referral marketing and consider adding infographics or diagrams for referral program implementation.

Understanding the Profitability of a Meal Prep Business

Revenue streams in a meal prep business models.

Increasing your business revenue means having multiple sources of income. One primary source of business income is direct, meal kit sales, providing your meal preps to clients on a subscription service or a one-off basis.

Comparative Meal Kit Pricing 🏷️ In 2021, the average price per meal kit was 9.99 U.S. dollars for Blue Apron and 8.99 U.S. dollars for HelloFresh, highlighting competitive pricing strategies.

However, don’t limit your earning potential to just meal sales. Another profitable avenue gaining popularity is health & wellness partnerships. Team up with fitness centers, dietician clinics, or corporate wellness programs where your healthy, meal kits and preps can be a valuable add-on.

Finally, consider diversifying into retail sales.

This could mean selling kitchen utensils, and recipe books, or even launching your line of own healthy food and snacks. The retail option adds another layer of revenue and builds your brand within the community.

Cost Factors in a Meal Prep Business

Understanding the cost implications is crucial in managing the profitability of your business. The average prices for starting a meal prep business can vary based on several factors.

Home-Based Meal Prep Affordability 🏠 Starting a home-based meal prep business can be more economical, with initial costs as low as $1,000, and prices per serving typically ranging between $10 and $12, depending on the meal type.

The obvious costs for meal prep orders revolve around meal production: raw ingredients, packaging materials, and kitchen equipment. Remember, buying in bulk often gets you substantial discounts.

Kitchen Setup Costs for Meal Prep 🍳 The initial investment for kitchen equipment can range from $10,000 to $50,000 for small to medium-sized meal prep delivery services, outlining the financial commitment required for starting the service.

But some costs hide in plain sight. Factor in licenses and permits to obtain business licenses, insurance, salaries, business insurance, and rent if you are not operating from home.

Marketing expenditure is another significant piece of the puzzle. From social media advertising to offline marketing events, getting the word out about your business requires investment.

And don’t forget about delivery costs. Whether you’re hiring a third-party delivery or service provider or investing in your transport, it’s a cost that directly impacts your business registration pricing and marketing strategy and hence, profitability.

Calculating Profit Margins

Profit margin is a key indicator of the financial health of your business entity.

Start with gross profit margin: Subtract the cost of goods sold (including ingredients, packaging, and direct labor costs) from your revenue. Divide this by the revenue and multiply by 100.

The net profit margin comes next. Subtract all your operating expenses (like rent, salaries, and marketing) from your gross profit. Divide this number by your revenue and multiply by 100 to get your net profit percentage.

Remember, regular monitoring and adjusting of your profit margins is a clear sign of a financially healthy and agile business model. Stay on top of it, recalculating at regular intervals, or when significant financial changes occur, and stay alert for the status of your business checking account.

What is a Meal Prep Business?

TL;DR 📝 A meal prep company whose business focuses on planning meal prepping, meal deliveries, grocery delivery websites, and assembling delicious meals for busy individuals or families who don't have time to cook. It is a cooked meal kit delivery model that serves pre-cooked meals for customers. 🔍 Meal prep delivery business offers several benefits, including health-focused options, convenience, and a profitable business model.

Definition and Concept of a Meal Prep Business

Meal prep businesses are a blend of culinary prowess, financial planning, and organizational excellence. To put it simply, they plan, prepare, and package meal kits in advance, typically for a one-week duration. These pre-packaged meals are then delivered to customers, offering a convenient alternative for those with tight schedules or limited prowess in the kitchen. Explore the thriving world of food preparation businesses in 2024 by diving into our all-encompassing guide that navigates you through industry insights, compliance requirements, and strategy development for pricing and growth.

This kind of venture taps into consumer trends for health-conscious, convenient, and time-saving options. But don’t mistake it for a flash-in-the-pan concept. Meal prep businesses have demonstrated their resilience in the market, with more and more households turning to these services for their daily sustenance.

While it might seem like running a meal prep business is pretty straightforward, it’s a lot more than just cooking food and delivering it. This sector demands a meticulous business model, careful meal planning, sourcing high-quality ingredients, handling logistical hassles, and meeting stringent food safety regulations.

Benefits of a Meal Prep Business

This burgeoning sector provides ample opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs and consumers. For business owners, the benefits extend far beyond profit margins. Running a business allows for creativity in crafting a unique menu, employing sustainable practices, and establishing a strong community presence. You will need a business model accordingly.

From a business lawyer and a consumer angle, the benefits of meal kits are equally enticing. Meal prep businesses offer a welcome solution to diverse dietary needs, with a few popular options made for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or high-protein diets. Plus, the convenience factor can’t be overlooked – these services save customers countless hours usually spent planning, shopping, and cooking.

Finally, the meal prep business model advocates for healthier eating habits. With well-planned, nutritious meals at their disposal, consumers are more likely to stick with healthy meals and eating plans – a boon in a world where time constraints often steer people towards less healthful options.

Challenges in Starting a Meal Prep Business

You’re about to understand what it takes to navigate the competitive industry, master food quality and safety, and how to scale your enterprise efficiently.

Competition in the Meal Prep Industry

The industry is a battle of the fittest. Standing out requires a unique meal deliverable, excellent customer service, and strategic pricing. You’ll need a go-to-market strategy and understand who your competitors are, what they offer, and how they engage their customers.

The lifeblood of your business will be how you manage to differentiate yourself from other players. Consider the methods in diet planning, meal customization, and subscription food services as key tactics to find your niche. Unlock the potential of your meal preparation venture in 2024 by diving into our all-encompassing guide that navigates through niche identification, dietary customization, and subscription models.

Profile your top competitors. Take notes on their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for your strategic planning.

In short, thriving in the industry requires adaptation, constant learning, and a great dose of competitiveness. It’s a fast-paced race, but the reward is a loyal customer base and potentially lucrative profits.

Maintaining Food Quality and Safety

The reputation of a meal prep business is built on food quality and safety. Poor handling can lead to foodborne illnesses, and substandard ingredients affected by contaminants can lead to damaging recalls.

Prepared Meal Delivery Market Surge 📈 The prepared meal delivery market is expected to reach $19.64 billion in 2026, growing at a rate of 13.9%, showcasing a robust industry expansion.

That means you will probably have lots of rivalry in the near future. Protecting your meal prep delivery business reputation is important.

Maintain high-quality ingredients. This starts with sourcing fresh food from reliable vendors who participate in good farming practices, ensuring freshness upon delivery, and storing safely to avoid cross-contamination.

Stay updated with food safety regulations and standard operating procedures. Consider attending food safety training courses.

Ensuring meal safety involves maintaining cleanliness in your home and kitchen equipment, regularly training your staff, and adhering to local health regulations. Regular inspections and audits are your best friends.

Create a handy checklist of health and safety standards.

In a nutshell, maintaining food quality and safety might seem exhausting, but it’s a non-negotiable aspect of running a successful meal prep business.

Scaling a Meal Prep Business

But scaling your business is not about increasing quantities alone. It’s about enlarging your entire operation without sacrificing food quality, safety, or customer satisfaction.

Promote operational efficiency. This requires investing in the right equipment and technology to manage responsibilities like logistics, procurement, an inventory management system, and food production seamlessly.

Growth means requiring more staff to meet production demand. Proper training and development of your staff is an essential investment for your business to keep up with growth.

Identify potential skills gaps in your team as you plan for the future, and consider professional training or skill development opportunities.

The takeaway? Scaling your business is a delicate balance between growing your customer base, expanding your operations, and delivering a consistently high-quality product.

Embarking on Your Meal Prep Journey

The thrill of creating a variety of meals, combining nutritional balance with flavorful cuisine all under the umbrella of your brand—it’s certainly a rewarding business. Essential elements of this enterprise are in-depth market study, meticulous menu planning, cost-efficient sourcing, and foolproof marketing strategies. Enrich your menu offerings in the meal kit sector by merging traditional tastes with modern twists, creating a dining experience that redefines household dinners.

That’s the essence of a successful business. It’s not just about pre-prepped meals, but more importantly about delivering health, convenience, and deliciousness right at people’s doorsteps.

As a next step, organize your business plan and start with a small, responsive audience to validate your ideas and refine your offerings. Ready to dive into the health and wellness industry with your innovative meal prep solution?

Are you considering what your unique offering in the meal prep market will be?

So roll up your sleeves, put on your chef’s hat, and remember, this isn’t just a good business move, it’s an opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives—one meal at a time.

What is a meal prep business

How to get your first meal prep customers

Art of creating a diverse and innovative meal kit menu

How to create a meal prep business website

Expert tips on doing meal kit delivery on time, every time

‟With Metrobi, we’re now doing home deliveries in the Greater Boston area”

GrandTen Distilling

‟The most seamless & smoothest Valentine's Day”

Hanato Floral Design

‟The quality of customer service is great!”

‟Reliability, Accuracy & Timeliness”

Bartleby’s Ice Cream Cakes

• Meal Prep Business
• Meal Prep Business Website

• meal kit delivery

• Meal Prep Customers

• meal kit menu

• How To Start a Meal Prep Business

• meal prep business

• Last Mile Delivery
• last mile delivery

• Restaurant Menu
• restaurant menu

• Restaurant Business
• start a restaurant

• Restaurant Operations
• restaurant operations

• Restaurant Supplies and Equipment
• restaurant equipment

• Route Optimization
• travelling salesman problem

• Types of Shipping Methods
• International shipping

• Click and collect shipping

• omnichannel logistics

• dynamic route optimization

• Last Mile Delivery Glossary
• green transportation

Success Stories

Field Trip Flowers

Dorchester Brewing Company

Jacobson Floral

Fleurs to You

Benz’s Food Products Inc.

DELIVER WITH METROBI

Grow with confidence

• 55 Court St floor 2, Boston, MA 02108
• [email protected]
• Team Metrobi
• Privacy policy
• Terms of service
• Write for us

Refer us to a company, you earn $250 and they earn $250. Learn more

• Shopify Delivery Planner App
• Delivery Management Software
• Atlanta courier service
• Boston courier service
• Chicago courier service
• Denver courier service
• Miami courier service
• New York City courier service
• Los Angeles courier service
• Philadelphia courier service
• San Francisco courier service
• Washington DC courier service
• See all locations
• Bulk Order Delivery Service
• Express Urgent Delivery Service
• Fixed Route Delivery Service
• On Demand Delivery Service
• Overnight Delivery Service
• Same Day Delivery Service
• Scheduled Delivery Service
• Wholesale Delivery Service
• See all delivery services
• Metrobi vs. Onfleet
• Metrobi vs. Roadie
• Metrobi vs. Roadie Support
• Artisan Food
• Food Producers

Want to access our large pool of drivers?

We started Metrobi to take operations off your plate. We provide drivers (rated 4.97/5), dedicated operation managers (70% cheaper), and routing software with a receiver notification system.

Meal Prep Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Eating healthy and staying fit has become a priority in the fast-paced lives of many. Meal prep businesses are popping up everywhere to help people meet their goals. If you're starting a meal prep business, you need to have a plan in place to ensure its success. The #1 Meal Prep Business Plan Template & Guidebook offers an easy-to-follow outline for creating the perfect business plan to get your business off the ground. Get ready to make your meal prep dreams come true with this comprehensive guide and template.

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Meal Prep Business [11 Steps]
• 10+ Best & Profitable Meal Prep Business Ideas [2023]
• 25 Catchy Meal Prep Business Names:
• List of the Best Marketing Ideas For Your Meal Prep Business:

How to Write a Meal Prep Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your meal prep business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your meal prep business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a meal prep business:

Our mission is to provide our customers with access to healthy, convenient and delicious meal prep solutions, enabling them to make nutritious dinner choices every night without sacrificing on taste or quality. We strive to be a leader in the meal prep industry by using fresh, locally sourced ingredients and innovative recipes that are both budget-friendly and time-saving. With our dedication to customer satisfaction and commitment to sustainability, we aim to create long-lasting relationships with our customers so they can enjoy the benefits of meal prep for years to come.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Meal Prep Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your meal prep business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your meal prep business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your meal prep business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your meal prep business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a meal prep business?

The equipment, supplies, and permits needed to run a Meal Prep business include a commercial kitchen, food safety certification, refrigeration equipment, packaging supplies and materials, food transportation containers, ingredients and food products, food scales and labeling supplies, food processor or blender for prepping ingredients, cutting boards and utensils for portioning ingredients, storage containers for meal prep ingredients.

5. Management & Organization of Your Meal Prep Business.

The second part of your meal prep business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your meal prep business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Meal Prep Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a meal prep business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a meal prep business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your meal prep business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your meal prep business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your meal prep business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Meal Prep Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a meal prep business.

A business plan for a meal prep business is essential for outlining business goals and objectives, setting strategies to achieve those goals, and planning out the resources needed to be successful. It also provides an effective platform for tracking progress, making adjustments when necessary, and establishing a timeline for launch and growth. Finally, potential investors or lenders will often require a business plan as part of an evaluation process before providing funding.

Who should you ask for help with your meal prep business plan?

It is recommended to seek help from a local Small Business Development Center (SBDC). SBDCs provide confidential, no-cost business counseling and training in areas such as finance, marketing, organizational development, technology, and international trade. They can also help you develop a customized business plan tailored to the needs of your meal prep business.

Can you write a meal prep business plan yourself?

Yes, you can write a meal prep business plan yourself. You should include information about your goals and objectives, target audience, menu offerings, pricing and marketing strategy. Additionally, you should outline any operational aspects such as suppliers, equipment and staff needed for the business. Most importantly, you should detail the finances of the business such as start-up costs, profit projections and cash flow projections.

Related Business Plans

Home Inventory Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Home Inspection Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Home Decor Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Health And Wellness Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Hauling Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Hardware Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Handyman Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Hair Extension Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Handbag Business Plan Template & Guidebook

I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

Meal Prep Business Plan Outline – Starting A Meal Delivery Business

I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

We started our Meal Prep Business in 2005 and when the started that business, we followed a business plan very similar to the free one I’ve outlined below.

Now to be clear, there is no one right way to start a Meal Prep Business, which also means there is no one right way to write a business plan for such a business.

“There is no one right way, but there are certainly some wrong ways.” Stacey Davis of FoodBusinessPros.com

This article is written for someone who is brand new to a business startup .

P.S. If you are looking for ideas for your new Personal Chef Business, here is our article with 199 Personal Chef Business Name Ideas .

The information here is not meant to be professional advice, but simply me sharing my own real-life experience as I would with any friend who wanted to start a meal prep delivery business like mine.

Below you’ll find the business plan outline that I’ve used many times, both with my own businesses and with startups of friends and clients.

Included with that outline are specific notes about a Prepared Meal Delivery Business Plan.

However, before we dig into the outline, let’s make sure that you and I basically agree on why you need a business plan before you start a new small business.

What Is The Purpose of A Business Plan?

A business plan for a startup business has two main purposes.

• To Help You Run Your Business
• To Help You Get Business Loans

Using A Business Plan To Run Your Prepared Meal Business

A solid business plan gets you from where you are today to where you want to be five years from now.

As you make the journey of growing your own business, your business plan is your foundation…or perhaps a better analogy, it’s your anchor.

Foundations can’t be moved but anchors can, but they can’t be without some careful consideration and effort.

Your business plan is your business vision, or put another way, it’s your business’ roadmap. It tells you where you are going and identifies the landmarks that will tell you where you are on your business journey.

I have an entrepreneur’s soul, and with that, I’m always tempted to chase the next shiny thing that catches my attention. If you’re considering starting your own business, you likely share this characteristic with me.

By having a business plan that I revisit regularly, I have that foundational anchor that keeps me from running off after the next shiny thing I’ve found.

Each time I hear a new idea that applies to my meal prep business, I go back to my business plan and really ask myself if this new shiny thing actually fits within the plan.

Now sometimes the idea is just too good to leave untried, but if it’s that good then it needs to find a place on my business plan.

Business plans are living documents, and they can, will, and should change over time.

But they shouldn’t be changed lightly.

Using Your Business Plan To Get A Business Loan

While it’s true that I don’t like taking out loans, it’s also true that sometimes we all have to take out loans.

If you are going to go to a bank or an investor asking for a business loan for a startup meal prep business, you must have a business plan.

And that business plan must have the following characteristics:

• It must be very professional in appearance.
• It must have the correct key sections.
• It must have data.
• It must have projected timelines.
• It must have financial projections.

The meal plan business plan outline I’m going to share with you will include a basic version of each of these essentials in the correct order.

It will also have other sections that business loan officers expect to see in every business plan that gets real consideration.

Customizing The Meal Prep Business Plan Outline

I decided to offer just an outline of my business plan, instead of offering you my full business plan. Why?

My business isn’t exactly like your business, so my business plan isn’t your business plan.

While we both are running prepared meal delivery businesses, we’re not running the exact same business with the exact same journey ahead.

Each new business has a unique starting point, similar but different paths to success, and probably even different visions of ultimate success.

In addition, there are endless types of meal prep businesses, and your business plan should reflect your type as well as your dreams and personality.

Here are just some of the types of meal prep businesses that people have asked me to help them get off of the ground.

• Healthy Prepared Meal Delivery
• Game-Day Prepared Meal Delivery Business
• Vegan Meal Prep Delivery Business
• BBQ Meal Prep Delivery Business
• Tailgating Meal Prep Delivery Business
• Gluten-Free Prepared Meal Delivery Business
• Keto Diet Prepared Meal Delivery Business
• Fitness Prepared Meal Delivery Business

That’s quite a variety, right?

And each of these businesses is going to have a different marketing plan. Each with its own branding, marketing, competitors, and more.

Now let’s walk through the outline of everything that should be in your business plan.

The Free Meal Prep Business Plan Outline

• This section will have two or three paragraphs outlining the business in a manner that leaves the reader curious and asking more questions.
• Problem Your Business Will Solve
• Products or Services Offered By Your Company
• Service Area
• General Growth Projections
• Two or three paragraphs that briefly explain the structure of your company. Once again, your goal here is to leave the reader even more curious and wanting more.
• Business Structure (e.g. Sole Proprietor, Partnership, LLC, or C Corporation)
• Investors – Including Owners
• Physical Location
• Major Assets
• Identify your new business’ competition. Don’t get trapped into only considering the direct competition. Look for parallel competition.
• Restaurants
• Grocery Stores
• Single Meal Delivery like UberEats
• Food Courts
• Mail Order Meal Kits
• Mail Order Prepared Meals
• Other Local Prepared Meal Businesses
• Who are the key people and what are their responsibilities?
• Give a brief synopsis of their qualifications, but don’t include a whole resume, we’ll put those resumes in the Supporting Documents at the end of the business plan.
• Include an Organizational Chart that shows who reports to who.
• Identify exactly what you are going to be selling.
• Make a short pitch here to actually sell your products/services.
• Don’t focus just on the features, but include the benefits of your business to your customers.
• This builds on the product section, but with more details about how you are going to market your goods and services.
• A table of projected ad costs on various platforms.
• A list of locations where you’ll post fliers.
• A list of organizations that will offer your brochures.
• A timeline that shows what kinds of marketing happen at what time during your launch.
• How much money do you need?
• What are you going to spend that money on?
• When are you going to spend that money?
• Three months of operation experience is pretty standard for a new small business.
• This needs to be a nice spreadsheet that shows projected expenses and revenue by month for at least one year out. Preferably, you’ll project out three years.
• What are your projections based upon?
• How did you come up with this number?
• How confident are you in your expense numbers?
• Do you have quotes for ____________? Can I see those quotes?
• This section proves to anyone reading this business plan that you have a plan for starting up this prepared meal business. It’s your startup schedule.
• This needs to be a spreadsheet that indicates when important things are going to happen during your startup.
• It needs to be at least broken down by weeks, but I’d suggest you break it down by individual days.
• Not only does this show a loan officer that you have a real plan, but perhaps more important, it gets you organized and holds you accountable to get this business up and running on schedule.
• Marketing mockups
• Full resumes of key employees
• Letters of recommendation and endorsements

If you follow this outline, you’ll be able to create your Prepared Meal Delivery Business Plan with confidence.

However, if you find yourself struggling, be sure to signup for my email list and I’ll see how I can help you.

If you want a full Prepared Meal Business Plan Template based upon my 16 years of experience starting and running my own delivery business, you can find that business plan template here .

I also offer one-on-one consulting as my schedule allows, and you can find more information about that in the same link above.

My consultation time is not inexpensive. Yet for a couple of hundred dollars, you could get my experienced feedback on your business plan instead of hearing it from a loan officer later.

~Stacey of FoodBusinessPros.com

P.S. If you are a DIY kind of person, I’m including below some links to other resources that will help you get your business plan right.

Until the business plan is right, the business can’t be right.

More Prepared Meal Delivery Business Articles

You can click on the text over each image to read the article right here on FoodBusinessPros.com . ~ Stacey

More Meal Prep Business Plan Writing Resources

With over 15 years of experience starting, running, and growing home-based food businesses, Stacey is the #1 home-based food business coach in America. Stacey is the author of the Advantage Meals: By The Numbers Book.

Recent Articles

Comprehensive Food Safety and Hygiene Guidelines for Home-Based Kitchens

Running a home-based food business demands a deep understanding of food safety and hygiene. This article dives into key practices essential for maintaining a safe, healthy, and compliant kitchen...

Marketing Strategies for Home-Based Food Businesses: Growing home-based businesses.

Home-based food businesses offer unique culinary experiences but face the challenge of standing out in a crowded market. This article delves into marketing strategies tailored for small business...

• Business Ideas
• Registered Agents

How to Start a Meal Prep Business in 14 Steps (In-Depth Guide)

Updated:   February 22, 2024

BusinessGuru.co is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

The meal kit market is booming, with a global value of $15.9 billion in 2022. With an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.2%, the market should hit $51.2 billion by 2030. For foodie entrepreneurs, now’s a great time to enter the market.

As consumers become increasingly health-conscious and time-strapped, meal prep services that deliver nutritious, pre-portioned meals customized to people’s dietary needs and preferences have gained immense popularity. This rapidly growing industry presents a lucrative business opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs.

This guide will explain how to start a meal prep business. We’ll walk you through key steps like crafting a business plan, obtaining licenses and permits, sourcing ingredients, developing recipes and packaging, building a website, and marketing your brand.

1. Conduct Meal Prep Market Research

Market research is essential to learning how to start a meal prep business. It offers valuable insight into popular healthy meals, ways to set up a meal prep website, best fresh food delivery methods, and more. There are two types of market research primary research you conduct yourself, and secondary research when you compile third-party data.

Let’s take a look at some of the details you might find during your meal prep delivery services market research.

• Target market: Key demographics providing growth opportunities include millennials and higher-income urban professionals.
• Niche market: Corporate meal prep delivery represents an untapped market ripe for expansion. Providing employers with healthy catering options can be quite lucrative.
• Popular ingredients: Services that provide nutrient-dense options like lean proteins, whole grains, produce and dairy from local, organic sources appeal most to health-conscious consumers.
• Diverse plan options: Having menus, recipes, and options tailored to various dietary needs and restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, paleo, keto, etc.) also allows for larger addressable markets.

Ample opportunities exist for entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on busy professionals seeking healthier, convenient meal solutions. With strategic planning around location, target segments, product mix, and marketing tactics, new startups can successfully grab market share in this continuously expanding industry.

2. Analyze the Competition

Thoroughly analyzing the competition is crucial when starting a meal prep business. This helps you identify strategic advantages and areas of differentiation. There are a few major national players like Blue Apron and HelloFresh , but smaller local and regional companies can compete by offering greater customization.

Here are a few ways to get to know your meal prep delivery service competition:

• Research online reviews of local competitors on platforms like Yelp and Google to see feedback on their offerings, customer service, and areas for improvement.
• Study their website and social media presence for things like branding, marketing messaging, product photography, and engagement levels.
• Use tools like SimilarWeb and SEMrush to find data on website traffic, top landing pages, digital ads spend, organic keywords they rank for, social following, and more.
• Keyword research using Google’s keyword planner shows which terms consumers are searching for when looking for meal prep and healthy food delivery options.
• Social listening with tools like Hootsuite uncovers conversations, mentions, complaints, and advocacy surrounding key competitors.

By thoroughly analyzing both local and digital competitors, you gain invaluable intelligence to build a differentiated brand and go-to-market strategy.

3. Costs to Start a Meal Prep Business

When starting a meal prep company, there are a variety of one-time start-up costs to consider before opening for business.

Start-up Costs

• Incorporation fees to establish your legal business entity ($50-$500 depending on structure).
• Commercial kitchen rent deposit, typically equivalent to 1-2 months rent ($2,000-$5,000).
• Kitchen equipment like refrigerators, freezers, ovens, food processors, and cooking utensils ($5,000-$20,000 depending on new vs. used).
• Packaging supplies like microwavable containers, lids, labels, and bags ($1,000-$3,000 upfront).
• Initial ingredient inventory including proteins, grains, produce, sauces, and seasonings ($1,000-$5,000 depending on menu size and bulk ordering discounts).
• Small wares like prep bowls, knives, cutting boards, pots and pans, measuring tools, thermometers, scales, etc ($500-$2,000).
• Office supplies and marketing materials to start, like computer, printer, branding, menus, and business cards ($500-$2,000).
• Website design and development ($500-$5,000).
• Legal fees for permits, food safety certifications, and licenses ($500-$2,000).
• Initial hiring and training of 1-3 prep cooks/chefs and delivery drivers if needed ($2,000-$5,000).
• Insurance policies include commercial property, general liability, workers comp, food spoilage, and delivery auto insurance ($2,000-$5,000).

In total, most entrepreneurs spend $15,000 to $50,000 in start-up costs before launching their meal prep business.

Ongoing Costs

• Commercial kitchen rent ($2,000-$5,000).
• Ingredient purchases based on order volume ($3,000 per month initially).
• Packaging replenishment ($500 monthly).
• Equipment maintenance and replacements ($500 monthly).
• Salaries for staff like prep cooks, delivery drivers, marketers, and accountants ($4,000 per month per employee).
• SaaS subscriptions like accounting, CRM, inventory, or order management software ($100-$500 monthly).
• Digital advertising and marketing services (minimum $500 monthly up to $5,000+).
• Insurance premiums ($500-$2,000+ monthly).
• Utilities like electricity, water, waste disposal ($500-$2,000 monthly).
• Liability insurance renewal ($1,000-$5,000).
• Professional services like legal or accounting ($1,000-$5,000).
• Equipment repairs or replacements ($2,000).
• Marketing campaigns like direct mail or print ads ($1,000 per campaign).

Therefore, entrepreneurs must secure proper financing to cover both initial start-up and ongoing operating costs, which can easily total over $10,000 per month. Precise estimates are based on specific business models, locations, and scales.

4. Form a Legal Business Entity

When starting a meal prep company, one key legal decision is choosing your business structure. The four main options each have advantages and disadvantages to weigh.

Sole Proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is the simplest structure with no formal registration needed beyond permits. However, the owner is personally liable for all business debts and legal actions. This substantial risk makes a sole proprietorship ill-advised for the food industry given potential foodborne illness and customer injury liabilities.

Partnership

Partnerships like a general partnership or LP allow multiple owners to share resources and liability. But similar to sole proprietors, general partners remain fully personally liable. Limited partners have liability protection but limited control. Disagreements between partners can also doom companies. The informality of partnerships makes them a poor choice for larger meal prep companies.

Corporation

A corporation provides limited liability protection for shareholders but requires extensive record-keeping and corporate formalities. The complex setup and “double taxation” on profits make a C corporation unappealing for small meal prep businesses.

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

For most meal prep startups, forming a limited liability company (LLC) offers the best of all worlds. LLC owners benefit from personal liability protection while retaining tax simplicity and flexibility for structuring the ownership, control, and profit-sharing of the business.

LLCs allow for customized management and profit-sharing arrangements between multiple co-owners through contractual operating agreements. This facilitates taking on business partners and delineating responsibilities.

5. Register Your Business For Taxes

One key legal task when starting a meal prep business is obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, even if you don’t plan to hire employees yet.

An EIN acts like a social security number for your business for tax and banking purposes. It is required to open business bank accounts, apply for business licenses, and file taxes for your LLC or corporation.

Applying for an EIN is free and easy to do online at IRS . The online application only takes about 10 minutes to complete.

First, review the eligibility requirements and gather information like your LLC or incorporation documents. Then begin the online application, providing basic information about your business entity, owners/members, and reason for the EIN.

Submitting online provides your EIN immediately upon approval. Just be sure to print or save the confirmation page for your records.

In addition to your federal EIN, contact your state revenue or taxation department to register for state and local business sales tax collection. This allows you to legally charge and remit sales tax on meal prep orders and purchase ingredients/supplies tax-free with wholesale exemptions.

Online registration for state sales tax is also quick and usually free. Have your EIN and LLC/corporation documents ready. The state will determine if you need to pay registration fees based on estimated annual revenue.

Once approved, you will receive a state sales tax ID number or certificate. Display this prominently on your website and invoices per state regulations. File and remit sales tax payments monthly or quarterly.

Proper legal formation of your business entity combined with an EIN and sales tax registration establish compliance and credibility for your meal prep startup. Consult an accountant to ensure you fulfill all ongoing IRS and state tax obligations as well.

6. Setup Your Accounting

Proper accounting is crucial for meal prep startups to track finances, maximize deductions, and avoid IRS issues. There are many accounting options for an online meal prep business, including:

Accounting Software

With frequent transactions for ingredient purchases, sales, and expenses, using accounting software like QuickBooks streamlines bookkeeping. Linking QuickBooks to your business bank/credit card accounts and invoice/sales platforms allows for seamless, automated tracking of payments in and out.

Hire an Accountant

While accounting software provides excellent self-serve capabilities, partnering with an accountant optimizes financial oversight for your meal prep company. A qualified accountant provides services like:

• Monthly reconciliation of accounts and financial statements
• Accurate tracking of operating costs and cost of goods sold
• Catching and reclassifying any erroneous transactions
• Tax planning for end-of-year deductions and profit optimization
• Filing quarterly sales tax returns
• Compiling year-end paperwork for your annual tax filing
• Representing you in any IRS audit

Expect to invest around $200 to $500 per month for an accountant on retainer managing your bookkeeping and taxes. Come tax season, they will also prepare and file your business returns for roughly $500-$2,000 depending on complexity.

Open a Business Bank Account

Maintaining completely separate finances for your business and personal accounts is also key. Do not combine funds or pay business expenses from personal cards. Open a dedicated business checking account upon obtaining your EIN, and apply for business credit cards as well.

Apply for a Business Credit Card

Business cards based on your company’s credit profile typically offer higher limits than personal cards. This provides easier access to credit for larger purchases like inventory orders. Make all purchases related to the meal prep company strictly on the business accounts.

7. Obtain Licenses and Permits

Before serving your first meal prep order, it is crucial to have all required business licenses and permits in place at the federal, state, and local levels. Find federal requirements through the U.S. Small Business Administration . The SBA also offers a local search tool to find state requirements.

At the federal level, you will need a Food Facility Registration from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This involves submitting details on your facility and food storage/preparation processes so you can be inspected for compliance with federal food safety regulations. Registration is typically $500 annually.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also requires a Certificate of Operation to confirm your commercial kitchen meets standards for equipment safety, food handling procedures, employee training, hazardous chemical storage, and other occupational health protocols.

Work closely with an experienced food industry contractor or architect to ensure your kitchen setup adheres to all FDA food codes and OSHA facility regulations.

At the state and local level, key licenses and permits include:

• Business license ($50-$200 annually)
• Food handler and manager training certificates ($15-$50 per person)
• Food service sanitation permit ($200+ annually)
• Local fire department kitchen inspection/approval ($100+ one-time)
• Water runoff management authorization
• Food composting/waste permits

Some states like California and Texas also require food safety manager certificates demonstrating your expertise in safe food prep, handling, and storage practices.

If selling packaged foods or cooking oils, you may need state health department approval of your labels and packaging. Depending on location, additional niche permits related to catering, food trucks, farmers market booths or custom requirements for meal delivery may apply.

Confirm tax compliance at state and city levels by registering for required sales tax collection and submission based on your business activities and locations.

8. Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is crucial protection for meal prep companies given the high risks inherent to food service operations. Lack of proper coverage can lead to financial ruin if sued, so securing policies before opening is critical.

For example, a batch of contaminated ingredients could sicken customers. Without product liability insurance, you must pay their damages yourself. Or a kitchen fire attributed to faulty equipment destroys your premises. Without adequate property coverage, repairs come out of pocket. Even a slip-and-fall accident in your storefront leaves you responsible for medical bills without the right liability plan.

The good news is obtaining business insurance is straightforward if planned proactively. Policies to strongly consider include:

• General liability to cover injury lawsuits, property damage, and food contamination incidents.
• Commercial property to protect your premises, equipment, and inventory from damage/theft.
• Product liability for when meal prep foods cause illness or injury.
• Workers compensation for managing employee injuries.
• Commercial auto for your delivery vehicles.

First, assess your risks and required policy minimums based on the business model, size, and locations. Then request quotes from multiple providers like The Hartford, Travelers, State Farm, and local agencies. Compare coverage and pricing. For cost efficiency, consider bundling general liability with property and other policies.

To apply, you will need your business legal name and contact information, EIN, business license, estimated revenue and valuation details, and claims history. Also provide your desired policy types, limits, and deductibles.

9. Create an Office Space

While meal prep operations are centered around the commercial kitchen, having a proper office space facilitates administrative work, meetings, and food storage/shipping.

Home Office

A home office allows startup founders to save on costs by leveraging existing space. However, distractions from family members and disconnect from kitchen staff can hamper productivity. Still, it’s a fine temporary option. Expect costs for desk, computer, phone, filing cabinets, and supplies ($2,000).

Coworking Office

For collaboration and professionalism, a coworking space like WeWork provides office amenities and community without a long-term lease. With month-to-month commitments, the flexibility supports evolving space needs as your company grows. Expect to pay $300 to $800 monthly per desk.

Retail Office

Retail office space connected to your storefront kitchen allows customers to ask questions or customize orders in person. This builds relationships through face-to-face interaction. If renting, negotiate with the landlord to include office square footage with your kitchen lease.

Commercial Office

Leasing dedicated commercial office space nearby gives room for staff workstations, storage, shipping, and meetings while avoiding kitchen distractions. Expect monthly costs of $1,000 to $5,000 depending on location and square footage needs.

10. Source Your Equipment

A commercial kitchen requires an extensive array of equipment and small wares for meal prep businesses to operate efficiently. From ovens and refrigerators to knives and mixing bowls, you have multiple acquisition options:

Purchasing brand-new equipment from retailers ensures full warranties and longevity for maximum upfront investment. Restaurant supply stores like WebstaurantStore provide commercial-grade ranges, ventilation, prep tables, and refrigeration for $5,000, with steep discounts on bulk orders.

Buying quality used equipment through auctions, classifieds or resale sites cuts costs substantially. Check commercial kitchen liquidators, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay for deals on gently used tools like high-powered blenders, food processors, and induction burners for $200.

Beware of certain health code restrictions on purchasing used refrigeration, cookware, or plating. Inspect items carefully before purchase.

Renting select small wares provides flexibility for trying new tools before committing long-term. Consider renting additional cold storage space, ovens, or prep equipment to meet seasonal volume spikes or test products instead of overbuying supplies. Event and rental companies like Taylor Rental charge $100 per day.

Leasing major equipment through programs like Alliance Capital and National Leasing spreads payments over time while conserving upfront capital. This facilitates obtaining those expensive $10,000 convection ovens, walk-in freezers, or dishwashers. Compare lease terms like length, payment amounts, and buyout clauses.

11. Establish Your Brand Assets

Developing a strong brand identity and assets helps meal prep startups craft a distinctive, recognizable image that resonates with target customers. This facilitates building engagement and loyalty for the company.

Get a Business Phone Number

Acquiring a professional business phone line via providers like RingCentral lends legitimacy and provides a centralized contact number for all locations and personnel. Expect to invest $30 to $80 monthly for a local or toll-free number with call routing and voicemail features.

Design a Logo

Creating a visually striking logo with services like Looka ensures brand consistency across platforms. Consider an illustrative, typographic, or abstract design aligned with your company vision. Expect to pay $70 to $500 for creation of logo files optimized for web/print use.

Print Business Cards

Business cards from Vistaprint provide convenience for networking, sales, and marketing. Expect 500 cards for $20-$50 depending on design, print quality, and extras like foil stamping.

Interior and exterior signage, menus, and promotional flyers further expand brand exposure, with Vistaprint offering poster banners from $20 each.

Register a Domain Name

Register a domain name that matches your brand’s name or positioning using providers like Namecheap . Expect to pay $12 to $20 annually. Some best practices include keeping it short, selecting a .com extension and avoiding hyphens or hard-to-spell words.

Design a Website

Building a custom website via user-friendly DIY platforms like Wix establishes an online hub for customers. Expect to invest $10 to $30 monthly for hosting and access to templates, graphics, and SEO tools. Alternatively, hiring web developers on marketplaces like Fiverr costs $500 to $5,000 for custom coding and design.

12. Join Associations and Groups

Joining relevant local organizations and online communities provides invaluable connections and insights for meal prep entrepreneurs. Surrounding yourself with fellow business owners leads to mutual support, idea exchanges, and access to proven strategies.

Local Associations

Seek out local associations like the American Culinary Federation with state and regional chapters to network with fellow chefs, caterers, and restaurateurs. Joining as a business partner provides discounts on training, events, and visibility.

Local Meetups

Attend local in-person and virtual meetup groups related to meal prep, food business, and entrepreneurship using sites like Meetup . Connect with like-minded founders and employees of complementary businesses.

Facebook Groups

Industry-specific Facebook groups like the Meal Delivery Business and MEAL PREP Ideas – Inspirations – Support enable crowd-sourcing tips on recipe development, packaging, pricing, and managing workflows.

Local community Facebook groups can also provide customer outreach, recipe requests, guerilla marketing opportunities, and obstacles to building your thriving meal prep enterprise.

13. How to Market a Meal Prep Business

Implementing an effective marketing strategy is crucial for meal prep companies to drive brand awareness, acquire new customers, and boost revenue. While leveraging personal connections provides an initial customer base, establishing diverse digital and traditional channels will facilitate scalable growth.

Offer Referral Rewards

Start by incentivizing your happiest customers to promote your business through referrals. Offer a free week of meals for every new customer they refer. This turns satisfied patrons into brand advocates.

Digital Marketing

For digital marketing, effective tactics include:

• Search engine optimization to improve website visibility for relevant searches like “healthy meal delivery Los Angeles”
• Google Ads campaigns with landing pages tailored to services like vegetarian, keto, or paleo meal plans
• Retargeting ads on Facebook and Instagram to re-engage website visitors
• Email nurture sequences that guide subscribers through becoming a customer
• Social media content highlighting new menu items, specials, and nutrition tips
• Customer rewards programs within email and mobile apps
• Influencer collaborations with health and wellness bloggers, personal trainers, and chefs
• Reviews and testimonials from delighted customers on platforms like Facebook and Yelp

Traditional Marketing

For traditional approaches, options like:

• loyalty punch cards for repeat business
• local newspaper, radio, and TV ads during food programming
• direct mail postcards showcasing seasonal recipes and delivery options
• flyers and menus at gyms, offices, and apartment complexes
• sponsoring local events and 5K races related to health and fitness
• booths at farmers’ markets and community fairs during peak meal prep seasons

can effectively raise awareness, although typically at higher costs per lead/customer.

A smart meal prep marketing strategy combines digital visibility and conversions with select traditional channels suitable for the target audience. Focus on retaining and incentivizing existing patrons while implementing data-driven tactics to attract and convert new leads into loyal customers.

14. Focus on the Customer

Providing exceptional customer service is crucial for meal prep companies to foster loyalty, gain referrals, and boost growth. Some ways to show your meal prep delivery business customers you care include:

• Thoughtfully solving issues like missing items or inaccurate orders breeds appreciation.
• Follow up with calls to address problems, offer credits, and learn how you can improve.
• Surprising clients on special occasions with personalized extras like birthday meal vouchers or anniversary desserts shows you care.
• Seeking customer feedback regularly through surveys and reviews enables continually improving offerings and processes based on actual input.
• Train all team members on embodying your service commitment in every interaction. Empower them to resolve complaints quickly.

Exceptional customer service cements meal prep patrons as brand devotees who return again and again while recommending you at every opportunity. This loyalty and advocacy organically grows your most valuable asset: a thriving community of customers.

You Might Also Like

April 9, 2024

0  comments

How to Start a Dog Clothing Business in 14 Steps (In-Depth Guide)

Have you ever considered turning your love for canine couture into a thriving business? ...

How to Start a Vintage Clothing Business in 14 Steps (In-Depth Guide)

The vintage apparel and second hand clothing industry reached an evaluation of $152.5 billion ...

How to Start a Bamboo Clothing Business in 14 Steps (In-Depth Guide)

The global bamboo fiber market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth ...

How to Start a Garage Cleaning Business in 14 Steps (In-Depth Guide)

Starting a garage cleaning business could be the perfect solution! The U.S. garage and ...

Check Out Our Latest Articles

We earn commissions if you shop through the links below.  Read more

Meal Prep Business

Back to All Business Ideas

How to Start a Meal Prep Business

Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on May 4, 2021 Updated on June 5, 2024

Investment range

$12,550 - $22,100

Revenue potential

$100,000 - $312,000 p.a.

Time to build

1 - 3 months

Profit potential

$36,000 - $47,000 p.a.

Industry trend

Did you know that meal preparation and delivery is one of the fastest growing industries in the US? It’s expected to expand threefold from 2017 to 2024 and reach $7.6 billion in annual revenue.(( https://www.statista.com/topics/3336/online-meal-kit-delivery-services-in-the-us/ )) This is definitely a fast-emerging market that offers real opportunity to make good money.

Of course, launching a meal prep business requires hard work. Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place, as this step-by-step will provide all the information you’ll need to start delivering delicious meals and running a successful business!

Looking to register your business? A limited liability company (LLC) is the best legal structure for new businesses because it is fast and simple.

Form your business immediately using ZenBusiness LLC formation service or hire one of the Best LLC Services .

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

It makes perfect sense to know what you’re getting into before you take the plunge. Without an in-depth understanding of the industry, you can never be sure if your idea will be profitable and sustainable. 

Pros and cons

Understand the pros and cons of starting a meal delivery service to make sure the idea is worth your time and money.

• Full or part-time work
• Run your business from home
• Little startup capital required
• High profit margins & income potential
• Relatively short break-even time (1 year)
• Highly competitive
• Finding good suppliers can be difficult
• Building customer loyalty takes time
• Compliance and licensing requirements

Meal prep industry trends

Several factors are driving sharp growth in pre-made meal deliveries, including increased preference among millennials for homemade meals and greater familiarity with delivery and mobile apps among younger generations. In addition, it’s one of the few industries that was boosted by the pandemic, as nearly all restaurants were shut down, forcing people to eat at home with much greater frequency. Finally, people are more health-conscious today than ever before, and meal kit delivery caters to these consumers. 

Industry size and growth

• Industry size and past growth – The US meal kit delivery services market is worth around $7 billion(( https://www.statista.com/statistics/761621/meal-kit-delivery-service-market-value/ )), after growing 19% annually since 2017.
• Growth forecast – Meal kit delivery sales are expected to cross $10 billion in the US by 2024 and continue growing at least 17% annually through 2030 globally. (( https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/meal-kit-delivery-services-market )) 
• Number of businesses – There are nearly 600 meal kit delivery businesses in the US(( https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/meal-kit-delivery-services-industry/ ))
• Number of people employed – The industry employs more than 9,000 people.

Trends and challenges

These are the latest trends in the industry:

• Dining in has become more popular than dining out because of the pandemic.
• Cook and eat segment dominates the market because many millennials prefer gourmet-style home cooking. 
• Heat and eat segment is growing faster because of the convenience it offers.

Some of the challenges faced by meal prep operators are:

• High prices
• Shifting consumer preferences
• Adherence to food quality standards

Demand hotspots

• Most popular states – The best states for chefs are New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.(( https://www.zippia.com/chef-jobs/best-states/ ))
• Least popular states – The least popular states for chefs are Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin. 

What kind of people work in meal preparation?

The most important role in a meal prep business is the chef.

• Gender – Around 75% of chefs are male, while 25% are female.(( https://www.zippia.com/chef-jobs/demographics/#gender-statistics ))
• Average level of education – A chef normally studies culinary arts, business or hospitality management.(( https://www.zippia.com/chef-jobs/education/ ))
• Average age – Most chefs are over 30 years old.

How much does it cost to start a meal prep business?

Starting a home-based meal prep business can cost as little as $1,000, though it’s probably best to start your business in a commercial setting. For this, you’ll need to spend at least $8,000, and potentially as much as $30,000, to get your business off the ground.

A typical meal delivery startup will incur these costs:

How much can you earn from a meal prep business?

The average profit margin for a food delivery business is 15-35%. 

In your first year or two, you could have 20 clients who order two meals a day at $10 each for five days a week, bringing in more than $100,000 in annual revenue. This would mean $36,000 in profit, assuming that 35% margin. As your brand gains recognition, sales could climb to 100 meals a day and your operating hours are extended to six days a week. At this stage, you’d have to hire additional staff and move to a bigger commercial space, reducing your profit margin to around 15%. With annual revenue of $312,000, you’d make a tidy profit of $47,000.

What barriers to entry are there?

Like any business, there are challenges you’re likely to encounter when trying to venture into the meal prep business. These include:

• Onerous regulatory requirements
• Logistics and delivery tracking 
• Finding a central location is key 

Related Business Ideas

How to Start a Personal Chef Business

How to Start a Cooking Class Business

How to Start a Catering Business

Step 2: hone your idea.

With the basics out of the way, it’s time to drill down on meal prep delivery business specifics.

Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important, because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.

Why? Identify an opportunity

Meal delivery is a highly competitive industry, so you’ll want to do a competitive analysis to determine your competition’s strengths and weaknesses. Your direct competitors will be restaurants and food outlets that offer meal delivery services to their customers, as well as other meal prep businesses in the area. 

Examine their prices, their product offerings, their delivery timelines and subscription models, to get an idea of what’s out there. 

What? Determine your menu, products and services

Some viable meal preparation business models you can evaluate include on-demand delivery, goal-oriented meal delivery, and pre-cooked storable meal delivery. 

Under the on-demand delivery model, customers order food on an on-demand basis. The goal-oriented delivery model focuses on customers with dietary restrictions or healthier lifestyle goals through weekly or monthly delivery subscriptions. It involves prepping meals using handpicked ingredients as per the customer’s needs.

The pre-cooked storable meal delivery model involves preparing pre-cooked and frozen meals such as burritos, pizzas, and other dishes. 

You should consider creating a niche for yourself by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry.

This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing within your niche market.

How much should you charge for meal preparation?

You’ll want to have different pricing tiers based on the number of meals ordered. Research what your competitors are charging to help you determine your pricing structure. The standard price for meals in this market is:

• $11.5 per meal for an order of 4 meals per week
• $8.99 per meal for an order of 6 meals per week
• $8.99 per meal for an order of 9 meals per week
• $7.9 per meal for an order of 12 meals per week

To break even, you should charge between $10 and $12 for a single serving. Still, you can sell at a higher price depending on your niche and ingredients. 

Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.

Who? Identify your target market

The primary customers for a meal delivery business include students, busy professionals, young families, and remote workers. Depending on your business model, you may want to target consumers on special diets by focusing on meals with handpicked ingredients. 

Where? Choose your business premises

In the early stages, you may want to run your business from home to keep costs low. But as your business grows, you’ll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out a production facility. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist , Crexi , and Instant Offices .

When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:

• Central location accessible via public transport
• Ventilated and spacious, with good natural light
• Flexible lease that can be extended as your business grows
• Ready-to-use space with no major renovations or repairs needed

Ideally, you want a spot that allows you to deliver meals on time to as many customers as possible and maintain a high quality of meals on arrival.

Step 3: Brainstorm a Meal Prep Business Name

Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:

• Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
• Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better 
• The name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
• Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
• Including keywords, such as “foods” or “meals”, boosts SEO
• Choose a name that allows for expansion: “The Fresh Kitchen” over “Keto Kitchen”
• A location-based name can help establish a strong connection with your local community and help with the SEO but might hinder future expansion

Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these. 

Find a Domain

Powered by GoDaddy.com

Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that set your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.

Step 4: Create a Meal Prep Business Plan

Here are the key components of a business plan:

• Executive Summary: A concise summary of your meal prep business plan, highlighting its key points and objectives.
• Business Overview: An introduction to your meal prep business, including its name, location, and a brief description of what it does.
• Product and Services: Detailed information about the meals and services you offer, including menus, pricing, and delivery options.
• Market Analysis: An examination of the target market, its size, demographics, and trends that impact the meal prep industry.
• Competitive Analysis: An assessment of your competitors, their strengths and weaknesses, and how your business will differentiate itself.
• Sales and Marketing: Your strategies for promoting and selling your meal prep services, including marketing channels and sales tactics.
• Management Team: Information about the key individuals involved in running the business, their roles, and relevant experience.
• Operations Plan: Details on how your meal prep business will operate, including location, equipment, sourcing ingredients, and production processes.
• Financial Plan: Projections for your business’s financial performance, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow forecasts.
• Appendix: Supporting documents such as resumes, permits, licenses, and any additional information that enhances your meal prep business plan.

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.

Step 5: Register Your Business

Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.

Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business! 

Choose where to register your company

Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you are planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to meal preparation. 

If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state. 

Choose your business structure

Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your meal business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely. 

Here are the main options:

• Sole Proprietorship – The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
• General Partnership – Similar to a sole proprietorship, but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) – Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.
• C Corp – Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity and the owner or owners are not personally liable for its debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends, rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.
• S Corp – An S-Corporation refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. An S-Corp can be either a corporation or an LLC , which just needs to elect to be an S-Corp for tax status. In an S-Corp, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.

We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization , and answer any questions you might have.

Form Your LLC

Choose Your State

We recommend ZenBusiness as the Best LLC Service for 2024

Step 6: Register for Taxes

The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number , or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN. 

Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.

The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist , and taxes can be filed online.

It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you are completing them correctly.

Step 7: Fund your Business

Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:

• Bank loans : This is the most common method, but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and strong credit history.
• SBA-guaranteed loans : The Small Business Administration can act as guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan .
• Government grants : A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
• Venture capital : Offer potential investors an ownership stake in exchange for funds, keeping in mind that you would be sacrificing some control over your business.
• Friends and Family: Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
• Crowdfunding: Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer an increasingly popular low-risk option, in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like Fundable and WeFunder enable multiple investors to fund your business.
• Personal : Self-fund your business via your savings, the sale of property or other assets.

Bank and SBA loans are probably the best options, other than friends and family, for funding a meal preparation business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept.

Step 8: Apply for Meal Prep Business Licenses and Permits

Starting a meal prep business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.

Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits. 

You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more. 

You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package . They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.

This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.

If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.

Step 9: Open a Business Bank Account

Before you start making money you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account .

Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your meal prep business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.

Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account.

Step 10: Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.

Here are some types of insurance to consider:

• General liability : The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
• Business Property : Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
• Equipment Breakdown Insurance : Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
• Worker’s compensation : Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
• Property : Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
• Commercial auto : Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
• Professional liability : Protects against claims from a client who says they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
• Business owner’s policy (BOP) : This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of the above insurance types.

Step 11: Prepare to Launch

As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business. 

Essential software and tools

Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.  

You may want to use industry-specific software, such as Sprwt , KitchenFuel , and NutriBot to build your menu, manage your customers’ orders, and plan your logistics, among other things.

• Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks , Freshbooks , and Xero . 
• If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences for filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial.

Develop your website

Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.

You can create your own website using services like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace . This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.

They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google. 

Starting a meal prep business can be a rewarding venture, and adopting effective marketing strategies is key to its success. Here are some proven and effective marketing strategies tailored for your meal prep business:

• Social Media Marketing : Utilize platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Share high-quality images of your meals, customer testimonials, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your meal preparation process. Engage with your audience through regular posts and stories.
• Influencer Partnerships : Collaborate with local influencers who align with your brand values. They can help promote your service to a wider audience through social media posts or blog reviews.
• Email Marketing : Build an email list to send out newsletters, special offers, and new menu updates. Personalize your emails to make customers feel valued and keep them engaged with your brand.
• Referral Programs : Encourage word-of-mouth marketing by offering incentives to customers who refer friends. This could be discounts on future orders or small freebies.
• Local Partnerships : Partner with local businesses, gyms, or wellness centers to promote your meal prep service. You can offer exclusive discounts to their employees or members.
• Website and SEO : Create a blog on your website with content related to meal prep, nutrition, and healthy eating. This not only establishes your authority in the field but also improves your website’s search engine ranking.
• Customer Reviews and Testimonials : Showcase positive reviews and testimonials on your website and social media. Potential customers often rely on others’ experiences before making a purchase.
• Online Advertising : Invest in online advertising through Google Ads or social media platforms. Targeted ads can help reach potential customers who are searching for meal prep services.
• Subscription Model Promotion : Offer a subscription model for regular deliveries, which ensures a steady income stream. Promote the convenience and cost-effectiveness of this model.
• Loyalty Programs : Develop a loyalty program to reward repeat customers. This could involve points for every purchase, leading to discounts or free items.
• Flexible Meal Options : Offer a variety of meal options to cater to different dietary preferences and needs, such as gluten-free, vegan, or high-protein diets.
• Responsive Customer Service : Provide excellent customer service. A quick and helpful response to queries or complaints can turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal one.

Focus on USPs

Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that set it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your meal kits meet their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire. 

Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Some signature USPs for your meal prep business could be:

• Farm-to-table local ingredients 
• American comfort food/exotic foreign dishes
• Local gym membership free with long-term subscription

You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a meal prep business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in meal preparation for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections. 

The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in meal kits. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership. Online businesses might also consider affiliate marketing as a way to build relationships with potential partners and boost business.

Step 12: Build Your Team

If you’re starting out small from home, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a meal prep business would include:

• Kitchen Staff — cooking, cleaning
• General Manager — hiring, firing, inventory, etc
• Marketing Lead — SEO optimization, social media strategies

At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need. 

Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed , Glassdoor , or ZipRecruiter . Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent. 

Step 13: Run a Meal Prep Business – Start Making Money!

Operating a meal cooking service is relatively simple. It involves checking the orders customers have made on your website or through calls, prepping ingredients, cooking the dishes, and finally delivering the meals. The industry has already experienced exponential growth over the past five years due to the rise of online meal delivery and changing consumer preferences. This is an industry that is just starting to take off. 

You should now know what you need to do to start a meal prep business, and it’s time to go out and execute! But just to be safe, you may want to bookmark this guide and return when needed to be sure you stay on track for success. 

• Meal Prep Business FAQs

Even though pricing may vary, you should charge between $10 and $12 per serving. Of course, you can charge more depending on the type of meal. For example, organic or premium ingredients can fetch higher prices because the ingredients are more expensive.

Yes. It is. The business can generate higher profit margins than restaurants. With a profit margin of 15 to 35 percent, you can make a profit of $1,800 to $4,200, selling just 1,000 meal kits per month.

To give a perspective of what’s possible in this industry, HelloFresh, one of the biggest meal delivery companies in the United States, generates $2 billion in revenue per year while Cameron’s Seafood grosses $20 million annually .

To get customers for meal prep, utilize targeted marketing, offer referral programs, collaborate with local wellness centers or gyms, and emphasize the convenience of your services.

Meal prep food typically lasts for 3-4 days when stored properly in the refrigerator. Ensure proper storage conditions and thorough reheating before consuming.

Best foods for meal prep include lean proteins like chicken or tofu, whole grains such as brown rice or quinoa, vegetables like broccoli or spinach, fruits like berries or apples, and healthy fats such as avocado or nuts.

Differentiate your meal prep business by offering a diverse menu variety, catering to different dietary preferences and restrictions, using high-quality ingredients, focusing on customization and personalization, providing exceptional customer service, and highlighting unique features such as themed meal plans or specialized menus for specific health goals.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Decide if the Business Is Right for You
• Hone Your Idea
• Brainstorm a Meal Prep Business Name
• Create a Meal Prep Business Plan
• Register Your Business
• Register for Taxes
• Fund your Business
• Apply for Meal Prep Business Licenses and Permits
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get Business Insurance
• Prepare to Launch
• Build Your Team
• Run a Meal Prep Business - Start Making Money!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Featured resources.

14 Catering Business Ideas

Esther Strauss

Published on July 21, 2022

Everybody needs to eat, so demand for food — especially good food — will never go away. This helps explain why the food industrycontinue ...

46 Food Business Ideas

Natalie Fell

Published on June 30, 2022

People are always eating and drinking, so starting a food business is always a potentially wise career choice. But to succeed you’ll need astr ...

16 Food Truck Business Ideas

Published on June 8, 2022

Food trucks have exploded in popularity in recent years and offer a unique, potentially lucrative alternative to brick-and-mortar restaurants. Foodt ...

No thanks, I don't want to stay up to date on industry trends and news.

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How to Start a Meal Prep Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

As people around the globe became busier, our food became easier to obtain than ever before. Frozen meals and fast food reigned supreme. Quick. Delicious. Cheap. What’s not to love? But as the world has evolved, so has our nutritional knowledge. Now more than ever, people still want fast, tasty and affordable food. But they also want it to be healthy.

So if you have a passion for food and want to start your own business, you should consider starting a meal prep business.

How to start a meal prep company in 7 simple steps

Learning how to start a meal prep business can be a lot of work, but it can also be a very rewarding experience. Bringing delicious and healthy food into the homes of your customers is something to be proud of. Before you fire up the stove, you might want to consider following these seven steps that will teach you how to legally start a meal prep company. That way you’ll have all of your logistical ducks in a row and put yourself onto the right path toward success.

1. Choose a niche

You have options for what type of meal prep business you want to start and it’s best to choose a niche early on so you can perfect your products and services. There are a few popular formats worth considering, but of course, you can always branch out and create a meal prep business that’s completely unique to you.

One popular option is uncooked, yet prepared meal ingredients — think HelloFresh or Blue Apron. These meal-making kits generally consist of a delivery of all the ingredients required for a recipe — in the exact right portions — with easy-to-follow cooking instructions provided. These types of meal kits are fun for foodies who like to try new recipes or for busy singles who struggle to make meals without having tons of leftovers go to waste.

Another option for a meal prep business is to offer pre-made and fresh meals. You can do all the cooking yourself and deliver a week’s worth of salads, soups and other tasty meals right to your customers’ doors. You do the cooking, and all they have to do is heat up their tasty food.

A third option would be to host meal prep workshops. You’ll provide and prepare the ingredients for a tasty recipe, as well as the workspace to cook the meals. Your customers will cook their recipes onsite and take their meals home.

2. Write a business plan

A well-thought-out business plan can help your business stay on the path toward success. Your plan will organize your research, pinpoint your demand within the market, outline your plans for growth, and show your value to any potential investors or lenders. If you’re not sure where to start, a business plan template can make the task that much easier.

Choose a business name

When you are writing your business plan, you should also decide what to call your business. A good business name can be a game-changer, but only if it’s still available. You’ll want to double-check that your desired name isn’t already taken by consulting your secretary of state’s website. Generally, doing a simple Google and trademark search will also give you an idea of name availability. If your name is available, you might want to act quickly and scoop up your domain name and social media handles before someone else does.

Choose a business entity

When writing your business plan, you will need to outline the legal structure of your business. If you haven’t chosen a business entity yet, now is the time to start researching which type is right for you. For some, that may be a sole proprietorship or general partnership. For others, it could be a limited liability company or a corporation.

If you’re unsure which direction you want to head in, consider consulting a business attorney or tax expert about what entity they believe is best. This step may cost a little extra cash but can save you money fixing mistakes later if you find you chose the wrong entity. After you’ve decided upon a business entity, you should register your meal prep business with the required federal and state agencies.

Identify your products and services

When you defined your niche earlier, you probably had a good idea of what types of products and services you want your meal prep business to provide. To dig a bit deeper into this topic, ask yourself a few simple (but important) questions:

What type of goods or services will you sell?

How much will you charge for them?

What will the supplies cost?

What will the production process cost?

How much time and money will be required to research and develop your products?

Take your time during this process; your completed business plan will act as a road map that can guide you when times are tough.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

3. Get the proper licenses, permits and insurance

While this step may not be the most exciting, it is crucial. It’s time to make sure you have all the proper licenses, permits and forms of insurance required to run your business. Your location, business type and business structure will affect what you need to register for. You should make sure you obtain the proper business licenses at the state, federal and local level. If you need help unraveling this process, the SBA offers helpful resources to get started.

You should also check with your local chamber of commerce to see if they have any business requirements you must meet. And because you’re handling and distributing food, expect there to be a significant amount of hoops to jump through. Some of the licenses and permits you may encounter while starting a meal prep business can include a sales privilege license, food handler's license, catering license, health department permits, or zoning permits.

If you’re planning on hiring employees, you’ll also need an employer identification number. This is required for tax purposes, but there are additional benefits of getting an EIN you should consider. You should also research what types of business insurance you will need. If you do choose to hire employees, you may need unemployment, workers compensation, or disability insurance. Beyond those policies, you’ll want to make sure you’re covered in the worst-case scenario that someone gets sick from your food. Consulting with a business lawyer may be the easiest way to help ensure you have your insurance needs covered.

4. Decide how to sell your meals

As mentioned before, you have options regarding what type of meal prep business you can start. That means you can also take control of how you sell your meals. You may have dreams of a nationwide empire that ships meals straight to hungry homes. But if having multiple commercial kitchens and fulfillment centers to manage isn’t for you, you might want to have a local storefront where customers pick up meals. You could even sell meal kits at your local farmers market each weekend. If you want to save on a storefront and start a meal prep business from home, you can also build a great e-commerce website to sell your goods online.

5. Obtain small-business funding

Starting any type of business can be expensive, but especially so when you need a lot of supplies. In order to build and grow a meal prep business, you’ll likely need some small-business funding . We’ve outlined a few popular options for funding, but remember to trust your gut and choose what’s best for you and your business.

Business lines of credit : A benefit of this type of funding is that it offers more flexibility than your typical business loan. A business line of credit provides a set amount of money that you can draw from when you have business expenses to cover.

Business credit cards: If you’re a startup business owner who doesn’t have a strong credit history or hasn’t been in business long, then a business credit card may be the right fit for you. Look for one with a 0% intro APR and take advantage of borrowing interest-free money during the promotional period. Just make sure you can pay off your card in full before a variable APR sets in at the end of the promotional period.

Equipment financing: If you’re processing food and cooking meals in bulk, you may need industrial kitchen equipment. In that case, you should consider equipment financing . A lender will loan you money specifically to fund equipment purchases and will then use that equipment as your collateral. Because of this built-in collateral, it’s generally easier for newer businesses to qualify.

Startup funding: If your business is a brand-new startup, consider your startup financing options like an SBA microloan or a business grant .

No matter how much funding you have, you’ll want to keep your business and personal finances as separate as possible. One way to keep your business income, funding and expenses separate from personal ones is by opening a business bank account . You’ll have two options to choose from. A business savings account or a business checking account. Newer businesses may prefer a business checking account for ease of access. More established businesses with extra cash on hand will want to take advantage of a business savings account to help their money grow with interest.

Start Your Dream Business

6. Find and manage your supplies

Starting a meal prep business will require a lot of supplies. If all goes well, you will need a constant influx of fresh food, packaging and shipping materials. Because your business will be so dependent on having the right ingredients around, you’ll need to find a way to keep your costs down. Buying your food in bulk from a wholesale supplier is a smart way to save on your supplies. Before you order anything, you should figure out how much inventory you'll need on hand. Overstocking shipping supplies might not be a big deal, but if you buy more food ingredients than you can sell, you may run into trouble when it starts to go bad.

After you’ve ordered your supplies (or ideally beforehand if you really want to be on top of things) you might want to consider using a handy inventory management app to keep track of your incoming and outgoing supplies. That way, you’re never without the ingredients that make your dishes shine.

7. Create a marketing plan

You’ve settled on what you want to name your business and what type of brand you want to build, now you need to get your hard work in front of people’s eyes. That’s right, you need to create a marketing plan. When you’re building your marketing plan, you’ll want to consider how you can best prove the value of your meal prep offerings. Will your products help families save money? How about saving precious time during the busy work week? Do children love your vegetable dishes? Try to capitalize on what makes your meals so irresistible. This is called your unique selling proposition, or USP. You’ll use your USP as the foundation of your promotional efforts.

On a similar note...

Meal Prep Business Plan Sample PDF Example | Free Download Presented by BizMove

Watch This Video Before Starting Your Meal Prep Business Plan PDF!

Checklist for Starting a Meal Prep Business: Essential Ingredients for Success

If you are thinking about going into business, it is imperative that you watch this video first! it will take you by the hand and walk you through each and every phase of starting a business. It features all the essential aspects you must consider BEFORE you start a Meal Prep business. This will allow you to predict problems before they happen and keep you from losing your shirt on dog business ideas. Ignore it at your own peril!

For more insightful videos visit our Small Business and Management Skills YouTube Chanel .

Here’s Your Free Meal Prep Business Plan DOC

Free book for you: how to start a business from scratch (pdf).

Copy the following link to your browser and save the file to your PC:

https://www.bizmove.com/free-pdf-download/how-to-start-a-business.pdf

A Glass Of Milk

A young poor boy who was begging from door to door to feed his hungry stomach, decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he just asked for a glass of water, the woman thought he looked hungry, so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked "how much do I owe you?."

"You don't owe me anything, she replied. Mother has taught us never to accept pay for kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart".

Years later, that young woman became critically ill, the local doctors were battling because they couldn't cure her, they finally sent her to the big city, where they called specialists to study her rare illness.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation, when he heard the name of the town where she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. He recognized her at once.

He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to that case. After a long struggle, the battle was won! Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the bill. It was sent to her room, the woman feared opening it, for she was sure it might take the rest of her life to pay for it all.

Finally she looked, and noticed something was written at the edge of the note, 'paid in full with a glass of milk'. Tears filled her eyes as she immediately remembered...

Every form of kindness you show doesn't bounce, it reproduces itself. Not necessarily before your eyes, but it always does. It is good to be good. Always be nice for it always comes back to you.

Post-it Notes

The 3M Company used to encourages creativity from its employees. The company allowed its researchers to spend 15 percent of their time on any project that interests them. This attitude has brought fantastic benefits not only to the employees but to the 3M Company itself. Many times, a spark of an idea turned into a successful product that has boosted 3M's profits tremendously.

Some years ago, a scientist in 3M's commercial office took advantage of this 15 percent creative time. This scientist, Art Fry, came up with an idea for one of 3M's best-selling products. It seems that Art Fry dealt with a small irritation every Sunday as he sang in the church choir. After marking his pages in the hymnal with small bits of paper, the small pieces would invariably fall out all over the floor.

Suddenly, an idea struck Fry. He remembered an adhesive developed by a colleague that everyone thought was a failure because it did not stick very well. "I coated the adhesive on a paper sample," Fry recalls, "and I found that it was not only a good bookmark, but it was great for writing notes. It will stay in place as long as you want it to, and then you can remove it without damage."

Yes, Art Fry hit the jackpot. The resulting product was called Post-it! and has become one of 3M's most successful office products.

"I Can Make It Happen"

History abounds with tales of experts who were convinced that the ideas, plans, and projects of others could never be achieved. However, accomplishment came to those who said, "I can make it happen."

The Italian sculptor Agostino d'Antonio worked diligently on a large piece of marble. Unable to produce his desired masterpiece, he lamented, "I can do nothing with it." Other sculptors also worked this difficult piece of marble, but to no avail. Michelangelo discovered the stone and visualized the possibilities in it. His "I-can-make-it-happen" attitude resulted in one of the world's masterpieces - David.

The experts of Spain concluded that Columbus's plans to discover a new and shorter route to India was virtually impossible. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand ignored the report of the experts. "I can make it happen," Columbus persisted. And he did. Most people at that time "knew" the world was flat, but not Columbus. The Nina, the Pinta, the Santa Maria, along with Columbus and his small band of followers, sailed to "impossible" new lands and thriving resources.

Even the great Thomas Alva Edison discouraged his friend, Henry Ford, from pursuing his fledgling idea of a motorcar. Convinced of the worthlessness of the idea, Edison invited Ford to come and work for him. Ford remained committed and tirelessly pursued his dream. Although his first attempt resulted in a vehicle without reverse gear, Henry Ford knew he could make it happen. And, of course, he did.

Let's not forget our friends Orville and Wilbur Wright. Journalists, friends, armed forces specialists, and even their father laughed at the idea of an airplane. "What a silly and insane way to spend money. Leave flying to the birds," they jeered. "Sorry," the Wright brothers responded. "We have a dream, and we can make it happen." As a result, a place called Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, became the setting for the launching of their "ridiculous" idea.

Finally, as you read these accounts under the magnificent lighting of your environment, consider the plight of Benjamin Franklin. He was admonished to stop the foolish experimenting with lighting. What an absurdity and waste of time! Why, nothing could outdo the fabulous oil lamp. Thank goodness Franklin knew he could make it happen.

You too can make it happen!

Manage a Business successfully, handle a company, is the key to the establishment and growth of the business. The key to successful management is to inspect the market environment and create employment and profit opportunities that give the possible growth and fiscal viability of the business. Regardless of the Significance of direction, this area is often misunderstood and poorly executed, primarily because people focus on the output in place of the process of management. Toward the end Of the 1980s, company managers became absorbed in improving product quality, occasionally ignoring their function vis-a-vis personnel. The focus was on reducing costs and raising output, while ignoring the long-term benefits of motivating employees. This shortsighted perspective tended to increase profits in the brief term, but made a dysfunctional long-term business environment. Simultaneously With the increase in concern about quality, entrepreneurship brought the attention of company. A sudden wave of successful entrepreneurs appeared to leave earlier direction concepts obsolete. The popular press centered on the new cult heroes Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack (creators and developers of the Apple Computer) while disregarding the marketing and organizing talents of Mike Markula, the executive responsible for Apple's business plan. The story of two guys selling their Volkswagen bus to build the first Apple computer was more romantic than that of their organizational genius that enabled Apple to develop, market and send its goods while rapidly becoming a significant corporation. In big Companies, effective manage business skills necessitates planning. Planning is vital for creating a company's potential. However, many small businesses do not recognize the need for long-range plans, because the few of individuals involved in managing the business suggests equal responsibility in the planning and decision-making processes. Nonetheless, the need for preparation is as important in a small business because it is in a large one. This guide Focuses on the value of good management practices. Specifically, it addresses the obligations of handling the internal and external environments. Running A Business Effectively: The External Environment. Five years ago, Alvin Toffler indicated the vision of the taxpayer at the tight grip of an omnipotent bureaucracy would be substituted through an organizational arrangement of ad-hocracy. The traditional company organization implied a social contract between workers and employers. By adhering to some predetermined set of duties and sharply defined roles and responsibilities, workers received a predefined set of rewards.The Organizational structure that Toffler called in 1970 became the standard 20 years later, and with it arrived altered concepts of jurisdiction. As associations became transitory, the authority of their organization and firm has been replaced by the jurisdiction of the individual manager. This entrepreneurial management version is currently being replicated throughout society. Consequently, the individual small business operator must internalize ever increasing organizational functions. Another Shift In today's business environment is dealing with government agencies. Their effect on the conduct of business most recently appears to have increased. As industries fail to achieve high levels of ethical behaviour or individual businesses exhibit specific lapses, the government rushes in to fill the breach with its regulations. Effective Communications play an integral part in operating and managing any thriving small business. With open communications modifications and their effects on the business are rapidly shared. Your company then has the time and skills required to react to changes and take advantage of evolving opportunities. The next Checklist addressing how you'd respond to an employee's proposal provides an evaluation of the communication process in your company. Put a check beside the statements that are generally heard in your business. Balancing Schedules Stress and Personnel. With no organization and good management the compressed time schedules related to contemporary business can lead to stress and make exceptional demands on individuals. An effective management structure can reduce stress and station the effective capacity of employees into business growth and profits. Setting Duties Tasks and Duties. An organization is distinguished by the nature and determination of employees' responsibilities tasks and responsibilities. While many organizations use various methods for discovering these it is essential that they be clearly defined. The core of any Business is its people and their own functions. Duties responsibilities and tasks frequently evolve in an ad hoc manner. A typical firm starts with a couple of individuals frequently one performing all duties. As the company develops others have been hired to fulfill specific roles often on a practical basis. Roles that were managed by consultants and experts beyond the firm now are handled internally. As new demands emerge new roles are developed. Another key to Successful management is located in controlling battle. Conflict cannot be eliminated from either the business or the interpersonal actions of the enterprise. A measure of the business's success is that the degree to which conflict can be exposed and the energies related to it channeled to build up the company. Although establishing policies and processes represents the tangible component of management and organization the mechanisms to endure and embody barriers to the established performance function as the actual essence of a firm which will survive and thrive. Even though you May discover that certain events are affecting your company be careful not to change the organizational structure of your company without discussing it with your management team. Employees normally can accomplish goals despite organizational structures enforced by management. Because restructuring entails spending a great deal of time learning new rules implementing a new organizational structure is pricey. The character of A successful organization can be more simply summarized than implemented. The Following checklist can help you determine measures to make sure your direction Structure is adequate. Verify the entries that apply to your firm and also find Out what steps your company should take to enhance its management Structure.

machine-shop maid-service mailbox makeup-artist makeup-studio manpower-agency marketing-consultant mary-kay masonry massage meal-prep mechanic medical-billing medicine-wholesale men-clothing merchandise metal-fabrication microfinance microfinance microgreens milk-dairy million-dollar mineral-water mink-lash mobile-app mobile-car-wash mobile-mechanic momos money-transfer mortgage-broker moving mug-printing mushroom music-studio mystery-box nail-art office-space-rental oil-change oil-mill oil-refinery online-retail optical organic-farming outsourcing owner-operator-trucking paintball-field paper-bag-making parking-lot

Copyright © by Bizmove.com. All rights reserved.

• Back of House Tools
• Customer Experience
• Email Marketing
• Integrations
• Restaurants

Understanding the Different Meal Prep Business Models

• May 30, 2022 May 30, 2022
• Business Advice

Because everyone needs food, the food sector is a thriving industry. However, it has been altered dramatically due to human and technological progress. Aside from classic food companies like fast-food chains, steakhouses, and restaurants, there is a new food-selling business model called the meal prep business.

Meal prep businesses were created to supply people with nutritious and healthy meals. This industry was brought about by the increasing number of individuals worrying about their diet or what they eat, paired with the growing demand for at-home meal delivery during the pandemic..

We live in a fast-paced world where we may not have the time to conceptualize and cook healthy, filling meals. This is an excellent chance for entrepreneurs to launch their brand, producing healthy meals on the go. However, given the competition in meal-prepping brands now, businesses must have consumer intelligence and be able to evaluate both the macro and microenvironment.

If you are thinking of starting a meal prep business, this article will run you through how you can plan for success.

Understanding Meal Prep Businesses

Meal prep businesses are thriving businesses. They cater to people who are always on the go, don’t have time to cook from scratch and are trying to look after themselves. They focus on individuals who require convenient, nutritious and healthy meals.

Meal prep businesses offer consumers healthy and nutritious meals that can quickly be heated in the microwave. Bodybuilder diets, vegetarian diets, and any other dietary combinations that best suit your health are all possible.

The Different Meal Prep Business Models

When we say meal prep, it can be a rather vague term. It can range from delivering fresh ingredients and requiring the consumer to cook it all from scratch. Meal prep also refers to the pre-cooked meals delivered to your home or office.

Here are the different types of meal prep businesses you can start with:

1 – Pre-Prepared Meals

For those who don’t enjoy waiting for new meals every day, this sort of meal planning is ideal. 

Customers can select from a wide range of menu options and customize their meal plan based on cuisine preferences with the ability to pause or cancel each week.

The benefit of this service is that customers may eat whenever they want throughout the day without waiting for delivery. This way, food is always available at their residence and they don’t have to pay 30% fees to UberEats every time they want food delivered

2 – Meal Kits

People who want to personalize their meals and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen will be drawn to an online meal kit delivery business model.

In this strategy, all meals are sized to meet the clients’ needs who will be eating them. Customers will be able to make their own selections about what to eat and how many meals they want when the menu is made public. This menu includes nutritional information, especially for people looking out for their diet. 

Each customer receives just the correct amount of fresh ingredients, and the recipes they need are all delivered straight to their house by the service provider. This minimizes time at the grocery and preparation for the meal.

3 – Goal-based Meal Plans

People are increasingly concerned about their health and recognize links between food and physical health. This causes niches in the meal prep industry, which mainly offer meals beneficial for health or fit specific health problems.

Some of these focus on diabetic meals, meals for the elderly, meals for people with high blood pressure, etc. Others are diet-focused, cooking meals that are keto, vegan or centered around full diet programs like Whole30.

The purpose of these meal plans is to put your food health into the hands of a professional chef to help you reach a certain weight goal.

With more people concerned about their health and not having the time to prepare healthy meals, the demand for meal-prepping businesses increases. You can start your own meal prepping business with the proper research into consumer demand and meal prep strategies.

You can also look into meal prep ordering software that can help you reach your audience and organize your orders.

Are you looking for meal prep software in Canada ? KitchenFuel is your all-in-one meal prep software to help you grow your business. Book a demo today!

Share with other foodies: