India is one of the most popular countries which is best known for its different range of cuisines. There is always a different taste of food in every part of the country. Recently, the home delivery food business has been rising.
Telephone delivery first adopted this culture where people needed to place orders with the restaurants nearby. As it was very difficult to provide instant delivery and quite expensive, only a few posh restaurants provided this service.
After that food startups like Zomato and Swiggy came in and changed the food delivery game completely. People are now changing their preferences toward online shopping and food ordering.
So, if you are a seller who does not have any idea about food tech startups or are just trying out your hands in the food tech business, you need to first understand how to start a home delivery food business. Here are key steps that you need to follow to start your home delivery food business:
Decide a Niche
Before starting your food home delivery business you need to first decide on a proper niche for your business. You will find a lot of e-commerce businesses that are playing a race for delivering food. So, how will you stand out from the crowd? You may do so by concentrating on particular types of food in which you specialize. As of now, people are very concerned about their safety and hygiene. So, you may start to sell ready-to-cook kits for individuals who want to taste various cuisines but are not able to do so.
Portray Your Target Audience
You need to always deliver freshness and quality food. You have to therefore determine the area in which you want to deliver your food including your target audience. You will get two benefits from this. First, you will be able to concentrate fully on making quality dishes and improve your menu according to your audience. Secondly, you may have a continuous growth rate.
If you are planning to deliver your food far off, you will surely face different problems like quality of food, fresh delivery, late deliveries, etc.
That is why it is recommended to go for hyperlocal delivery for delivering perishable items like food products that are called and served hot. You may categorize your audiences as newly married couples, dwelling in paying guest houses, senior citizens, cooperative employees, etc.
Develop a Website
You just use the technology to deliver better. If you depend on old techniques like picking orders by a cell phone or telephone delivery you will be left behind. You must have a website where you will be able to list products attractively so that your customers can easily place their orders within a few clicks by browsing through the website. It will enable you to develop your business and become successful quickly.
Nowadays everything has become digital. People now do not want to waste their time making phone calls. So, you need to include some important things in your website like descriptions, images, search options, location finders, etc. to make the process quick and easy for your target customers. You need to also add an option for account creation that will allow the users to save details like their previous orders, their addresses, etc.
Create a Mobile App
Creating a mobile app is one of the most important steps you must follow for starting your food home delivery business. Find the right food delivery app development company. With the help of a mobile application, you will be able to get direct access to the mobile phones of your customers. This offers a higher conversion rate and enables you to publicize your brand more directly. You need to incorporate some important features in the mobile app like account creation, tracking, product descriptions, and how-to recipes to offer your customers a profound and convenient user experience.
Robust Delivery Network
A robust delivery network is very important to offer a service efficiently. As it is the responsibility of the delivery partner you need to choose someone reliable and responsible. You may tie up with hyperlocal delivery partners. They have already taken training for hyperlocal deliveries. So, you do not need to spend a single penny to get them trained.
Acquire Licenses
The most essential step you need to take to start your food home delivery business is to get all the required licenses and FSSAI licenses to ensure the safety and quality of food products. The other important licenses are health trade license, shop act license, GST registration, trademark registration, etc. All of these are required for running your business successfully. If you do not do so, you may face legal problems. You may apply online through the FSSAI website or contact the Municipal Corporation of your city to get all these.
Publicize Your Website
Finally, you need to invest your money to market your business. Just like quality services, products, and user-friendly online experience, marketing is also very significant and will make your customers aware of your store and buy from it. You may set up your Google My Business listing for starters. You may also start blogging on your website or publicize your store through paid ads on social media.
Conclusion
People are now moving their focus on home-made food. So, the food home delivery business is going to boom in the upcoming days. By following a few simple steps only you can make your home delivery food business a successful one.
FAQs
How much does it cost to begin a food delivery business?
To start an online food home delivery business you need to invest nearly 4 – 7 lakhs.Is online food home delivery business profitable?
Yes. Online food home delivery business is a profitable business idea in India, especially since the pandemic. Online ordering and demand for the same have increased by over 50% since 2020 and it has become important for every entrepreneur, restaurant, and brand to have a strong online presence.How does online food delivery work?
Your customers can place their orders via your website, food delivery apps (Zomato, Swiggy, etc.), or use your restaurant’s Facebook page. The order is instantly notified on your phone, tablet, or business laptop you’re using.Is the Shop Act License required for starting an online food business?
No matter what your business is, getting a Shop Act License is a must. You must apply for the license within 30 days from the day you start selling your products online.