Career in Catering

With the world returning back to normalcy festivities and celebrations have once again come to the fore. The most important prerequisite for any celebration is food. This makes it mandatory for the event organiser to take the services of a caterer. The demand for caterers, with the increasing number of celebrations taking place, is growing. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% by 2024. The profit margin is believed to be about 35%-40%. The annual turnover of this business and the profit margin is tempting not only enterprising entrepreneurs but also several emerging hospitality graduates to venture into this business instead of serving in Hotels or F&B outlets. But a word of caution for these aspiring entrepreneurs: Catering is not just about food. One has to take several other aspects into consideration. Ashok Malkani takes a look at some of them and how one can make a successful career in catering.

- Ashok Malkani

The festive season has started. This is the time when events galore take place. Starting from Onam (new year for Malayali people of Kerala), in August, to Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dusshera, Durga Puja and Diwali, followed by Christmas and New Year, there are festivities galore that are still pending during the year.

And festival time is the time to party! But festivals are not the only time for Indians to have a party and celebrate. They are ready to party for all occasions, be it birthday, engagement, wedding, baby showers, anniversary. They are ready to celebrate all occasions which make them happy.

Besides these, there are also corporate events. Food & beverages are extremely necessary requisites for these occasions. To satisfy these needs one needs a caterer. Yes, in a country like India which embraces diversity there are no limits for catering business. The country is a land of joyous celebrations where every festival has the prerequisite of serving delicious fare to the guests. This has immense potential for growth of catering business.

The profit margin of a catering business depends on a number of factors - not least among them is where your business is based. Catering can be a lucrative business not only for individuals but also for F&B outlets. It helps the restaurateur to reach new customers and supplement dining room sales.

It is estimated that the catering service market is worth Rs. 15000-20000 crores. This is attributed to the increased disposable income of the people as well as the rise in the number of celebratory occasions. According to Motilal Oswal Financial Services, the Indian food service industry is expected to flourish by 9 per cent during the fiscal years 20202025.