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FINAL OUTPUT in ENTREPRENEURSHIP "BUSINESS PLAN" Of ALBERJ'S EATS-TIME RESTAURANT XII-CAPARAS (HUMSS

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How to Write a Food Business Plan

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How to Write a Successful Food Business Plan

Plan ahead and prepare a lot. Here's everything you need to know before you get your food business up and running.

Starting a food business is not as easy as most people think. It’s not just cooking a dish, pricing it randomly, and putting out an ad for it. It requires intense research and thorough planning. You’ll need to craft a strategy to study your market, cater to their needs, and sustain your operations for the long run. Investing your hard-earned assets in any enterprise will involve blood, sweat, tears, and smarts. Your first step? Write a food business plan.

If you're an aspiring restaurateur, one of the biggest challenges you will face is figuring out how and where to begin. The thought of taking the plunge into the unfamiliar territory of entrepreneurship will seem daunting. But with enough planning and preparation, you can get your business up and running – and reap all its rewards immediately!

Many aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs suffer in their first few years of business because they simply didn’t prepare enough. Do you think a champion basketball team played their first game without a plan? Surely, their coach studied their competitor, plotted a winning strategy, and trained the team for weeks. You should apply this same hard work and dedication when building your food venture.

To minimize your risk of failure, crafting a solid food business plan is the first step you should take. Setting clear goals and knowing how to achieve them will already make up half the work! Remember to set SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely), so you’ll know which aspects of your business require your immediate attention. Another pro tip is to understand the local landscape through research. Study the latest trends, identify your priorities, and start writing that first draft!

Here are five things you need to include in your business plan for any food product:

1. Executive summary

In this first section, plot out basic information about your business. Write it concisely to give whoever will read your plan a good grasp of your strategy. It might help to craft this part last or after you’ve written all the other essential details.

Your executive summary should include the following:

• Company overview – What is the general idea of the business you want to start?
• Current market conditions – What is the context of the category you want to enter?
• Type of cuisine – What food are you planning to serve? Are you sticking to one type of cuisine or mixing it up?
• Type of Service – How will you serve your customers? Will it be purely delivery, dine-in, or a hybrid?

Example of an executive summary for a food business

UFS Chicken Dinner is an online food business that aims to sell glazed chicken with the right amount of crunch and flavor in every bite. The mission of this business is to provide delicious food to hungry customers around Bonifacio Global City and other nearby locations in a fast and convenient way. Orders will be available for pick-up and delivery.

2. Market and customer analysis

The success of any food business relies on the customers who patronize their food. Make sure you  identify your target market  in your business plan. This way, you can also determine how to capture your desired audience with appropriate menu items and specific price points.

Make sure to answer these questions during planning:

• Identify your market – Who are your customers and what are their preferences? How much are they willing to spend on food? Where are they located?
• Check the competition – What are similar food businesses doing? How can you set yourself apart?
• Trend forecast – What types of food are gaining popularity? What are customers looking for or might be interested to discover?

Example of a market and customer analysis

The Hallyu wave caused the local demand for Korean friend chicken to increase, especially among the primary market of millennials and gen-z crowds. Secondary markets include baby boomers and gen x as they are also getting into Korean culture. They like enjoying chicken while binge-watching alone or having get-togethers with friends.

Several businesses already offer fried chicken coated in different Asian-style sauces. UFS Chicken Dinner stands out from the competition by providing customers with crispy meat and more experimental sauces and dips. The market also prefers ordering online instead of dining in because it promises instant gratification without leaving the house.

3. Menu development

Now that you've identified your customers, it's time to craft a stellar menu that would tickle their fancy. Besides coming up with recipes, it’s also crucial to compute food costs to ensure profitability and competitive price points.

Keep your menu fresh and dynamic by rotating your dishes frequently. Also, craft recipes around seasonal or trending ingredients. But make sure every menu item you put out stays true to your unique business concept.

Consider these preferences of each diner demographic when drafting the business plan for your food business.

Millennials and gen z

• Foreign and fusion dishes
• Experimental recipes
• Exotic eats
• Intense flavors

Baby boomers and gen x

• Classic favorites
• Heritage dishes
• Local specialties
• Homestyle cooking

Big groups and families

• Trays and platters
• Crowd favorites
• Comfort food

4. Management and operations

With your menu in place, it’s time to determine how to get your show on the road. Figuring out the personnel you’ll need is crucial in actualizing the plans you set. Plus, finalizing your investment costs will help identify the kind of equipment and the operational spaces you’ll need.

Answer these questions when writing this part of your food business plan:

• Operations management – Who will run the day-to-day operations of the food business? This includes managing inventory and the influx of orders and inquiries.
• Kitchen management – Who will cook your recipes? How many people do you need to fulfill all orders?
• Marketing management – Who will oversee promoting your business on social media, handling partnerships, and creating promos to entice customers?
• Operational expenses – How much are you willing to spend each month to cover salaries, utility bills, production expenses, and marketing initiatives?

Sample business plan for food industry management and operations

UFS Chicken Dinner will operate daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It will have one general manager (with a gross monthly salary of P25,000.00) to handle business operations and marketing. In the kitchen, it needs two cooks (with a gross monthly salary of P15,000.00 each) and one assistant (with a gross monthly salary of P8,000.00) to pack dishes for delivery.

An annex section of the Salaman residence in Novaliches, Quezon City will serve as the operations headquarters. As such, the site will be rent-free. Utility bills will cost P10,000.00 per month, including electricity, water, and internet. A monthly marketing budget of P4,500 is for boosting and promotions.

5. Sales and marketing strategy

Planning marketing initiatives is vital in getting customers to notice your brand. As a new player in the market, you need to catch your audience’s attention at the right time and on the right platform.

Make sure you have all these items in your business plan for any food product:

• Mouthwatering food styling, photography, and videography
• A unique selling proposition 
• Social media platforms
• Ads and promos

Sample sales and marketing strategy

UFS Chicken Dinner will connect with customers by posting three times a week on Facebook and Instagram. Content will include information about the dishes, reviews from customers, and promos. A boosting and promo budget of P4,500 is needed monthly.

What Makes a Good Food Business Plan?

A well-written plan fulfills business needs for the long haul. It doesn't have to be grand, but it should be feasible and specific to the goals you want to achieve. Chef Ken's tip: If you want to venture into food, you should be 100% committed. It’s a very challenging channel, and starting is always the most demanding.

Be patient, keep going despite the difficulties, adapt fast, and listen and learn from fellow entrepreneurs. Most of all, stick to your concept and core – exactly why you need to start your venture by writing a food business plan.

Learn more about food business with our related articles!

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Ultimate Business Plan Guide in Creating a Winning Strategy 

Disclosure: Small Business Philippines strives to provide relevant and accurate information in all its articles. However, some information in our articles may differ or might be outdated from what you can see or read directly from the establishments’ or businesses’ websites. Please get in touch with us directly for any discrepancies.

A business plan is a strategic document that outlines your business idea, goals, target audience, competition, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational plans. It serves as a comprehensive guide that not only helps you organize your thoughts but also convinces potential investors, partners, and stakeholders of your business’s viability.

2. Attracting Investors

3. decision-making, 4. resource allocation, 5. goal tracking, when to create a business plan, step 1: executive summary, step 2: company description, step 3: market analysis, step 4: products and services, step 5: marketing and sales strategies, step 6: organization and management, step 7: financial projections, step 8: funding request, step 9: operational plan, step 10: appendices, 1. research thoroughly, 2. be realistic, 3. know your audience, 4. update regularly, 5. be concise, key takeaways, why is a business plan essential.

A well-crafted business plan offers numerous benefits:

It helps you clearly define your business goals and the strategies to achieve them, providing you with a focused direction.

Investors are more likely to support a business with a solid plan, showcasing your commitment and potential returns.

A business plan helps you make informed decisions by analyzing potential risks and rewards.

Efficiently allocate your resources – both financial and human – to achieve your business objectives.

Measure your progress against the initial goals and make necessary adjustments for success.

The ideal time to create a business plan is before you launch your venture . However, it’s never too late to create or update your plan, especially when you’re looking to expand, secure funding, or navigate significant changes in your business.

Where to Begin: Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Business Plan

Summarize your business idea , goals, target market, competition, and financial projections briefly. This section provides a snapshot of your entire plan.

Describe your company’s mission, vision, values, and unique value proposition that sets you apart in the market.

Research your target market, industry trends, and competition. Understand your customers’ needs, preferences, and behaviors.

Detail your offerings, explaining how they fulfill your customers’ needs. Highlight their features, benefits, and competitive advantages.

Outline how you’ll promote your products/services, attract customers, and convert leads into sales. Discuss pricing, distribution, and promotional tactics.

Introduce your team and their roles, highlighting their expertise and contributions to the business’s success .

Present detailed financial forecasts, including income statements, cash flow projections, and balance sheets. Be realistic and supported by thorough market research.

If you’re seeking funding, clearly state how much you need, how you’ll use the funds, and the potential returns for investors.

Describe your day-to-day operations, production process, and supply chain management. Address any potential operational challenges and how you’ll overcome them.

Include additional information such as market research data, legal documents, patents, licenses, and any other relevant materials.

Tips for Creating an Effective Business Plan

Ensure your plan is backed by solid market research and accurate data.

Set achievable goals and projections. Overly optimistic forecasts can damage your credibility.

Tailor your plan to your target audience, whether it’s investors, lenders, or partners.

Your business environment evolves. Regularly review and update your plan to stay relevant.

While thoroughness is important, avoid unnecessary jargon and keep your plan concise and easy to understand.

Crafting a business plan is an essential step in launching or growing a business in the dynamic Philippines market of 2023. A well-structured plan offers clarity, attracts investors, aids decision-making, guides resource allocation, and helps you track goals. By following our step-by-step guide and incorporating expert tips, you’re setting your business on a path toward success. Remember, a well-prepared business plan is the key to turning your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Ready to embark on your business journey? Start creating your comprehensive business plan today to build a successful and sustainable venture in the thriving Philippines market. Your roadmap to success begins with a well-crafted business plan .

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11 Steps to Write Restaurant Business Plan with Examples

Similar to event business plan, restaurants also need a proper business plan. To begin, you will require a detailed restaurant business plan. This plan will not only serve as a blueprint for how you will run your restaurant, but it will also be required to secure funding. But knowing you need a solid restaurant business plan is not the same as actually writing one. Here are 11 steps to write restaurant business plan.

Read also: Top 10 Online Business Ideas Philippines For Beginner

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan’s goal is to create a guide that will help you navigate each stage of starting and running your business. That plan should also be comprehensive and articulate enough so that a total stranger, such as an investor, can read it and easily understand your vision, goals, and how you intend to make your restaurant dream a reality.

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Business plans come in a variety of formats, and they can be as short as a single page or as long as a booklet. You may want to start with a lean startup plan that focuses on a high-level view of your strategy, followed by a more detailed plan that elaborates on key points and provides more information to investors.

In short, your business plan should communicate everything you have and intend to invest in your restaurant to ensure its long-term success.

Why Business Plan Is Important?

Many new restaurant owners fail to create a well-thought-out restaurant business plan because the process is time-consuming and difficult. However, without a proper restaurant business plan, you’re aiming in the dark. Without a proper plan, it is unlikely that you will be able to secure an investor to help fund your restaurant dream. Even if you do, a lack of proper planning, regulations, and forecasting will doom your restaurant.

Your restaurant business plan will outline how you intend to profit from your venture, as well as where your restaurant fits into the saturated market and how you intend to stand out. In the long run, a little time and pain are worth the reward of a successful restaurant.

How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan?

To get you started, here have highlighted the key elements you should include in a business plan restaurant.

Executive Summary

An executive summary should always be the first section when making restaurant business plan. A restaurant business plan executive summary serves as both an introduction to your business plan and a summary of the entire concept.

The primary goal of an executive summary is to entice the reader (often an investor) to read the rest of your business plan.

Company Description

This is the section where you introduce the company completely. Begin this section with the name of the restaurant you are opening, as well as the location, contact information, and other relevant information. Include the owner’s contact information as well as a brief description of the owner’s experience.

The second section of the company description should highlight the restaurant’s legal status as well as its short and long-term goals. Provide a brief market study demonstrating your understanding of regional food industry trends and why the restaurant will succeed in this market. You can also search for restaurant business proposal examples.

Market Analysis

Typically, the market analysis section of a restaurant business plan is divided into three sections: industry analysis, competition analysis, and marketing analysis. You also should include it in the business plan bakery if you want to make bakery business .

The menu is the most important aspect of launching your restaurant. You probably don’t have a final version at this point, but for a restaurant business plan, you should at least try to have a mock-up.

Pricing is the most important aspect in your sample menu. Your prices should be based on the cost analysis you performed. This will help them understand your restaurant’s target price point. Even early on, you’ll notice how important menu engineering can be.

The restaurant business plan’s company description section briefly introduces the restaurant’s owners and provides some information about each. The restaurant management team should be fully fleshed out in this section.

The investors do not expect you to have selected your entire team at this point, but you should have at least a couple of people on board. Use the talent you’ve selected so far to highlight the collective work experience everyone brings to the table.

Restaurant Design

The design section in restaurant business plan is where you can really impress the investors with your ideas and thoughts. It’s okay if you still don’t have professional mock-ups of your restaurant rendered. Create a mood board to convey your vision instead. Find images of similar aesthetics to what you want in your restaurant.

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Restaurant design should go beyond just aesthetics and include everything from restaurant software to kitchen equipment.

The location you choose for your restaurant should undoubtedly correspond to your target market. You may not have a specific location in mind at this point, but you should have a few options.

When describing potential locations to your investors, include as much information about each one as possible, as well as why it would be ideal for your restaurant. Mention everything from the size of the room to the typical demographics.

Market Overview

The market overview section of the restaurant business plan is closely related to the market analysis section. In this section, go over the micro and macro conditions in the area where you want to open your restaurant.

Discuss the current economic conditions that may make opening a restaurant difficult, as well as your strategy for dealing with them. Mention all of the restaurants that could be competitors and your strategy for standing out.

With restaurants popping up everywhere these days, investors will want to know how you plan to spread the word about your establishment. The marketing strategy and publicity section should detail how you intend to market your restaurant both before and after it opens. As well as any plans you may have to hire a public relations firm to help spread the word.

External Help

You’ll need a lot of help to make your restaurant a reality. List any outside companies or software that you intend to hire to get your restaurant up and running. This includes everything from accountants and designers to suppliers who aid in the performance of your restaurant, such as POS systems and restaurant reservation systems. Explain to your investors why each is important and what they will do for your restaurant.

Financial Analysis

The financial section of your restaurant business plan is the most important. Given the importance of this, we would advise hiring professional assistance. Hiring a trained accountant will not only assist you in getting your financial estimates in order, but will also provide you with a realistic perspective on owning a restaurant.

There are a number of restaurant business plan examples available, such as the following.

Read also: 8 Guides How to Start an Online Cupcake Business from Home

Business Plan for a Bar or Casual Restaurant

Fast Business Plans, as the name implies, is another resource for quickly creating the small canteen business plan you require. They specialize in business plan bar and restaurant that get down to the nitty-gritty of how the restaurant will function and succeed. Bplans.com also provides business plans for sports bars.

A Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan Example

Even though the concept of a fast food restaurant may appear obvious, even fast food restaurant owners require a business plan to justify their ideas. MoreBusiness.com is a great place to find fast food restaurant business plan samples that cover everything from products and services to facilities and locations and everything in between. You can also find example business plan food truck here.

A BBQ Restaurant Business Plan Example

A great example of a barbecue business plan can be found on Profitable Venture. They go out of their way to detail each role they intend to hire for and how that role will benefit the restaurant, as well as a long-term expansion plan to demonstrate that they are in it for the long haul.

Poor planning and a lack of start-up capital are two of the most common reasons for business failure. According to research, business plans can help reduce this risk by both planning and assisting a small business in gaining capital.

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How to Write a Business Plan [Complete Guide]

Last Updated on – Aug 8, 2023 @ 3:22 pm

Preparing to write your business plan? You’re already one step ahead of other entrepreneurs who don’t see its value.

A well-thought-out and well-written plan for starting and running your business helps you focus on what you need to do to make your business idea work. It can also boost your chance of getting investments and loans to finance your business .

Did you know that half of small businesses fail in their first four years? Planning is such a crucial step to reducing the risks of managing an enterprise. Turn your business idea from something abstract and uncertain into a successful venture. It starts with drafting a good business plan.

Here’s your definitive guide to writing a business plan that speaks for itself.

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a written document that details what a business is, what direction it will take, and how you’ll get it there.

Practically speaking, the business plan evaluates your business’ viability. As the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) puts it , the document allows entrepreneurs to find out whether or not their business idea will bring in more money than how much it costs to start and run it.

More than just a document, the business plan helps business owners to figure out the key aspects of an enterprise, including the following:

• Business goals and strategies to meet them
• Competitive edge and how to leverage it
• Potential problems and how to solve them
• Funding required to start the business
• Equipment, facilities, and manpower needed for operations

Who Needs a Business Plan and What Is It Used For?

Every aspiring entrepreneur who will spend a great amount of money, time, and energy to earn a profit needs a business plan.

Business planning is a crucial part of starting an entrepreneurial journey, no matter how small or big a business is. Never skip this step—as they say, failing to plan is planning to fail.

Here are some examples of business types that benefit much from business planning:

Founders of startup businesses seek funds to begin their new venture. Business plans help them persuade investors and lenders to provide the funding they need.

For startups, a business plan explains the nature of the new venture, how it will achieve its goals, and why the founders are the best people to lead the company. The startup business plan should also specify the capital needed to jumpstart the new business.

Related: Fast-Growing Startups in the Philippines

Existing Businesses

Not only do startups gain advantage from a business plan—existing enterprises need it, too.

But business plans for growing businesses serve a different purpose. Usually, a business plan helps a middle-stage business raise funds for additional facilities, equipment, manpower, and others needed for expansion. This document also defines strategies for growth and allocates resources based on strategic priorities.

Growing businesses also use business plans to communicate their vision to various stakeholders such as customers, business partners, potential investors and lenders, employees, and suppliers.

For such needs, a business plan for existing businesses lays out the goals, strategies, metrics to evaluate success, responsibilities, and resource allocation.

Social Enterprises

Social enterprises may not be as profit-driven as other business types, but that doesn’t mean they need business planning any less.

A social enterprise needs to prepare a business plan to achieve its social objectives and keep empowering the communities it’s supporting. This document is what government agencies and donor agencies require and evaluate when approving grants for funding a social project .

A social enterprise business plan determines the social issue that a business idea will solve, its beneficiaries, products or services, target market, and sales projections, among many others.

Non-Profit Organizations/NGOs

Like social enterprises, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can also use business plans to source funds for their campaigns and projects.

A nonprofit business plan discusses the problems an NGO is trying to solve through a certain project, as well as how it will do that and how much resources are needed.

It also helps the organization and its board members to prepare for risks by making projections on how likely the activities will push through and how the current sources of funds will continue to yield a certain level of revenue. Most importantly, the business plan defines the Plan B if the original plan ends up failing.

Business Plan Format and Its Components

How does a business plan exactly look like? There’s no recommended universal format for business plans. Ideally, yours is customized according to the nature of your business and what you’re going to use the plan for.

However, all business plans have sections in common. Here’s a quick walkthrough of the six components that make up a business plan.

1. Executive Summary

Like an abstract of a college thesis or a foreword of a book, the executive summary is meant to provide a brief overview of the document. It presents the highlights of a business plan in a page or two.

The executive summary the first thing that readers see, so keep it short yet engaging and compelling enough to make them want to view more details in your plan.

2. Company Profile

The company profile is your chance to introduce yourself and your business to people outside your company. It’s also called the company summary, company information, business description, and business profile.

This section quickly answers the five Ws and one H of your business: who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Think of it as your business calling card. Being the shortest section of the business plan, the company profile provides a quick overview of the business—who the owner and founder is, management team, business goals, business address, product or service, and what makes it unique.

3. Operations Plan

The operations plan explains how you’ll run your business, focusing on the different aspects of manufacturing your product. This section includes the following information, among many others:

• Type of business (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation , or non-profit)
• How the product is made or the service completed
• Necessary materials, equipment, and facilities to manufacture the product or complete the service
• Any subcontractors needed
• Quality control system

4. Organizational Plan

Your people should play a major role in your business plan, just as how they’re important to your business success . The organizational plan includes a chart that shows how your company is structured according to key departments or functions such as administration, production/manufacturing, marketing, and finance. This organizational chart not only presents the levels of authority in a company but also clarifies who is responsible for which people and function.

Aside from the organizational chart, the organizational plan also includes these details:

• Number of employees to hire
• Responsibilities of each job role
• Qualifications of workers who will perform each role
• Salaries and benefits per job assignment

5. Marketing Plan

The marketing plan and the succeeding chapters are the heart and soul of your business plan, explaining the things that will make your business work. This section details how you plan to promote your product or service in the market.

Specifically, the marketing plan covers the following:

• How the product or service will work and how it will benefit customers
• Target market and its profile
• Strategies for packaging, advertising, public relations, and distribution
• Competitive advantage

6. Financial Plan

A critical section in your business plan, the financial plan helps you assess how much money you’ll need to start or grow your enterprise and identify your funding sources to get your business off the ground and sustain its operations. This is where you’ll provide financial estimates that cover at least one year of running your business.

Investors and lenders specifically look for these financial details in business plans:

• How much you’re going to borrow, what you’ll use the loan for, and how you’ll pay it back
• How much profit you’re expecting to make (through an income statement and balance sheet)
• How you can finance your business operations (through a cash flow statement)
• Whether to keep the business going or close it down to cut losses (through a break-even analysis)

Related: How to Write a Business Proposal

Should You Use a Business Plan Template?

Business plan templates identify what information to put into each section and how it should be structured.

They provide instructions to guide entrepreneurs through the process. This way, nothing is missed out while writing the plan.

Thus, using a business plan template is a great idea, especially if this is your first time to prepare a plan for starting or growing your enterprise.

Helpful as it as may be, a business plan template doesn’t make business planning 100% effortless. While it provides the outline that makes writing the plan easy and quick, you still need to do your homework.

For example, a template won’t compute the financial projections for you—it’s a task you have to complete either on your own or with the help of a professional.

So before you use a business plan template, manage your expectations first and be prepared to do a lot of math!

8 Free Business Plan Templates

Yes, you read it right—you can download free online business plan templates. Some of these templates are designed for a specific niche, while others offer sample business plans for a wide range of business categories and industries.

Start off by choosing any of these free templates that suit your business planning needs.

1. Business Plan Format by the DTI

DTI has a wealth of useful information for micro, small, and medium businesses in the Philippines. Of course, it’s free to access since it comes from the government.

On the DTI website, simply look for the Business Planning section and download the business plan format in a PDF file. This document not only lists down all the information to be included in every section of a business plan, but it also provides guide questions per section—making business planning easier for first-timers.

If you want a more detailed discussion of what should go into each component of your business plan plus sample scenarios, check the DTI’s Negosyo Center e-book that fleshes out things for small business owners.

2. Simple Business Plan Template by The Balance Small Business 

The Balance is an online resource for small business owners. It has a free business plan template that’s simple and easy to understand for beginners, with instructions on how to use it. Broken down into sections, the simple business plan template tells you what to include in each component of the plan.

Simply copy the free template and paste it into a word document or spreadsheet. From there, you can start drafting your business plan with the template as a guide.

3. Free Sample Business Plans by Bplans

This website features a collection of over 500 free business plan samples for various industries, including restaurants, e-commerce, real estate, services, nonprofit, and manufacturing.

Under each category are links to many sample business plans for specific types of business. Each sample comes with a plan outline, too. For example, under the Services category, you’ll find sample plans for businesses like auto repair shops, advertising agencies, catering companies, health spas, photography studios, and more.

4. Business Plan Samples by LivePlan

More than 500 free sample business plans are available at the LivePlan website, so you’re likely to find one that suits your business best. The samples allow users to know how other businesses structured and worded each component of their business plans. You can copy and paste the sections into your own plan.

To download a full business plan sample, you’ll have to sign up by submitting your name and email address through the website.

5. Business Plan Templates by PandaDoc

PandaDoc offers free business plan templates for NGOs, startups, restaurants, cafes, bakeries, hotels, and salons. These documents can be downloaded in PDF format.

But if you want a customizable template, you can download the PandaDoc template for a 14-day free trial. This template allows you to edit the document, choose a theme that matches your branding, and add pictures and videos.

The website also has free templates for executive summaries and business letters.

6. The One-Page Business Plan by The $100 Startup

If your business has a simple concept, then a one-page business plan template is ideal to use. This downloadable PDF file is a very simple outline made up of a few sections with questions that you have to answer in just a short sentence or two.

7. Business Plans by Microsoft

Microsoft provides a broad selection of templates for its users, including business plan templates in Word, business plan presentations in PowerPoint, and business plan checklists in Excel.

• Sample business plan template (Word) – Provides the steps in writing a complete business plan
• Business plan presentation template (PowerPoint) – Consists of slides for different sections of a business plan that highlight the key points for viewers
• Business plan checklist template (Excel) – Enumerates the important things to do when writing a business plan, using the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) analysis framework

The advantage of using a template from Microsoft is having a professional-looking document, slideshow presentation, or spreadsheet. No need to do the formatting by yourself because the template is already formatted. All you have to do is enter the necessary information into the template to complete your business plan.

8. Social Business Plan Guidelines by the Ateneo de Manila

This free business plan format for social entrepreneurs comes from the Ateneo de Manila University’s John Gokongwei School of Management. In a glimpse, it provides the basic information you need to plan a social enterprise.

It also has more detailed business plan guidelines you can refer to. Simply click the link to the word document at the bottommost part of the page.

Related: 11 Best MBA Programs & Schools in the Philippines

How to Write a Business Plan

An outstanding business plan covers everything your stakeholders need to know about your business. So don’t just wing it—put a lot of thought into this critical document.

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of drafting a business plan, whether you’ll use a template or not.

1. Brainstorm about your business idea

You may have a very promising business idea, but it won’t fly unless you develop it into a clear-cut concept.

Brainstorm with your team about everything you can think of about starting and running the business. Then list them all down.

Be as creative as possible. No need to be too critical at this point.

While brainstorming, aim to answer these key questions:

• Why do you want to start the business? What has inspired you to go for it?
• What product or service do you plan to sell?
• Who will be your target customers? What are their problems that you’re hoping to solve through your product or service? How will you promote your offerings to them?
• What will be your business branding ? How will you position your brand in the industry?
• What is your competitive advantage? What makes your business unique?
• Where do you see your business within a year?

2. Validate your business idea

Research on the specifics of your business idea—paying special attention to your product or service, target market, and competitors.

According to entrepreneurship experts, it’s best to spend twice as much time on this step as spending the time to the actual drafting of the business plan.

Here are some ways to validate your business idea:

• Read studies and research to find information and trends about your industry .
• Conduct market research to gather insights from industry leaders, potential customers, and suppliers . You can do this through surveys, focus group discussions, and one-on-one interviews with your stakeholders.
• Collect data about your competitors , especially the product or service they offer and how they reach their customers. Consider buying from them or visiting their store to get a feel of their products and customer experience.

Gather all relevant information and analyze your findings to assess whether the business idea is feasible or not. You may need to tweak your business idea based on your evaluation of its feasibility.

3. Define the purpose of your business plan

It’s extremely difficult to carry out anything if you aren’t sure about why you’re doing it in the first place. Without a clear purpose, you’re like driving a car without knowing where you’re headed to.

When it comes to writing your business plan, you should have its purpose in mind from the get-go. It can be one or more of the following:

• Create a roadmap to provide the directions the business must take to achieve your goals and overcome challenges. This is ideal for bootstrapping or self-funding startups.
• Seek investments and loans to finance a business. If this is your purpose for making a business plan, it should be compelling enough to attract investors and lenders.
• Set your targets, budget, timelines, and milestones. When you put them all in writing, it’s so much easier to evaluate and measure your business’ actual performance versus your goals.
• Communicate your vision and strategic priorities with the management team. With this purpose, your business plan must establish specific goals for your managers so that they have something to commit to, you can track progress, and get them to follow through on their commitments. Also, having a business plan for this purpose ensures that everybody involved in running your business is on the same page.
• Minimize risks. Running a business in itself involves a lot of risks, and it gets riskier with a poorly researched business idea. A business plan can help entrepreneurs mitigate them by organizing activities and preparing for contingencies.

4. Create an outline for the executive summary

The first section of any business plan is the executive summary. You don’t have to draft it yet at this point, but it helps to write an outline for it before you proceed with the rest of the sections.

In a sentence or two, describe these key aspects of your business:

• Product or service
• Target market
• Competitors
• Unique value proposition (how you set your business apart from the competition)
• Management team
• Short-term and long-term business goals
• Possible sources of revenue

5. Describe your business

The next step is to write your company profile. Get your readers to become familiar with your business and realize why they should be interested in it.

If you have no idea what specifically goes into this crucial business plan section, you can check the company profiles of businesses in your industry. Usually, you can find them on their websites at the About Us or About the Company page. Take note of the information included and how they’re written.

Here are the must-haves of a great company profile:

• Brief history of the company
• Mission and vision
• Product or service lineup
• Target market and audience
• How the business will address the customers’ pain points
• What makes the business unique

6. Provide details about your operations and organizational structure

Anyone who will read your business plan needs to know what they should expect when they deal with you. They need to see a solid plan for your operations and the people who make up your team. So give your operations plan and organizational plan a careful thought.

For your operations plan, choose carefully the right legal structure for your business. Will you be a sole proprietor? Or will you partner with someone or form a corporation? Your choice will have an impact not only on your business operations but also on the taxes you’ll pay and your personal liability .  

As for the organizational plan, it’s where you put your organizational chart that shows a glimpse of the hierarchy within your organization. You can easily create this chart in Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

Also introduce the people who comprise your management team—their relevant experience, qualifications, and expertise . The organizational plan must also include information of the support personnel, as well as who reports to whom and who manages whom.

If you’ll be outsourcing some of your business functions, add them to your organizational plan, too. These may include consultants , accountants , lawyers , logistics specialists, and IT specialists. This way, you’re showing that you’re planning to fill in any expertise and skill gaps in your in-house team.

Also Read: Business Process Outsourcing to the Philippines [Complete Guide]

7. Compose your marketing plan

Make this section of your business plan as comprehensive and detailed as possible. You’d want to prove that you’ll take a strategic and aggressive approach to reach your target customers and promote your brand and product or service to them.

Divide your marketing plan into five subsections: objectives, product/service description, target market profile, competition profile, and promotional activities.

A. Objectives

Zero in on the what and the why of your marketing activities. Under the marketing objectives section, list down all your goals and the strategies you’ll implement to meet them.

Your marketing goals can be any of the following:

• Raise brand awareness
• Introduce a new product or service
• Regain or get more customers for an existing product or service
• Secure long-term contracts with your ideal clients
• Increase sales in a certain market, product, or price point
• Improve product manufacturing or product/service delivery
• Increase prices without affecting sales

B. Product/Service Description

Describe each product or service you’ll offer, including its features and benefits. You can use storytelling , images, charts, tables, or any visual element that best illustrates how each item will work to the benefit of your target customers.

C. Target Market Profile

Present as much relevant data as you can about your potential customers. Make sure to include the following:

• Demographic profile: age range, gender, income level, education, interests, etc.
• Buying behaviors
• Factors that influence their buying decisions: purchasing power, personal preferences, economic conditions, marketing campaigns, social factors (such as peer pressure and social media influencers ), cultural factors, etc.

D. Competition Profile

Your marketing plan must focus not only on your own business but also those of your competitors. List down the similar products or services that they offer to your target customers.

Also, provide an assessment of your competitors’ performance. Which areas are they doing well? How can you improve on their strengths and weaknesses? How can your business stand out? Is it your more competitive pricing? Better customer service? Superior product quality?

To come up with a good competition profile, take the time to research about your competitors. When interviewing your target customers, ask them about the brands they use or businesses they deal with.

You can also do an online search of your competitors. For example, if you’ll run a pet supplies store in Pasig, search for “pet stores Pasig” on Google. The search engine results page may show you the different stores that sell the same products as the ones you plan to offer. Read customer reviews online to get deeper insights on how these businesses serve their clients.

Consider doing a “secret shopping” in your competitor’s store. This way, you can experience firsthand how they treat their customers and how they market and sell their products or services. You might even be able to get information about their product lineup and pricing.

E. Promotional Activities

The last subsection of your marketing plan must discuss how you’ll promote your brand and products or services and connect with customers. Also, be ready to allocate budget for each marketing activity you identify in your plan.

Create a list of marketing activities you plan to implement. Will you reach your audience through SEO (organic online search), paid advertising, and/or social media? Or will you go the traditional route through print and TV advertising or joining expos, exhibits, and trade shows? The right choice depends on the nature of your business and the type of audience you’re trying to reach.

8. Develop your financial plan

The financial plan is the section where you’ll crunch the numbers. Unless you’re really good at math, it’s best to hire an accountant or business consultant who will work with you to develop a foolproof financial plan.

Put simply, a financial plan explains how a business will spend money and make more money. It also estimates the amount of time it will take for the business to earn a profit.

Here are the specifics of a good financial plan:

• Total capital requirement
• Business financing plan and any loan requirement
• Collateral to put up for a business loan
• Schedule for loan repayment
• Financial statements : cash flow statement, income statement/profit and loss statement, and balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Return on investment (ROI)
• Financial analysis

Ultimately, these financial projections answer the question, “Is your business financially feasible?”

9. Back up your business plan with supporting documents

Books and theses have an appendix section at the end that provides additional resources. Your business plan should have one, too. This final section consists of documents, surveys, studies, charts, tables, images, and other elements that provide supporting data.

Depending on the information you’ve presented in the other sections of the plan, your appendix may include these things:

• Market research data and findings
• Resumes of the management team
• Relevant financial documents
• Lease agreements
• Bank statements
• Licenses and permits

10. Review and refine your business plan

Your business plan is almost done at this point. Now all you have to do is go over the document once more to ensure you’ve covered everything and nothing crucial is left out.

Check your final draft and be sure it has the following:

• Sound business idea – If you’ve done Step 2 properly (validating business idea), you can be confident that you have a sound business idea.
• Comprehensive and in-depth look into your business in a professional format
• Thorough understanding of your target customers , their behaviors, interests, and needs
• Competent management team – The people who make up your team must possess the skills and expertise that complement yours.
• Business focus or specialization

Aside from yourself, ask a business partner, proofreader, and accountant or financial expert to review your business plan and spot any errors and inconsistencies. You’d want to make sure that it looks professional and is accurate.

11. Write the executive summary

Lastly, get back to the outline you created in Step 4 and write it based on your final draft. Make sure to craft an engaging executive summary that hooks people into reading the rest of the plan.

6 Actionable Tips on Writing a Business Plan

Anyone can write a business plan—but it takes more than great writing skills to create an exceptional one.

Here are some tips to help you prepare an effective business plan that goes beyond the ordinary.

1. Write with your audience in mind

When drafting your business plan, you’re writing not for yourself but for people who will play key roles in starting and running your enterprise. This is why it’s important that you know whom you’re writing for and keep them in mind while preparing your business plan.

If you think you can’t create a plan that caters to all your audience groups, consider having different versions of the document. For example, you can come up with a business plan for investors, another for lenders, one for employees, and so on. But keep the data consistent across all versions.

To write a business plan that suits a particular audience, you have to use the right language, highlight the parts that interest them, and adjust the format accordingly.

A. Use the Right Language

One of the most important rules in business writing: use the language that your target audience easily understands. If you’re writing for engineers, finance people, or lawyers, your language can be technical—meaning you can use jargons and terminologies familiar to them.

However, if you’re writing for investors who barely have technical knowledge, tweak your language in simple terms that are easy to grasp and appreciate.

Likewise, if you’re writing a business plan to communicate internally with managers and employees your company’s direction and strategies, it’s best to use more casual language than you would when writing for high-level, external stakeholders.

B. Appeal to Your Audience’s Interests

It also helps to understand what interests your audience because they will influence how you’ll write your business plan.

Your management team, for instance, will be interested in knowing your business goals and strategies so that they can help you steer the company in the right direction.

Investors and lenders look at the business plan differently—they’ll be more interested in your financial statements to determine your financial health, like if your business is worth investing in or has the ability to pay back a loan.

C. Adopt a Suitable Business Plan Format

There’s no one-size-fits-all format for business plans because it depends mainly on your audience, aside from the nature of your business.

Let’s say you’ll set up a restaurant, and you’re drafting a business plan to apply for a business loan. To convince lenders that your business is viable, details such as your restaurant’s location and possible renovations are crucial.

Meanwhile, if you’re writing the plan for potential big-time investors, you’ll take a different approach. A good restaurant business plan focuses on the business aspects that will lead to growth and profitability (Remember that investors are interested in how they’ll make money from partnering with you).

2. Keep it concise

How long should a business plan be? According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) , it depends on various factors such as the specific audience it’s written for and the nature of a business. The SBA cites surveys that found the ideal length to be at least 25 to 100 pages.

Sounds a lot? If you have a simple business idea and you’re writing a business plan for busy people who don’t have time to pore over hundreds of pages, then one page up to 20 pages should be fine.

However, you may need to provide more explanation (which will take up more pages in your business plan) if you’re planning to build a new kind of business, and a risky one at that.

The size of your business also affects the length of your business plan. Business plans for small businesses need not exceed 30 pages. Corporate business plans are expected to be longer.

What matters more than length is how concise your business plan is. Meaning, it provides all the necessary information—including solid research and analysis—using the fewest words possible. No place for wordiness here!

3. Document everything related to your business

Support your claims in the business plan with solid facts and proof. Investors, for instance, need an assurance that they won’t lose their investment when they trust you with their money. This is where documenting your business thoroughly plays a crucial role.

What kinds of documentation can you include in your business plan?

• Industry forecast or projections
• Licensing agreements
• Location strategy
• Prototype of your product or service
• Survey and FGD results
• Resumes of your management team

4. Show your passion and dedication to your business

Although business plans have straightforward, matter-of-fact content, you can still establish an emotional connection with your readers through your plan. After all, your readers are humans with feelings and motivations.

No need to be dramatic about it—you can show your passion and dedication while still sounding professional in your business plan. Write about the mistakes you’ve had (like a failed business in the past), what you’ve learned from the experience, the values you hold, and the problems of your customers you want to solve through your product or service.

5. Know your competition and how you’ll stand out

Your business won’t be the single player in your industry. Other businesses in the same niche have started way ahead of you, and some new ones will also compete for business in the future.

Write your business plan in such a way that you know your competitors so well. Identify all of them and what makes your business unique compared with the rest without belittling them.

6. Be realistic and conservative in all your estimates

In any aspect of your business, it’s better to underpromise and overdeliver than the other way around. This also holds true when writing a business plan. You wouldn’t want to set unrealistic expectations that will lead to disappointments and worse, losses, when you fail to deliver on your promise.

There’s no place for too much optimism in your business plan. Your budget allocation, timelines, capital requirements, sales and revenue targets, and financial projections must be reasonable, realistic, and conservative. These will lend credibility to your business plan and yourself as an entrepreneur. Because there are a lot of factors beyond your control, always assume that things will get completed longer and cost more ( consider inflation over time! ).

This is where your research prior to writing the draft comes extremely helpful. You have something solid and factual to benchmark against. For example, if your analysis based on the facts you’ve gathered indicates that you’ll be able to get 40% share off the market in your first year of operations, consider making your estimates a bit more conservative and attainable.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Valuation in the Philippines

10 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Business Plan

Now, let’s explore the mistakes entrepreneurs often commit when writing a business plan. Listing them all down here to let you know what to avoid.

1. Prioritizing Form Over Substance

Spend most of your time and energy on building solid research and facts rather than obsessing about which font type or background color will look best for your document.

2. Overthinking

Many entrepreneurs take too long to complete their business plans because they worry too much about it. Don’t get intimidated by business planning—you don’t have to be an expert or a degree holder in business management or business administration to be able to write an outstanding business plan. Overthinking will just lead to analysis paralysis and get nothing done.

As long as you know your business well and are passionate about it, then writing a business plan won’t be as difficult as you think, especially if you’re using a template.

3. Submitting the Document Without Proofreading It

If your business plan is filled with typos and grammatical errors, readers will get distracted even if you’re presenting substantial information. It may also give your audience an impression that you’re careless—and who wants to deal with a person who isn’t professional and careful enough?

Even if it costs you money, pay a professional proofreader to check your work and correct any errors so that the message you wanted to convey through your business plan will get across.

4. Making Empty Claims

Any statement that isn’t sufficiently supported by solid research or documentation has to go. For example, if you want to claim to be the top player in your industry but you don’t have any evidence to back it up, rethink about including it in your business plan.

5. Writing an Overly Long and Wordy Plan

Make sure that everything you put into your business plan is relevant and serves your purpose. Otherwise, remove unnecessary statements that just add fluff to the document.

Also, don’t waste your readers’ time by using too many words—including highfalutin ones. Remember, your goal is to make your audience understand your business, not to impress them with beautiful or complex prose.

6. Using Too Many Superlatives

Even if you really feel that your business, business idea, or projection is incredible, amazing, the best, great, fantastic, or one of a kind, avoid using these superlatives because they aren’t appropriate for formal documents like a business plan.

7. Doing the Financial Projections on Your Own

Unless you’re an accountant yourself, it’s best that you get a professional to do the job for you. It will save you time and the headache of dealing with numbers and formatting your financial plan properly.

8. Overestimating Your Projections

The business plan is not a place to make impossible promises—while they look good on paper, you might run into trouble fulfilling them. To avoid this mistake, always do your research. Find out how other businesses do it and what the typical timeframes and financial projections are before you come up with your estimates.

9. Long-Term Business Planning

As much as possible, limit your projections to only a year. A lot of things can happen and make your business different from how you initially planned it. Stick with your short-term or one-year targets and estimates, then just tweak your business plan as time goes by.

10. Including Unfounded Rumors About Your Competitors

Not only do rumors make your business plan look unprofessional, but they also distract your readers from your intended message, which is to highlight what makes your business different from the competition. Avoid including details based only on hearsay. Everything in your plan must be backed up by solid, quantifiable facts.

Key Takeaway

A business plan is more than just a document that you prepare once and will never look at again. Rather, it’s a strategic tool that you should use from time to time to guide your business operations, get the buy-in of your stakeholders, and grow your business over time.

Once you’re done with writing your business plan, make the most of it for your business. Use it and modify it as often as needed!

Ready and confident to start writing your business plan? Share your thoughts and questions below!

Other Useful Business Resources from Grit PH:

• How to Sell a Business in the Philippines

About Venus Zoleta

Venus Zoleta is an experienced writer and editor, specializing in personal finance and digital marketing.

She has been a regular columnist for some of the biggest business & finance publications in the Philippines, such as MoneyMax.ph and Filipiknow.net.

Hoping to retire early, she started investing and bought a home in her early 20s. This crazy cat mom eats ramen like there's no tomorrow.

Education: University of the Philippines (B.A. Journalism) Focus: Personal Finance, Personal Development, and Entrepreneurship

Reader Interactions

March 3, 2020 at 10:00 am

I like it, and i want to learn more about for business

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Hello Ms. Venus, Rise Against Hunger Philippines, N.G.O. , branching out into a new high ways… and i am newly hired as a social enterprise development officer… whose main tasks to launch a product line; an up-cycled tarpaulin bags.. manufactured by a group of community women (skills training’s, coordinated by life coached; aiming w-holistic transformation and sustainability program.. . with such a big tasks, i need a step by step guides, and if possible a coach for i cannot do it alone… thank you, henry reandino chua

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Carinderia business plan (with pdf).

• Food & Beverage

A carinderia business may be attractive and seemingly easy to set up: have a stall near your house, few tables and chairs, adequate cooking equipment and utensils and a good cook might be all you need to get started. But it’s actually a tough business to manage with low margins and factors that are hard to control. That is why, just like in any other business venture, careful planning and execution is key to getting the carinderia business off the ground and get started. A misaligned priority or missing out on a key component of the business could easily shut it down. So we came up with this basic business plan for those interested but unsure if carinderia business is the way to go. Just because you like the business does not always mean it’s meant for you. Thorough research and sufficient business support are needed.

Table of Contents

Market research

Was the idea of establishing your business borne out of your passion to cook? Was it because a vacant stall in the public market seems suitable to set up your carinderia? Or was it because you hear so many people complain about not having enough meal choices in your neighborhood? If you tick any of the above boxes, you’ve got the potential to get started but not enough to steamroll with the carinderia bandwagon.

• Which segments do they belong to (low-wage workers, office workers, housewives, students, drivers, seasonal workers)?
• What is their corresponding buying power?
• Do they tend to be loyal at a specific eatery or can easily be swayed of their choices depending on available food, season, weather, etc?
• Are they encouraged to eat out or can easily switch back to prepared meals if provided with the opportunity?

Existing carinderias in the neighborhood . Identify them and ask yourself and others about them:

• Do they serve a good variety of food for customers ?
• Do they operate 24/7 or only during lunch/dinner or a certain times of the day?
• Do they operate as a legitimate business or behave like an extended table serving home-cooked meals?
• Do they source their materials from sustainable
• Do you or others have a good impression of them in terms of sanitation, food taste, price point, general ambiance, and customer service?
• Do they have generally favorable sentiment from customers?
• What are their advantages and disadvantages?

Urban planning and development. Think about what the neighborhood would look like in the next five to ten years.

• Are there proposed landmark buildings, infrastructure projects, new business establishments, or public projects forthcoming?
• Are there new schools, residential buildings, hospitals, or transport rerouting planned?

Available resources. This is key to sustaining the needs of your carinderia business.

• Are suppliers available nearby and accessible without investing a significant amount of money or time? They include meat, poultry, vegetable, seafood, or fruit dealers.
• Are there cheaper alternatives you can explore such as wholesalers who can give you better deals and stronger business relationships?
• Is it easy to find workers like waiters, dishwashers, cooks, assistants, cleaners, and cashiers who can augment the needs of a growing business?
• Is the power supply stable and does not require you to procure generators in case of a power failure?
• Is the water supply stable and does not require interruptions?
• Do you have existing materials and equipment such as fridges, freezers , or gas stoves that can be used and reduce initial spending to set up the carinderia business?
• Is there an ample disposal area to discard material waste?

Financial ability and literacy.  This is what everyone wants to discuss when planning for the business so this must be very important.

• Will you use your personal savings to invest in the business?
• Do you need to borrow money to finance the business?
• Do you have a credit line to use as a lifeline in procuring necessary materials?
• Do you or a partner have a background in accounting and basic concepts of cash flow?
• Are you familiar with the business licensing, taxes, wages, and benefits that go with the carinderia business?

Hopefully, the list provides a sufficient understanding of how suitable you are to pursue the business. This research is helpful not only for the business but also to prequalify you as a player in the business. Without due diligence and enough market know-how, challenges that would have been anticipated in this initial research stage could emerge down the road and it’s more difficult to back down and make hard choices.

Capital money

Some sources say us included, that a P15,000 investment will be enough to start the business, maybe as a food delivery business instead of a full-fledged carinderia entity. With limited capital money to buy bulk inventory of ingredients, food will be cooked in smaller portions, and orders are delivered to homes instead of accepting dine-in customers. But even before operations can begin, administrative expenses should be considered: barangay permits, rental fees, and so on. Profits will be minimal at around 5% depending on how you source your ingredients or save on costs (more on this later below). Breaking even will depend on your setup. If you are mostly utilizing your own resources such as vacant space in the backyard instead of renting a space in the market or family members helping out instead of hiring an extra hand, a significant amount of your capital expenses can be used for production. This counts utensils, cooking equipment, meat and seafood produce, vegetables, and condiments. Spending your capital money on a formal venue like a market stall may be more expensive but it also signifies your long-term commitment to the business. When the business falters when you find out your backyard does not have enough foot traffic, it’s easy to fold because you are less dependent on external factors. Hiring an experienced cook will help guarantee food quality especially if family members are less skilled or less committed to working for free for the family business. So it doesn’t mean that if you’re investing less in setting up your eatery business, you’ll more likely to succeed. Likewise, if you borrow a huge amount and are heavily invested in a proper venue, you’ll be less likely to prosper.

Carinderia design

The design of your eatery business will ideally evoke the character of your business: friendly and inviting, a place to relieve the cravings of a hungry stomach, and doubles as a place of socialization. Of course, we all imagine great designs as below with fancy design and bright, airy atmosphere. But we also think of practicality and associated costs. We ask ourselves:

• Do our customers stay long enough to marvel at the interiors or do we simply want them to spend half an hour so more customers can come in and eat?
• Do we wish to establish our presence as the talk of the town and generate word of mouth or even get featured in local magazines or TV shows?
• Do we have enough resources to execute our design plan? Money to pay a good interior designer. Materials to put brilliant design ideas into life.
• Are our ideal designs applicable to the neighborhood we wish to operate in terms of practicality such as comfort, ease of access, and efficiency in managing incoming and outgoing customers?

Nonetheless, let’s explore some inspiration designs for small food kiosks that can be applied to your carinderia.

Manpower resources

Managing a carinderia business can range from an all-around cook/dishwasher/accountant/procurement officer to a full team of specialized roles. Depending on the scale of operation and number of customers that can be accommodated at any given time, here are some of those specialty roles: Cook – the heart and soul of the carinderia business. He or she conceptualize which types of food appear on the menu, handpicks the ingredients, slices them accordingly, and does magical things in the kitchen. Whether honed by skills passed on in the family or acquired in a culinary school, the cook’s masterpiece will be significant in customer loyalty and the carinderia’s reputation. Manager – often the owner of the carinderia business, he or she oversees the overall operation of the business. From ushering in customers inside to ensure a steady supply of food choices in the tray, he/she attempts to troubleshoot problems and achieve harmony in the operation. The manager can also dabble into cleaning up tables, assisting the cashier, verifying supplier deliveries, and makes quick resolutions on issues that may arise. Cleaner – this person ensures that the sanitation of the carinderia is in top shape. The cleaner makes quick work of tables and prepares them for the next customer. He or she ensures that leftover soft drinks, plates, and discarded food are away from the eyes of the public as soon as possible and makes prompt disposal of garbage. After operating hours, he or she makes a thorough cleaning of the carinderia: floors, tables and chairs, food shelves, kitchen and cooking area, and lastly, the toilet. Dishwasher – this role extends beyond cleaning dishes and other tableware, glasses, and cooking utensils during business hours. After hours, the role of the dishwasher will transform to that of the cleaner. This separate role manifests the importance of making the tableware clean; a singular presence of blemish can tarnish the reputation of the carinderia. This is especially crucial if the eatery relies on handwashing and without the help of a dishwashing machine. Cashier/Accountant – this person takes charge of the finances of the business. He or she collects customer bill payment, looks at the inventory of materials, analyze which menu items are profitable or loss-making, makes suggestions on the menu from a profit perspective. He or she also looks after the cash flow management and makes tight monitoring of expenses (LPG supply, electricity/water bills, supplier invoices, salary/payroll, and taxes and permits ) against income. Utility person – this person does everything not defined from the above list. This role can assist the above jobs or tasks that are not anticipated in the operation. He or she helps arrange the delivery of meat/veggies of suppliers, replaces broken bulbs or faucets, orders extra rice from other restaurants or condiments from the supermarket if supply is short, or keeps an eye on customers who try to steal items like cutlery.

Keeping carinderia operation costs low

In a business known for razor-thin margins, keeping operational costs low is key. There are expenses that you cannot avoid (permits, raw materials, equipment, and labor), but you can keep them low without resorting to unlawful practices to get the bottom line.

• Location. Rental costs cover a significant amount in a daily expense, so if you can set up in a space you own, that saves up a lot of money. It can be a small space at the beginning, as you start to attract loyal customers and build your carinderia’s brand. You can later move to a more prominent location and expect your loyal customers to follow.
• Labor. Employing family members can help mitigate labor costs, but it’s also important to realize that even if they are not working for free, and must be compensated in some shape or form. Their presence helps minimize expenses that would otherwise go to a skilled and experienced worker, but their lack of know-how can also be detrimental to the carinderia operation. If they lack exposure to the job, family members can fill roles (dishwashing, cleaning) that are not specialized (cooking, accounting).
• Materials. Will you require high-end meat cuts to achieve premium taste or do lower-grade meats still do the job? Will you use ceramic which is more stylish and food safe or plastic plates that are less risky to damage or breakage?
• Buy equipment at second-hand shops, shops winding down, or nearby auction events. This includes fridges, cooking utensils, tables, and chairs. Buying brand-new ones minimize the risk of breakdown, but if you know how to examine the quality of say, a freezer or the safety of a gas stove offered at a second-hand shop, you can save lots of capital money.
• Rent items you don’t need to buy outright. Tables and chairs are classic examples. Once you’ve grown the business, you can replace these with more appropriate dining furniture.
• No freeloaders. Except for family members, do not allow anyone else to dine at the carinderia without paying. You are running a business and not a charity so your decision must be respected.
• Marketing the business. Will you advertise in your local newspaper or promote it on Google My Business? Are you investing in great-tasting food and planning to make each customer the salesperson in a word of mouth advertising? Are you willing to offer discounts to customers for an honest positive review online? Or do you wish to get the attention of influencers promoting your carinderia in their Instagram feed or YouTube channel? There are certainly ways to promote your carinderia without spending top money on traditional advertising media.

Commitment to growth

Starting your carinderia business is the most challenging, just like in any other business. You set up your venue, acquire equipment and tools, human resources and promote your eatery to the public. That’s an investment of so much effort, not to mention your financial input in the process. And that’s even before you transact with your first customers. Sustaining the business is another beast to tame. As you get started, there are adjustments to make as everything is a new experience. But you dismiss these early challenges in the name of committing to growing the carinderia business. Are you willing or prepared to change your lifestyle and make this commitment? Not all carinderia follow the same timeframe as it depends on sourcing ingredients, kitchen manpower, or operation plan but it’s not unusual to observe certain owners expend a lot of energy and sacrifice a tremendous amount of time.

• 2am – Wake up to source the freshest produce as ingredients for the day.
• 4am – Return to the kitchen to process the ingredients — wash, slice, marinate, etc.
• 7am – Prepare the kitchen and its equipment to cook after deciding what is the menu for the day.
• 10am – Open the carinderia for an early brunch menu or early lunch orders
• 11am – Be ready for the rush of customers
• 2pm – Close the carinderia for midday cleanup and preparation for the dinner menu
• 5pm – Open the carinderia for dinner guests
• 9pm – Last dinner orders received
• 10pm – Close of business day, calculation of income, cleanup, etc

There are types of food that are considered can’t miss and often attract the attention of customers. But menu items can only materialize and make more sense if:

• they are easily sourced and profitable, even if they are quite expensive to buy from suppliers
• the typical customers are likely to pick them based on taste or financial power. How much will students, office workers, or tricycle drivers be willing to spend for lunch?
• they align with the timing of your operation. A menu of goto, tapsilog, lugaw or tokwa is good to start the day while preparing the main menu for lunch.

Depending on your market research, you might decide that your carinderia will only serve lunch as it’s the peak time of activity in the area. Maybe folks (students, factory workers, laborers) will likely return home and eat dinner prepared by their families. In that case, you can narrow down options, even though there’s a lot in common between lunch and dinner options for a typical Filipino appetite. Fixed menu or flexible menu? It’s certainly your call as you discern the pattern of your past customers. But it would be great to have a bit of variety (think of specials for the day menu) available to those who wish to explore new options. Or have a certain specialty like lechon or ginisang munggo available on a specific day. This can be a deliberate choice of day or due to the required time to prepare or sourcing of raw materials. We have a list of popular carineria menu but you can consider the following items as well:

• Adobong manok
• Adobong baboy
• Adobong pusit
• Adobong kangkong
• Chicken tinola
• Chicken afritada
• Pork menudo
• Pork sinigang
• Bistek Tagalog
• Inihaw na liempo
• Nilagang baka
• Bicol express
• Pork barbecue

Pick 3-5 main specialties and make sure you have enough rice! This staple food is a Filipino favorite and cost-wise it helps customers get full without spending much. A safe bet would be items that don’t spoil easily. Otherwise, food poisoning and other health issues can easily break your personal reputation and destroy the business. If you think offering unlimited rice (even as an opening week promotion) will attract customers without going in the red, it would be a good marketing approach.

Focus on cleanliness and carinderia hygiene

Many carinderia businesses in the Philippines exist in places that are less desirable for health reasons. Many are located near the road where food and customers are exposed to dust, smoke, and other sources of unpleasant odor. And just because nobody got sick does not mean you are operations are up to prescribed sanitation standards. Operating a clean carinderia will incur extra costs but this will always pay off as customers will appreciate how you take care of their well-being as much as your business bottom line. After all, you are preparing what they’ll eat and that’s a big deal health-wise. Cleanliness is not just about food preparation. It also includes the sanitation process when cleaning plates and cutlery, sourcing of your drinking water, cleanliness of hand towels, and condition of floors, food shelves, and toilets. These are things you not only consider but follow by heart.

• Ensure everyone involved in the carinderia operation has health clearance.
• Maintain cleanliness and safety in your kitchen area. Clean pots, pans and maintain the cooking area in an orderly manner. Wipe the floors to avoid slipping.
• Maintain cleanliness of floors by wiping off dirt and discarded materials as often as possible.
• Keep pets, stray animals away from your kitchen and dining area.
• Make washing of hands a standard procedure and provide appropriate facilities for both workers and customers.
• The kitchen crew must wear proper clothing (apron, gloves, masks, hair nets).
• Servers also need to wear clean clothing.
• Make trash cans available in designated areas.
• Dispose of garbage frequently and in an orderly manner.
• Have sanitizers available in the kitchen and serving area
• Use electric fans or mosquito coils to keep insects like flies and mosquitoes away.
• Make sure all food served is properly covered with lids, aluminum foil, or cling wrap to avoid contamination.
• Sanitize all kitchen utensils, cutting boards, plates, bowls, and pans in hot water and anti-bacterial solution.
• Store food in sealed containers and incorrect temperature settings.
• Do not transact with suppliers with questionable sources or low-quality materials.
• Clean knives, tongs, spatula and wipe them clean before usage to avoid cross-contamination between meats and other ingredients.
• Sterilize utensils and wipe them clean before access to customers
• Use separate serving spoons for every dish.
• Use separate kitchen equipment for cooked and uncooked ingredients.
• Dispose of used oil properly.
• Throw away food or ingredients if you are unsure of its quality.
• Discard items once they are past their expiry dates.
• Make sure you end the carinderia’s business day with a clean kitchen, utensils and cutlery, dining area, toilet.
• The following day, wash all plates, utensils, and cutlery again.

A carinderia business is a business that requires a lot of work and dedication, so it’s suitable for people who value hard work but have little capital money. It requires the full cooperation of staff and commitment to great experience — food service, food quality, great dining experience, and clean surroundings. That builds up over time and your effort and commitment will bear fruits sooner than you expect. Loyal customers will soon sing praises of your carinderia once you have put in a consistent effort to achieve that great dining experience. Good luck from Pinoy Negosyo!

Download PDF – Carinderia Business Plan

• 9 Filipino Dishes Your Carinderia Should Serve
• 7 Reasons Why You Should Open a Carinderia Business
• Basic Guides on Operating a Carinderia / Catering Business
• 5 Stressful Challenges Carinderia Businesses Often Face
• Refrigerator Buying Guide for Pinoy Business Owners

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