target market for catering business plan

The Target Market for a Catering Business with Examples

Operating a catering business is an exciting venture. As a caterer, you get to participate in meaningful social, business, and cultural events. However, it isn’t all fun and games. Running a catering business requires a lot of planning, understanding, and being able to deliver a quality service. So, you don’t have much time to waste on things that won’t help your business grow.

Because of this, it is important to focus on those who want your service the most. That’s where understanding your target market comes in handy. In this article, we’ll look at how to find the target market for a catering business. Also, we’ll give some examples to get you started.

What is a Target Market?

A target market refers to the specific group of consumers or businesses that a company aims to reach with its products or services. You might have also heard it called a target audience. This group is identified based on shared characteristics, such as demographics, psychographics, geographic location, and buying behaviors. Understanding the different types of target markets is essential for anyone wanting to sell any product or service.

By focusing on a well-defined target market, businesses can tailor their marketing efforts and adjust their products to meet the needs and preferences of their potential customers. This approach increases the likelihood of attracting and retaining customers. For example, a clothing business will want to know exactly who is expected to buy their clothes. Are they male or female? Younger or older? Are they considered plus-sized or petite? All of these are important to know if you intend on selling enough of your clothing line to stay in business.

Why Understanding Your Target Market is Important

Identifying a target market involves conducting thorough market research to gain insights into the needs, wants, and preferences of potential customers. This research includes examining various factors, such as:

As a part of understanding your target market, you may also analyze consumer lifestyles, values, interests, and attitudes. Additionally, businesses must assess the geographic location of potential customers, considering factors like urban or rural settings, climate, and proximity to competitors.

Understanding your target market allows for the development of customized marketing strategies that resonate with the target audience. This specificity helps businesses allocate their resources more efficiently, directing their efforts toward the most promising and profitable customer segments. For your catering business, this means not wasting time and money marketing to individuals or organizations that have no interest in your service.

However, once you find your target market, it is crucial to regularly evaluate and adjust your target market strategies. Changes in consumer preferences, technology, competition, and other market conditions may necessitate a reevaluation of the target market. Also, catering businesses may discover untapped niche markets or new customer segments as they grow and expand. For example, the target market could have been weddings but perhaps the opportunity to cater baby showers is an option in the future.

Examples of Target Audiences for a Catering Business

Now that you understand the importance of finding your target audience, let’s look at some potential markets for a catering business. Not all types of catering businesses will serve the same markets. So as an entrepreneur advances their business, one of the goals of their catering business should be to clearly identify which market they want to focus on.

Corporate Clients

Corporate clients are one of the most profitable markets for a catering business. Due to their frequency, they provide a stable and reliable source of business for catering companies. Corporate clients usually host meetings, conferences, training sessions, and other events regularly. These events often require professional catering services to provide meals and refreshments.

It is a win for the corporate client as they showcase the company’s hospitality and enhance the overall event experience. But it is also a win for the catering company, as they gain exposure and reputability. This enhances the catering business’s reputation, as corporate clients want to make a good impression on event attendees. By hiring the business as the caterer, the corporate client is vouching for that business.

Couples Getting Married

Weddings are significant life events that often involve substantial budgets for food and beverages. With the average wedding catering cost being $4,000, and most couples spending between $1,800 and $7,000, couples are willing to invest in quality catering services to ensure their special day is memorable for themselves and their guests.

As a result, caterers are always in demand. Caterers specializing in weddings can enjoy a steady demand for their services and benefit from word-of-mouth referrals. This type of event can also be seasonal, as many weddings take place in spring or summer.

Event Planners

Caterers should also make event planners a part of their target market. Event planners almost always need caterers that they can use or recommend to provide food choices for the events they are organizing. Partnering with event planners can provide a steady stream of business for caterers. By building strong relationships with event planners, caterers can benefit from referrals and recurring business.

Non-profit Organizations

Non-profits and charities often host fundraising events, galas, and volunteer appreciation dinners that require catering services. By offering quality food and service at a competitive price, caterers can build long-term relationships with these organizations.

Many times, these events are held on an annual or semi-annual basis. This means that if caterers do a great job, they are often invited to cater again. This leads to recurring business opportunities and potential referrals. Keep in mind, however, that catering for medium-sized to large non-profits can be very niche. Oftentimes, these organizations seek a caterer who aligns with their and their donors’ mission.

Government Agencies

Along with non-profits, government agencies also hold annual events. Events like conferences, official dinners, and state functions often require professional catering services.

These events provide opportunities for caterers to showcase their skills and gain credibility within the industry. Government contracts can be lucrative and provide long-term, steady income.

Educational Institutions

Schools, colleges, and universities host various events.  For example,  sports tournaments, alumni gatherings, and academic conferences. Because of this, they often seek out catering services. Catering companies can secure regular business by partnering with these institutions and providing affordable, reliable services.

Religious and Cultural Organizations

Religious ceremonies, cultural festivals, and holiday celebrations often require catering services. By understanding the specific dietary needs and preferences of these groups, caterers can offer tailored services that appeal to these niche markets.

These organizations are also often community-focused, which means a caterer can be a part of the community and cater to life events such as birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, etc.

To identify the ideal target market for a specific catering business, it’s important to consider other factors as well. For example, the type of cuisine offered the pricing, the capacity to serve large or small events, and the business’s unique selling points. Market research and analysis will help refine the target market and guide marketing efforts to reach the right audience.

Understanding the Types of Target Markets

5 Important Goals for a Catering Business

How to Find the Target Market for a Coffee Shop

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Ralph is the Managing Editor at StartUp Mindset. The StartUp Mindset team consists of dedicated individuals and is designed to help new, seasoned, and aspiring entrepreneurs succeed.

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9 Winning Catering Marketing Strategies To Expand Your Reach

It’s not always easy for event catering companies to get their name out there - the industry is saturated and the landscape competitive. But, the reality is that every stand-out event needs a fantastic caterer.

To help you get started with promoting your brand and winning catering jobs, we’ve listed some quick considerations for your catering marketing plan. We’ve also compiled a list of catering marketing strategies to help you win over new customers.

If you’re getting started in the industry or simply looking for new marketing ideas, our guide will help you take your business to new heights.

Important Considerations For Your Catering Marketing Plan

Get to know your target audience.

First things first - get to know your target market. This will help you determine the best marketing approach based on strategies your audience will respond to. After all, you need to spend your marketing budget in the most intelligent way.  

For example, if your audience mainly consists of young adults hosting casual events, your marketing should reflect that! You’ll need to create a casual and relaxed brand that suits who they are - while still staying true to your values.

Some questions to ask yourself to pinpoint an ideal audience persona include:

• Do you wish to target businesses or individuals?
• Where are they situated?
• Do they typically plan a specific event type?
• Do they have specific catering requirements?
• How often do they host events?
• What services might they inquire about?
• How much will they spend?

If you have an existing catering service, you might already have a lot of this information. In which case, stick it into a CRM or spreadsheet to establish patterns that can help inform your marketing activities.

Decide on a “Call to Action”

A great call to action is a persuasive directive designed to entice your target audience to learn more, buy your products, or use your catering services. When thinking about your call to action, you may ask yourself how to persuade or encourage people to use your catering company instead of the competition.

In digital marketing, you can drive traffic to your website’s landing or sales pages through strategically-placed buttons that read “click here,” “get a quote,” or “request a callback.”

In offline advertising, you might place flyers inviting people to join you at a local fair or pop into your premises for a wine tasting evening.  

Whatever your channel, look to use a persuasive CTA in your marketing materials.

9 Winning Catering Marketing Strategies to Expand Your Reach

Many of the points listed below revolve around digital catering marketing ideas, although we’ve included some offline strategies too. We’ve approached it this way as the internet is often the first place people turn to when seeking a new service.  

1. Set Up and Optimize Your Website

Whether you build a website or unpack one out of the box, your site is a pivotal asset that can generate sales and encourage people to engage with your business. You can use it to educate new and existing customers about your catering offering and give them some background on who you are.

Think of your catering website as a ‘shop window.’ People can glance in to see what you have to offer. As such, your site should display information such as sample menus, pricing packages, and service areas. Ultimately, it should give customers a better insight into what sets your catering business apart.

Setting up a website is just the start - you also need to keep search engine optimization (SEO) best practices in mind. Then there’s the matter of your site being mobile-friendly to ensure it's fully accessible from any device.  

You can take other actions to market on your website (for example, write blog posts). But the final point to mention is to connect social buttons to your site. These link your website to your social media profiles and help people find you online.

2. Create Social Media Platforms

Every catering marketing strategy you implement should aim to put your company’s name out there! Being active on social media is a great way to do this and earn brand exposure. It’s a place for potential customers to reach you, where you can build a community of followers and market your services.

The most popular social media platforms that catering businesses might focus on include TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Facebook and Instagram are great platforms to showcase your delicious menus, catering spreads, and recent events. They’re informationally and visually orientated, which means you can include handy write-ups along with your images and video clips.

Twitter is best for sharing service updates, company news, and discovering trends in the industry. Up-and-coming TikTok is a space where you can create fun and engaging content for your followers. Ideas could be to give sneak peeks into what happens behind the scenes when preparing for an event, or to share humorous snippets of life in the kitchen.

3. Develop a Social Media Posting Schedule

The secret sauce for catering business owners to market successfully on social media is to keep their followers engaged. The key ingredients are regularly uploading new content and making it a practice to interact with other accounts.

You can read up about how often to post in this article as it differs from one platform to the next. Ideally, you’re looking at multiple times per week, even once daily.

It’s also important to publish social content at peak times . This will ensure that you receive more likes and shares, and gain more followers.

But keeping up with a strict posting schedule can be tricky, especially when you run a busy catering business. If you’re struggling to get the hang of daily posts and content creation, you can use a software tool like Buffer to automate the publishing process.

4. Consider Content to Highlight

Engaging marketing material will get you noticed and encourage potential customers to interact with your catering brand. So, how do you know what to share on your online platforms to drum up excitement for your business?

Some ideas could include:

• Creative menu items (see our post on menu planning ideas if you need inspiration)
• Specialty bar packages or fun new drinks
• Event design
• Events at popular venues
• Collaborations with other local and popular vendors (event planners, florists, popular DJs)
• Staff or owner bios
• Purveyors of your ingredients

5. Work With Content Creators

Hire a content creator, podcaster, or influencer to take off some of the pressure of producing content for sharing. Allow them to take over your social accounts and create content relating to your catering offering.

When they share it with their followers, you expand your reach to an interested audience with professional-looking catering marketing content.

6. Collect Reviews

Positive online reviews can significantly impact your chances of securing business online. People trust what their peers say about a company or service and often look to read reviews before signing up.

As you start to cater events, ask happy clients to leave a review for you on one of your review platforms. If you receive any negative feedback, respond to it politely and use it as a learning opportunity.

7. Have an Offline Marketing Strategy

While it may not be as important as social media marketing, you should never underestimate offline advertising opportunities. Advertising through print or radio can help you to reach a previously untapped market.

For example, if you offer catering services to corporate clients, radio is a great tool for spreading the word about your business! Businessmen and women may listen to the radio on their commute, where they could hear about your business.

8. Host Tastings

When devising your catering marketing strategy, never ignore the importance of connecting with professionals from your community in person. One way to gain exposure and get your catering business in front of potential clients is to host a menu tasting for local venue owners and event planners.

Inviting these complementary businesses to sample your menu means you can gain powerful allies in the event industry. Event planners often collaborate with select catering companies and venue owners when planning their events. So, having a referral from a popular event planner is invaluable to your business!

9. Focus on Local

This applies to both your digital and offline marketing strategies - think local when marketing. Try out local marketing tactics such as creating a Google My Business profile and signing up on community directories.

Also, turn to local businesses, such as schools, sporting venues, or corporates, to drop off flyers and speak to event heads. You’re in a unique position to understand their catering needs and provide personalized service.

Creating a solid catering business marketing strategy can make all the difference in securing sales. Whether you’re a new start-up or want to bring your business into the twenty-first century with your marketing, these tips will help you achieve your goals.

If you plan on working events and need event management software to go with it, check out Perfect Venue . Designed for unique venues, caterers, and breweries, it’s sure to take the busy work off your plate, leaving you free to execute flawless catering gigs.

Have thoughts on the article? Feel free to email us at [email protected] - we'd love to hear it!

Understanding the Target Market for a Catering Business

If you’re considering starting a catering business or already have one and are looking to expand it, then you’re probably wondering what segments of the market you should focus your energies on.

The target market for a catering business includes the corporate market and the private market. Which one of these should you target? Or should you target both? Should you specialize in just one type of cuisine or offer multiple options? Should you cater to certain dietary requirements or just go after broader needs?

These are just a few of the big questions you will be confronted with. And of course, you will need to have a deep understanding of your customers’ selection criteria and decision-making processes when they pick a catering service.

In this article, we’ll review the different parts of the target market for a catering business and take a close look at some of the most important decisions you will need to make as you launch or expand your business.

Catering Business: Cuisine & Dietary Options

One of the earliest and most important decisions you will need to make is what type of cuisine to focus on and whether you will offer options for certain dietary requirements.

This decision can be based on multiple factors, such as your own experience or training, the availability of good suppliers for the ingredients you need, and even the types of events that are popular in your area.

You will also need to consider the demographic characteristics of the people who live in your community and who are likely to request catering services from you.

For example, if your catering business will focus on families then you may want to offer options like Chinese, Mexican or South American cuisine.

If your catering business is near a college town, then you may want to target the student market with pizzas and burgers.

And if you’re looking to target the corporate market, then you may want to consider office-friendly fares like sandwiches, salads, and finger foods.

Dietary Options

Another factor to consider is dietary restrictions. An increasing number of people are following special diets, such as gluten-free, vegan, or Paleo. Others are vegetarian or allergic to certain foods. Some others have dietary restrictions like intolerance to lactose.

As a catering business, you will need to decide whether you want to target these groups or not. It is important to note that offering dietary options can be a significant selling point for your business. It can also make your marketing campaigns more effective.

For instance, if you offer vegan options, you will have a nice overlap with the target market for vegan restaurants and you can market to this segment with very targeted marketing campaigns.

Just remember that if you do choose to target these groups, then you will need to make sure that you have the proper procedures in place to accommodate their needs. This includes everything from having the right ingredients on hand to training your staff on how to properly prepare and serve the food.

However, it’s important to note that special dietary catering is often more expensive than traditional catering, so you will need to make sure that your prices are in line with the market and with your costs.

Target Market for a Catering Business: Corporate Vs. Private

Another key decision you will need to make is whether to target the corporate market or the private market.

Each one has its own set of needs and requirements, so it’s important to understand the differences between them before you make a decision.

Corporate Market for Catering Services

The corporate market is typically made up of businesses that are looking to entertain clients or reward employees.

They are often willing to spend more money on catering because they see it as a valuable business expense.

However, they also have specific requirements, such as menu options that are suitable for business meetings or working lunches.

Private Market for Catering Services

The private market for catering services is made up of individuals who are planning events like weddings, birthday parties, or family reunions.

They are often looking for a catering company that can provide a unique experience for their guests.

They may also be willing to spend more money on catering if it means that their event will be remembered fondly by their guests, but unlike businesses, they cannot claim the cost as an expense and so will be more sensitive to price.

To make your business more attractive to this segment of the market, you could offer freebies like party favors or custom cake designs.

If you decide to offer catering services for events – both corporate and private, you may want to consider partnering with an event planner, as there will be considerable overlap between your target market and the target market for event planners .

Catering Business: Location and Pricing

Another important factor to consider when choosing the best target market for a catering business is the location of your kitchen.

Are you looking to target local businesses and individuals only? Or are you willing to travel further distances to reach a broader market?

Your answer to this question will likely be determined by your prices.

If you’re charging premium prices and have picked an affluent locality, then you may be able to run a viable business by targeting just your local market.

But if you’re willing to compete on price, then you may be able to target a larger market by catering to customers further away from your kitchen.

Finally, you will also need to consider your prices when you’re selecting your target market.

Are you looking to compete on price or quality? Or are you somewhere in the middle?

Your answer to this question will likely be determined by the type of customer you’re looking to target.

If you’re targeting the corporate market who are willing to pay more, then you may be able to charge higher prices and offer higher quality.

Even if you’re targeting the private market, you may be able to charge premium prices if your focus is on private events like weddings, parties, baptisms, birthdays and family reunions.

But if most of your business is going to come from catering everyday meals to households, you may need to be more aggressive with your pricing to prevent being undercut by a cheaper competitor.

As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider when launching your catering business and choosing the right target market.

The target market for a catering business has two parts – the corporate market and the private market.

The corporate market is usually made up of businesses that are looking to outsource their catering needs for events or functions, whereas the private market is composed of individuals who are planning weddings, birthday parties or other private events.

While both markets look for a catering service that is professional, reliable, and able to provide good quality food there are some subtle differences between the two.

The corporate market is more interested in foods that can be easily consumed in corporate settings but they are less picky about the type of cuisine.

The private market on the other hand may look for a specific type of food or cuisine. The private market will also be more sensitive to special dietary requirements in case guests are vegetarians or vegans or a member of the family has a dietary restriction like lactose intolerance or gluten sensitivity.

Spend time understanding these nuances and target your marketing efforts to appeal to the segment of the market that you’re looking to attract.

And soon, you’ll be well on your way to having a successful catering business.

How to Create a Catering Marketing Plan in 6 Simple Steps

If you’d like to know how to create a marketing plan for a catering business, you’ll first need to review some big picture ideas. For those who have written their own business plans in the past, you’ll have that information handy for the following exercise. If you don’t have a business plan or are aware that your current one may be outdated, complete the following steps.

1. Set Marketing Goals

For catering businesses, exposure is key. But exposure can be hard to measure, especially if you aren’t currently using an intelligent business management platform. Instead, focus your marketing goals on what you can easily record, monitor, and assess.

Following this philosophy, most catering businesses successfully use sales targets to determine their marketing goals. Calculate how much you currently make per week, on average. Go back as far as possible to get an accurate picture. Then set both long and short term income goals. As long as you keep them realistic, these goals should help guide your plan.

2. Find Your Target Audience

Everyone likes food, right? While that’s mostly true, a catering business has to be cautious when it comes to how they spend their marketing budget. Trying to attract anyone and everyone with your marketing is a sure fire way to waste your precious resources.

An alternative to this approach is to get as specific as possible with defining your ideal customer. Whether you prefer to cater corporate events or private parties, remote or on site, gluten-free or soul food, your audience will ultimately determine what you market and how you get the word out.

There are lots of ways to identify the right audience. Create a spreadsheet to collect the following information on each individual customer:

• General age range
• Where they are located
• What event types they typically plan
• How frequently they host events
• Special interests (like vegan or kosher)
• Food services they ask about
• Food services they ultimately book
• Their final invoice total

Feel free to add any other details like hobbies, career experience, or whatever else makes sense for you and your business model. Once you have this data collected, look for patterns. Then use those patterns to construct a target persona and create marketing that they would love.  

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3. Determine Your Competitive Advantage

Every business should have that wow factor that helps them stand out from the crowd. It’s no secret that the competition is fierce in the food industry. But how you choose to define your business will go a long way towards creating your catering marketing plan.

For catering businesses in particular, there are a few key areas you can choose from to really make your mark:

• Unique selling point . Do you offer home delivery? Or is your catering business a secret pop-up guests can only find through Instagram? Whatever your thing is, push that angle in your marketing.
• Innovative process. Examples of this include creative ways of making your food – think entertaining hydrogen icecream artists or hibachi chefs. Having an innovative process could also mean finding ways to make the same food better, faster, and more cost effective than other caterers.
• A slight edge . While some of the best marketing strategies are focused on you and your business, this one area relies on comparing yourself to the competition. If all your rival catering businesses offer the same three things, is there any way you could add a fourth option? Or improve on what’s already out there?

It doesn’t even have to be food related. A smooth and well organized booking, menu creation, and invoicing process might be just what your target market is craving.

4. Consider Local Marketing

Small business owners should always consider the customers they can appeal to in their very own neighborhoods. When referring to local marketing, we mean both digital and offline campaigns. There are lots of creative ways to market your catering business locally but here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Update your website’s SEO to include keywords that use your location.
• Form strategic partnerships with complementary businesses like art studios or convention centers.
• Host your own events for locals so they get a chance to enjoy your food and possibly get a discount on their first order just for attending.

You might be surprised at the sheer number of possibilities you have available just outside your front door. Local marketing can be a cost effective way to build your network regardless of how long you’ve been in business.

5. Refresh Your Catering Brand

If your catering business has been around for awhile it might be time to take another look at your brand. Your overall image might have leaned on certain messaging in the past. But now that your catering business has grown and improved, your branding should follow suit.

Reevaluate elements like your logo, brand colors, digital presence (including both your website and social media profiles), and any other place your business name exists.

Does it live up to current industry standards? Does it make you stand out in a good way? Does it represent where your catering business is going, not where it’s coming from? All of these questions and more are helpful when giving your brand a makeover.

Here are a few ways you can refresh your brand:

• Hire a local graphic designer to update your logo
• Update your website using Cvent Flex
• Add seasonal items to your menu options
• Try putting together a themed package(think classic brunch or avocado toast bar for a Millennial crowd)
• Revisit your mission statement. Rewrite the story of your company to something authentic to this latest iteration.

You might even find you quite like your branding and that it accurately depicts your business as it is now. If that’s the case, don’t change a thing! Just remember to schedule regular intervals for brand check-ins so you’ll always stay up to date.

6. Establish a Marketing Budget

How much should you be spending on marketing? For caterers and other small business owners, it’s a tough call. Your marketing budget has to include what you spend on day-to-day advertising (like paid social media posts) as well as long term campaigns.

While the choice is deeply personal, the Small Business Administration has provided a good rule of thumb. For most catering businesses, a marketing budget should be 7-8% of total yearly revenue. And if you’re just starting out, keep in mind that this percentage also includes what you have to spend on things like website creation and sales collateral.

No matter what your budget ends up being, there are lots of creative ways to market your catering business. Here are some of our favorites.

Explore catering marketing ideas

1. join professional catering associations.

Catering organizations will often include helpful workshops on marketing, sales, and business management. They’ll also offer unique networking opportunities with potential clients. The three largest and most well known catering associations are the National Association for Catering and Events , the International Caterers Association , and the Association of Club Catering Professionals .

2. Team Up with Content Creators

Content creators include but are not limited to social media influencers, bloggers, and podcasters. All of these groups have their own brand and subject matter focus. Partner up with those who best align with your own marketing efforts so you appeal to a whole new group of people who might be interested in your catering services.  

Here’s how to find the right people to promote your brand:

• BuzzSumo . This simple search tool lets you look up influencers by topic or domain and is best for finding content creators both on and off social media.
• Klear . Find influencers for any niche on Instagram, YouTube, and blogs.
• Podbay.fm . Although they primarily function as a way to listen to podcasts from all different platforms, Podbay ranks podcasts based on popularity by genre. Look for food related shows that frequently plug catering services in your region.

3. Monitor Online Review Sites

Yelp , Wedding Wire , and Cater Cow are just some of the websites where real customers go to review your business. Make sure that you address all reviews (both positive and not so positive) in a respectful and friendly manner. Also take the time to edit your profile so that it looks as clean and up to date as possible.

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4. Add Your Company to Online Directories

There are directories that focus on vegan caterers, caterers by area, online catering food ordering, you name it. Take some time to add yourself to all the ones that offer this service for free. The more places your business name exists online, the better. Especially if you can control your audience’s first impression of it with informative descriptions and organized info.

Here are some online catering directories you should consider:

• Food for Thought

5. Use Social Media

Although it is time consuming, social media is always a great option for catering or any other small business type to get their name out there. Just be prepared to make a large up front investment for things like setting up your profile, finding accounts to follow, and doing the daily grind of interacting on the platform.

For catering businesses, make sure you at least consider adding a profile to each of the following sites:

• Facebook. Connect with friends, family, and acquaintances to book events with people who actually know you. Have them leave a review on your business page and share updates about your latest menu options and highlighted events.
• Instagram. Photos and videos from parties where your delicious food is on display will help more people discover you. You can also geotag each post to make it more discoverable for event planner near you.
• Pinterest. Event planners are a major source of business for caterers. And event planners in every industry love Pinterest, which is why sharing content on this platform can help you get more eyeballs on your brand.
• LinkedIn. If you’re more interested in winning over corporate clients, be sure to create a company and personal page to interact with B2C and B2B prospects.

Social media is a great long term approach to marketing. Here are a few social media ideas for event businesses that you could apply to your catering business.

6. Live Event Marketing

In addition to hosting your own tasting event for locals like we mentioned earlier, you can always join forces with other businesses to show off your goods. Wine stores, paint-on-pottery venues, and jewelry boutiques can be found in most neighborhoods. And chances are they’d love the opportunity to attract new clientele with a catered gathering. You can even use their testimonials for your marketing kit.

7. Upgrade Your SEO

You should make your website as search engine friendly as possible. It will help you get closer to the top of search results and get more eyeballs on your page. Starting a blog filled with reviews from past events, cooking tips, and featured services is just one of the many great ways to build your SEO. You should also consider updating rich snippets, web page metadata, and your keyword density on various areas of your website.

8. Try Video Marketing

Video marketing is a highly effective and visual way to show off your delicious menu. Make mouthwatering recipe tutorials or share practical advice clips on how to choose the best catering company for your next event. When it’s finished you can promote your content in email newsletters, on your website, and on social media.

9. Make Your Website More Effective

Your catering website is more than just a digital business card. It’s a powerful sales tool. Every element of your site should be focused on converting prospects. Give them lots of ways to book your services with well placed CTAs. Clean up your digital presence and make it easier for new clients to work with you using our event website optimization ideas .

The key to choosing an effective catering marketing idea is to do what’s right for your unique business. Also keep in mind that it’s okay to experiment. Once you find something that works, stick to it and discard the rest.

10. Focus on repeat business.

According to RJ Metrics , businesses make 300% more of their income on repeat customers than they make from one off or first-time clients. So if you’re just getting started with your catering business, try one of the following tactics to get (and keep) your customer base:

• Offer a discount when customers pay deposits for more than one event at the same time. The standard discount rate for catering special offers is 10% off.
• Create segmented email lists based on both order frequency (once a year/holidays/etc.) and occasion (corporate luncheon/birthday parties/etc.). Send each group a customized message with free event specific tips they’ll find useful. Also make sure to time the emails out properly (three to six months before the annual New Year’s party, one month before their next birthday party, etc.).
• Host a party for your most loyal customers. Treat them to free drinks and let them sample your newest menu items. Give them exclusive packages or discounts if they book their next event with you that same evening.

Final Thoughts: Catering Marketing Plan

Making your own catering marketing plan can be intimidating at first. But as long as you continue to educate yourself on the process, you really can’t go wrong. Here are some additional points to consider:

• You have lots of options. Money and time are the resources that determine how you market your catering business. But regardless of how much you have of either, there are lots of ways to get your name out there and attract new clients. A little creativity and some elbow grease can go a long way.
• Choose a mix of both digital and in-person strategies . Having a presence both on and offline will help you reach a greater number of prospects faster. Just make sure the monitor the progress of all your marketing efforts on a regular basis and make tweaks where necessary.
• Your network is your greatest marketing resource . Which is why tactics like local marketing and strategic partnerships are so important. For catering businesses, it’s all about who you know but also who knows you.

Regardless of how you choose to create your catering marketing plan or what catering marketing ideas you go with, keep in mind that it’s all about bringing people together to enjoy delicious food and good company. Remembering this will help alleviate some of the pressure and allow you to craft a truly stellar marketing plan.

Interested in learning even more about growing your catering business? Check out ten event catering ideas to grow revenue.

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Navigating the Catering Business: Essential Steps for Success

• Should You Expand Your Catering Business?

11 Steps to Help Your Catering Business Succeed

Elevate your catering business to new heights.

Hotels and big catering businesses mostly did pre-pandemic food catering. But what happened in 2020 gave an unprecedented twist to the catering world.

People started preparing food at home and providing it through unique delivery services such as basket deliveries . Others, giving in their gifted talents, expanded their at-home catering services by collaborating with 3rd party delivery services like DoorDash and Uber . 

With the global catering services market valued at $618.5 million in 2023, FMI predicts the market to grow 4.4% over the next ten years. So, if you’re considering expanding your catering services, you’re in for a treat!

This article will cover the crucial steps you need to be a successful catering business and breach new horizons in the catering industry.

Should You Expand Your Catering Business? 

Expanding a catering business is a significant decision that requires careful consideration. 

Before expanding, catering companies should assess various factors to determine whether it’s the right move for your business. 

Here’s a guide on how to know if you should expand your catering business:

Financial Health

• Evaluate your current financial situation. Do you have the necessary capital to fund the expansion, including equipment, staff, marketing (including online and offline strategies), and operational costs?
• Review your financial statements , cash flow projections, and profit margins to ensure your business can handle the added expenses and potential initial losses associated with expansion.

Demand and Market Analysis

• Analyze market trends and demand for catering services in your area. Are there opportunities for growth, such as underserved markets or unmet customer needs?
• Consider factors like population growth, corporate events, weddings, and other occasions that may increase demand for catering services.

Client Base

• Assess the size and loyalty of your existing client base. Are you consistently receiving repeat business and referrals?
• Gauge whether your current clients are interested in larger or more frequent catering services.

Competition

• Study your competitors and their market share. Is there room for your catering business to compete effectively in a larger market?
• Identify any gaps in the market that you could fill with expanded services or unique offerings.

Operational Capacity

• Determine whether your current kitchen, staff, and equipment can handle increased production and service demands.
• Consider whether you can hire and train additional staff to maintain the quality of your services during expansion.

Brand and Reputation

• Assess your brand’s reputation and customer loyalty. A strong brand can facilitate expansion by attracting new customers.
• Ensure that your brand aligns with the expansion strategy and target market.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

• Understand the legal and regulatory requirements for expanding your catering business, including permits, licenses, health department approvals, and zoning laws.
• Consult with legal and regulatory experts to navigate any potential obstacles.

Marketing and Promotion

• Develop a comprehensive marketing and promotion plan for the expansion. Consider how you will reach and attract new customers in the expanded market.
• Leverage your existing client base to generate referrals and support your expansion efforts.

Risk Assessment

• Identify and assess potential risks associated with expansion, such as increased competition, changing market conditions, or economic downturns.
• Develop a risk mitigation plan to address potential challenges.

Financial Projections

• Create detailed financial projections for the expansion, including revenue forecasts, expense estimates, and break-even analysis.
• Consider various scenarios to understand the financial implications of different expansion strategies.

Sustainability

• Ensure that your catering business expansion is sustainable in the long term. Consider environmental and social factors , as well as the impact on your work-life balance.

Strategic Planning

• Develop a clear, well-defined expansion strategy outlining your goals, target market, marketing plan, and timeline.
• Seek advice from mentors, industry experts, or consultants to help refine your approach.

Starting and running a successful catering business requires careful planning, organization, and dedication. 

Here are eleven steps to help your catering business succeed:

Market Research and Business Plan

• Conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience, competitors, and industry trends.
• Develop a solid business plan outlining your business goals, target market, competitive pricing strategies, marketing plans, and financial projections.

Legal Requirements

• Register your catering business and obtain any necessary licenses and permits.
• Comply with health and safety regulations, food safety and handling guidelines, and local zoning laws.

Your Inbox, Your Rules!

Tailor your newsletter with the topics you're most interested in., menu development.

• Create a diverse and appealing menu that caters to various dietary preferences and occasions.
• Consider seasonal offerings and options for special dietary needs, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or allergen-friendly dishes.

Pricing and Cost Management

• Set competitive yet profitable pricing for your catering services.
• Keep a close eye on food and labor costs to maintain healthy profit margins .
• Develop a robust online presence with a professional website and active social media profiles.
• Use digital marketing, email campaigns, and local advertising to reach potential clients.
• Consider partnerships with event planners, wedding venues, and other businesses in your industry.

Quality and Consistency

• Deliver consistently high-quality food and service to build a strong reputation.
• Train your staff in food preparation, presentation, and customer service.
• Request feedback from clients and use it to improve your offerings.

Customer Service

• Prioritize exceptional customer service to build long-lasting relationships and gain repeat business.
• Be responsive to client inquiries and concerns.

Efficient Operations

• Implement efficient kitchen and catering operations to handle multiple events smoothly.
• Invest in the right equipment and tools to improve productivity.

Inventory Management

• Maintain a well-organized inventory system to minimize waste and control costs.
• Regularly review and update your ingredient suppliers to ensure quality and freshness.

Networking and Client Relationships

• Attend industry events, trade shows, and networking gatherings to establish connections with event planners, vendors, and potential clients. And also get the latest info about food trends .
• Build strong relationships with your clients by understanding their needs and preferences.

Online Delivery Integration

• Embrace online delivery and catering platforms to expand your reach and convenience for clients.
• Partner with third-party food delivery services like UberEats, Grubhub, or DoorDash to offer your home or office delivery catering menu.
• Develop your own online ordering system on your website , allowing clients to place orders, customize menus, and specify delivery details.
• Ensure your online delivery process is user-friendly, efficient, and secure, with clear delivery timelines and customer communication.
• Implement a robust delivery logistics plan, including packaging that maintains food quality during transportation.
• Promote your online delivery services through your website, social media, and marketing campaigns to attract a broader customer base.

Expanding your catering business can bring exciting opportunities for growth, increased revenue, and broader market reach.

However, successful catering businesses also deal with risks and challenges that demand diligent planning and execution. Your existing client base, brand reputation, and ability to adapt to new market dynamics will play pivotal roles in the success of your expansion efforts.

Remember that expansion of a catering company is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Your unique circumstances, resources, and market conditions will influence your chosen path. Seek guidance from industry experts, mentors, and advisors, and be prepared to adjust your strategy as needed.

Whether you decide to expand or not, the key to sustained success lies in delivering exceptional quality, maintaining strong customer relationships, and staying attuned to your clientele’s ever-evolving needs and preferences. 

By approaching expansion thoughtfully and strategically, you can position your catering business for long-term growth and prosperity.

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Catering Business Plan: How to Make a Catering Business Plan

Starting a catering business can be an incredibly rewarding venture, but it also requires careful planning and organization to ensure success. The key to a thriving catering company is a well-constructed catering business plan, outlining everything from your financial goals to your unique selling points. This comprehensive document serves as a roadmap to guide you through the process of starting and running your catering business, providing clarity and direction every step of the way.

In this blog post, we will walk you through the essential steps for creating a catering business plan, ensuring you have a solid foundation for your catering enterprise. From developing a menu that sets you apart from the competition to crafting a marketing strategy that gets your name in front of the right audience, our guide will help you turn your passion for food and service into a successful catering business. So, let's dive in and start building the blueprint for your catering success!

Catering Business Plan

A catering business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines an upcoming catering venture's operational, financial, and marketing goals. It includes detailed plans for managing sales and expenses, a marketing strategy, customer service policies, and other important business components. The plan serves as a roadmap for starting and running a successful catering business.

How to Make a Catering Business Plan

A catering business plan should be comprehensive and cover all the key aspects of your business, from your target market and competition to your financial projections and marketing strategy. Here are the steps to help you create a catering business plan:

1. Write an Executive Summary

The executive summary should be a brief introduction to your catering business plan. It should summarize your company's goals, target market, financial projections, and unique selling points of your services. Keep it concise and compelling, as this section is often the first part investors or lenders will read.

2. Create a Company Overview

In the company overview section, describe your catering business in detail. Include your company name, restaurant mission statement , business structure, legal status, and ownership. This section should also provide a high-level view of your catering services and target market.

3. Develop Services and Menu Offerings

Provide a detailed description of the services you offer, including catering for weddings, corporate events, or private parties. Outline the types of cuisine you specialize in and provide a sample menu. Include any additional services your business provides, such as event planning, restaurant equipment rental, or wait staff . Discuss your pricing strategy and outline any special packages offered.

4. Design Branded Graphics

Create a consistent and professional visual identity for your catering business by designing branded graphics tailored for restaurant branding . This includes designing a logo, choosing color schemes, and selecting typography that reflects your brand's personality. These visual elements will be used on your website, social media, promotional materials, and other marketing channels to create a cohesive brand image specifically designed for the restaurant catering industry.

5. Conduct an Industry Analysis

Research the catering industry and identify trends, challenges, and opportunities. Analyze your target market and industry competition to understand your business's unique value proposition for restaurants . This analysis should also help you determine the most profitable catering services and event types.

6. Conduct a Customer Analysis

Understand your target customer base, including their demographics, preferences, and needs. This information will help you tailor your catering services and marketing strategy to effectively meet your customers' needs.

7. Analyze Your Competition

Identify your direct and indirect competitors and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Analyze how your business can differentiate itself and establish a competitive advantage in the market.

8. Develop a Marketing Plan

Outline your marketing strategy, including advertising, social media, website, public relations, and partnerships. Describe your target audience, key messages, and tactics you will use to reach your customers and achieve your business objectives.

9. Create a Business Operations/Operations Plan

Outline how you will manage your catering business's day-to-day operations. Include information on your equipment, kitchen facilities, staff, inventory management , and food safety practices.

10. Build Your Team and Management Structure

Introduce your management team, their roles, and their relevant experience. Include any advisory board members or mentors. Describe your company's organizational structure and how it supports the execution of your business plan.

11. Forecast Your Sales and Operating Expenses

Provide sales projections for your catering business, including a breakdown of revenue streams and potential growth areas. Estimate your operating expenses , such as rent, utilities, labor, marketing, and supplies.

12. Create a Financial Plan

Include financial statements such as profit and loss, cash flow, and balance sheets. Develop a break even analysis to show when your business is expected to become profitable. Include any funding requirements and a plan for how you will secure capital.

13. Prepare an Appendix

Include any relevant supporting documents or additional information, such as licenses, permits, contracts, or legal documents that may be helpful to readers. Use this section to offer context and support for the data and claims presented in your business plan.

By following these steps, you can create a comprehensive and effective catering business plan that sets you up for success. Remember to review and update your plan regularly to adapt to changes in the market and your business's growth.

Catering Business Plan Example

Here is an example of how a catering business plan might look like:

I. Executive Summary

Our catering business, 123xyz Catering, aims to provide exceptional culinary experiences for events ranging from intimate gatherings to large corporate functions. With our talented culinary team, diverse menu offerings, and focus on local and sustainable ingredients, we will quickly establish ourselves as a premier catering service in the industry. Our comprehensive business plan outlines our goals and strategies for success, highlighting our dedication to quality, customer satisfaction , and sustainability.

II. Company Overview

123xyz Catering is a full-service catering company based in [City, State]. Our mission is to create unforgettable events by exceeding our client’s expectations with innovative cuisine, exceptional service, and creative presentation. Our team of experienced chefs, event planners, and service staff work together to ensure a seamless and memorable experience for our clients and their guests.

III. Services and Menu

Our services include event planning, custom menu creation, and on-site food preparation and service for various events, such as weddings, corporate functions, and private parties. We offer diverse menu options, including appetizers, entrées, desserts , and beverages. Our cuisine ranges from traditional to exotic, focusing on incorporating fresh, locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible. We also accommodate special dietary needs and preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

IV. Branded Graphics

Our branding strategy emphasizes clean, modern design elements that convey our commitment to quality and innovation. We will invest in professional graphic design services to create a logo, website, and marketing materials that reflect our brand's values and style. Our visual identity will be consistent across all platforms, reinforcing our reputation as a reliable and sophisticated catering service.

V. Industry Analysis

The catering industry is expected to grow steadily, driven by increasing demand for high-quality food services at events and a growing emphasis on unique, memorable experiences. Our market research has identified several trends shaping the industry, such as increasing demand for sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients, as well as a growing interest in diverse and international cuisines. 123xyz Catering is well-positioned to capitalize on these trends and differentiate ourselves from competitors.

VI. Customer Analysis

Our target customers include corporate clients, private individuals, and non-profit organizations hosting events that require catering services. We will focus on serving clients in [City, State] and surrounding areas, with the potential to expand our reach as we grow. We will target customers who value high-quality, unique culinary experiences and are willing to pay a premium for our services.

VII. Competitive Analysis

We have identified several local catering companies as our primary competitors. Through our research, we have determined that we can differentiate ourselves by offering a more diverse and innovative menu, emphasizing sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients, and providing exceptional customer service. Our competitive analysis will guide our marketing strategies and help us position ourselves as a top choice for event catering services.

VIII. Marketing Plan

Our marketing strategy includes online and offline initiatives to generate brand awareness and attract new clients. Key components of our marketing plan include:

• A user-friendly, professionally-designed website that showcases our menu and services
• Active engagement on social media platforms, sharing photos and stories from our events
• Networking within the local event planning community, establishing Attending local food and business expos to showcase our offerings and generate leads
• Offering special promotions and incentives to attract first-time clients and encourage repeat business

IX. Business Operations/Operations Plan

Our operations plan outlines the infrastructure and resources necessary to support our catering services. Key elements of our operations plan include:

• Securing a commercial kitchen space equipped with the necessary tools and equipment
• Developing relationships with local suppliers to ensure a consistent supply of fresh, high-quality ingredients
• Implementing a streamlined booking and event management system to handle client inquiries and scheduling efficiently
• Establishing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for food preparation, presentation, and service to ensure consistency and quality across all events
• Implementing robust food safety and sanitation protocols to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and compliance with local health regulations

X. Team and Management

Our team consists of passionate and experienced professionals, each bringing unique skills and expertise to the company. Key team members include:

• Founder and CEO: A seasoned entrepreneur with extensive experience in the catering and hospitality industry
• Executive Chef : A talented culinary expert with a diverse background in various cuisines and a commitment to innovation and sustainability
• Event Planner: A detail-oriented professional with experience in coordinating and executing events of various sizes and styles
• Service Staff: A team of dedicated servers and bartenders trained in providing exceptional customer service and ensuring a seamless event experience

XI. Sales Forecasts and Operating Expenses

Our sales forecast projects steady revenue growth as we establish our reputation and expand our client base. We expect to reach profitability within the first two years of operation. Operating expenses will include costs for food and beverage supplies, kitchen equipment and maintenance, labor, marketing, and general administrative expenses. We will continually monitor and adjust our financial projections as needed to ensure the business's long-term success.

XII. Financial Plan

Our financial plan outlines the necessary investments and financial management strategies to support our business operations and growth. Key elements of our financial plan include:

• Startup costs, including kitchen equipment, initial inventory, and marketing expenses
• A comprehensive pricing strategy that takes into account food and labor cost s, as well as competitive market rates
• Detailed financial projections, including income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets
• A break-even analysis to determine when our business will become profitable
• Contingency plans for managing potential financial risks and challenges

XIII. Appendix

The appendix contains additional information and resources to support the main sections of our business plan. This may include:

• Resumes and biographies of key team members
• Sample menus and photographs of our culinary creations
• Testimonials and case studies from previous clients
• Copies of relevant licenses, certifications, and insurance policies
• Market research data and industry reports
• Detailed financial projections and assumptions

In conclusion, 123xyz Catering is poised to make a lasting impact in the catering industry. With our commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability, we will provide an exceptional culinary experience for our clients and their guests, setting the stage for long-term success and growth.

Frequently Asked Questions About Catering Business Plan

Starting a catering business requires careful planning and preparation. To ensure success, it is important to create a comprehensive business plan that outlines the goals and objectives of your venture, as well as how you intend to reach them. This section will answer frequently asked questions about creating a catering business plan, from what should be included to how profitable the industry can be.

What Is Included In a Catering Business?

A catering business typically includes event planning, menu creation, and food preparation. Depending on the size of the catering service, these services can also include staffing, equipment rental, and event coordination. Some catering businesses may also offer beverage services and party rentals.

How Profitable Is a Catering Business?

A catering business's profitability heavily depends on several factors, including the quality of food, efficient marketing strategies, and operational costs. Catering businesses can enjoy generous profit margins, depending on how well they manage their operations. 

To maximize profits, caterers must ensure that their food is of high quality, that they have an effective marketing strategy to reach potential customers and keep existing customers coming back, and that their operational costs are kept as low as possible. By doing these things, catering businesses can enjoy lucrative profits and remain competitive in the market.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan?

Writing a business plan is essential for any business. It provides direction and clarity, helps to focus resources and efforts, and provides a framework for decision-making. A business plan helps you determine a business idea's viability, set goals and objectives, identify potential risks and opportunities, and manage the resources you have available. It is also essential for securing financing, as it provides potential investors and lenders with an understanding of your business.

Start Your Catering Plan Today

Creating a catering business plan is an essential step towards starting a successful catering business. It is a detailed roadmap that outlines your business objectives, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational plans.

By following the steps outlined above, you can create a comprehensive and effective plan that sets you up for success. Remember, your catering business plan is a living document that should be reviewed and updated regularly to adapt to changes in the market and your business's growth. Start your catering plan today and take the first step towards making your catering dream a reality.

Defining the target market for a Catering Business

Starting a catering business can be a great way to enter the food service industry. The barriers to entry are relatively low, and there is a wide range of potential customers. However, before you can start making money, you need to figure out who your target market is.

The first step is to understand the difference between a market and a target market . A market is the total group of potential customers for your product or service. A target market is a subset of that larger group that is most likely to purchase from you. For example, the market for catering services includes everyone who has ever hired a caterer. Your target market might be corporate event planners in your city.

Once you have identified your target market, you need to understand their needs and wants . This will allow you to craft a unique selling proposition that resonates with them. To do this, you will need to research your target market. Try to find out as much as you can about their demographics (age, income, etc.), psychographics (lifestyle, values, etc.), and buying habits (when do they purchase catering services, what budget do they have, etc.).

Your research should also extend to your competition . Take a look at what they are offering and how they are targeting their marketing efforts. This will give you some ideas about how to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack.

Narrowing down your target market will help you focus your marketing efforts and get the most bang for your buck. Spend some time on this step before moving on to the next phase of starting your catering business.

How do I find customers for my catering business?

Starting a catering business can be a great way to turn your culinary passion into a profitable venture. But once you’ve got your business up and running, how do you go about finding customers?

There are a number of ways to market your catering business, but the most effective approach will likely vary depending on your location, the type of food you serve, and your target demographic. Keep reading for some tips on how to find customers for your catering business.

Get involved in your community

One of the best ways to get word out about your catering business is to get involved in your local community. This could involve setting up a booth at a farmers market or participating in a community event or charity fundraiser. Getting involved in your community will help you raise awareness about your business and give you a chance to show off your food to potential customers.

Get creative with your marketing

When it comes to marketing your catering business, think outside the box. Traditional advertising methods like print ads or radio commercials can be expensive, so get creative and find ways to market your business that fit within your budget. Social media is a great way to reach potential customers, so make sure you’ve got an active presence on all the major platforms. You can also connect with local businesses that might need catering services and offer them a discount if they use your business.

Focus on customer service

Even if you’re not the cheapest option out there, you can still attract customers by providing outstanding customer service. Make sure you’re responsive to customer inquiries and complaints, and do everything you can to exceed their expectations. If you provide excellent service, word will quickly spread about your business and you’ll start to see an uptick in customers.

A target market is a subset of the total group of potential customers that is most likely to purchase from you. To identify your target market, research their demographics, psychographics, and buying habits. You should also research your competition so that you can set yourself apart from them. Narrowing down your target market will help you focus your marketing efforts and get the most bang for your buck.

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If you’re interested in becoming your own boss and using your passion for food and hospitality to make a living, then starting a catering business could be the perfect opportunity. But before taking the plunge, it’s important to understand exactly what running a catering business entails – from the possible pitfalls to the potential rewards.

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About Jeremy Reis

Jeremy Reis is a serial entrepreneur from the Franklin, Tennessee area. Jeremy is the founder of multiple businesses and is the VP of Marketing for CRISTA Ministries. Jeremy has his MBA with a focus in Entrepreneurship from The Ohio State University.

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Catering Business Plan

How Can a Catering Business Plan Help You?

The catering business is one of the most rewarding careers as it not only lets you pursue your passion, it has the potential to grow into a huge business by size and volume if planned properly.

A business plan is helpful for a catering business because along with great cooking skills, great management skills are an integral part of a successful catering business.

A business plan can help you conduct your daily business activities without chaos, have good finances, help you find your desired customers, and make your unique business idea a marketable one.

Things to Consider Before Writing Your Catering Business Plan

Make a list of items you can serve.

Having a list of items you will serve, helps you organize your services better. It also helps your customers understand what you can offer and decide if your service is the right one for them or not.

It also becomes important that you design your menu as per your target audience’s tastes and preferences.

Figure out your location and staffing coasts

Figure out from where you’ll provide services, what would be the amount of rent you’ll have to pay, which location would be good for your business , etc.

Apart from that, you also need to figure out staffing costs, the size of your team, the skills required, and so on.

Figure out where you’ll get your supplies from

Getting good supplies is essential for a catering business. Because you need to pay attention to quality as well as the taste of the food you’ll offer. Having a fixed supplier helps you maintain consistency in the quality of your food.

Make a list of important equipment

Although many catering services work on the go and prefer to rent equipment, it is a good practice to have the basic equipment in case of contingency. It would also decrease your reliance on other people, and pose fewer challenges while gathering supplies for new orders.

Having your equipment also makes it easier for you and your team to prepare orders as you get familiar with how to use those tools.

Now that you have done the research, let’s learn how you can write a business plan for yourself.

How to Write a Catering Business Plan?

A good catering business plan consists of a clear description of your business’s functioning, your target market, the services you offer, the size of your company, a pricing strategy, and a well-designed employee management system.

Now you might wonder, where to start from, how to go about writing a plan from scratch, and most importantly how to know if you have written a good one.

Well, you need not worry.

You can easily write a well-rounded business plan either through a pre-designed template or through online business plan software.

Moreover, online business plan software can help you write a flexible business plan that grows alongside your business.

Catering Business Plan Outline

This is the standard catering business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.

• Keys to Success
• Financial Summary
• Legal Entity
• Locations and Facilities
• Facility Design
• Boxed lunches
• Buffet style lunches
• Alternative Providers
• Future Products
• Internal Bright Future Customers
• Nonprofit External Customers
• For-profit External Customers
• Market Analysis
• Market Trends
• Market Growth
• Value Proposition
• Competitive Edge
• Distribution Strategy
• Marketing Programs
• Pricing Strategy
• Promotion Strategy
• Of Grape & Grain
• Cravings Fine Foods
• Ariana’s Deli
• Fettuccini and Co
• Napoli Restaurant
• Brindiamo Catering
• Wild Duck Brewery
• Oregon Electric Station
• Local and national grocery stores chains
• Local and national sandwich fast-food chains
• Strategic Alliances
• Organizational Structure
• Management Team Gaps
• Personnel Plan
• Other General Assumptions
• Fundraising Strategy
• Fundraising Programs
• Funding Forecast
• Start-up Summary
• Income Statement (5-Year Projections)
• Balance Sheet (5-Year Projections)
• Cash Flow (5-Year Projections)

Although your plan will keep changing as your business grows, here are a few key sections that would form the foundation of your business plan:

1. Executive summary

This executive summary section would be the first one on your plan. It provides a summary of all that your business stands for. It can be divided into the following subsections:

• Objectives : This segment would consist of the chief objectives of your company. What it aims to achieve, who it wants to serve, and where it wants to reach.
• Mission : This segment includes the mission statement of your business, it consists of what market gap you plan on filling with your business.
• Financial Summary : This segment will give a summary of the past and present condition of your finances as well as projected gains of your business.

A clear executive summary can come in handy if you need funding.

2. Operational Strategy

The operational strategy section helps you plan how to work toward achieving your business goals. It can be divided into the following subsections:

• Day-to-day activities : In this segment, you’ll write an overview of the best way of carrying out your business from onboarding clients to fulfilling the services.
• Long-term goals : This section would consist of long-term goals like serving a certain number of clients, growing your business to a certain size, and expanding to a certain number of branches, etc.

A good operational strategy would make your business activities less chaotic and prevent them from being all over the place.

3. Market Analysis

In this segment, you’ll write down every single detail you can find out about the market. It would include the following segments:

• Market trends : Knowing about all the prevailing market trends can help you design a plan that would change as per the evolving market, and also help you maintain the foundation your company stands on. It would also give you an overview of what your competitors are doing.
• Target Market : This segment would describe everything about your target market. The locations they prefer, the kind of cuisines they are into, how and when they procure catering services, etc.

This segment helps you understand what you are getting yourself into.

4. Services

This section consists of a detailed description of the services you offer. For example, the events you cater to, the volume of people you can serve, the food options your services have, what additional services you offer, etc.

This segment helps your target audience understand your services better, it helps them in deciding whether you are the right fit for them or not. So, make sure you describe your services in a clear and precise manner.

5. Financial Plan

The financial plan segment includes everything starting from the funds you need to start your business, the funds you need for procuring supplies and employing people, the projected cash flow of your business, expected profit, and loss of your business, pricing strategy, etc.

Download a sample catering business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go; download our free catering business plan pdf to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your catering business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

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A business plan software like Upmetrics is the best way to draft your business plan. This incredible tool comes with step-by-step instructions, customizable templates, and 400+ sample business plans to help you get started.

So, whether starting a catering business or planning to grow an existing one, Upmetrics is the tool you need to create a business plan.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning today!

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Frequently asked questions, how do i write a business plan for catering.

Writing a catering business plan from scratch requires a lot of research, but you can report it most effectively with the help of a catering business plan example. Using our business plan software, you can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less.

What should be included in a catering business plan?

These are the key components of a business plan your catering plan must include to stand out to investors:

• Executive summary
• Business Overview
• Products and services
• Sales and marketing strategies
• Operations plan
• Management team
• Financial plan

Where to find business plan writers for your catering business?

While many business plan writers are available to help you, believe it or not, no one knows your business better than you. So we recommend you write your catering business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind. You can use AI business plan generators like Upmetrics to speed up the writing process.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a catering business plan?

Following are some of the common mistakes to avoid when writing a catering business plan:

• Poor market research and ignoring industry trends.
• Inadequate and inaccurate financial projections.
• Undefined goals and lack of details.
• Including outdated and irrelevant information.
• Not proofreading the document for typos and grammatical errors.
• Not regularly updating your business plan.

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Catering Business Marketing Plan Template

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
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In the competitive world of catering, a solid marketing plan is key to standing out from the crowd and attracting clients to your business. Whether you specialize in weddings, corporate events, or parties, having a well-thought-out strategy is crucial for success. That's where ClickUp's Catering Business Marketing Plan Template comes in!

With this template, you can:

• Identify your target market and understand their needs and preferences
• Develop a strong brand identity that resonates with your audience
• Create a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes online and offline tactics
• Track and measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts

Don't let your catering business blend into the background. Use ClickUp's Marketing Plan Template to take your business to the next level and reach new heights of success!

Benefits of Catering Business Marketing Plan Template

A Catering Business Marketing Plan Template can provide numerous benefits for your catering business, including:

• Streamlining your marketing efforts and ensuring a cohesive strategy
• Helping you identify and target your ideal client base for maximum reach
• Providing a roadmap for promoting your services at various events, such as weddings, corporate functions, and parties
• Assisting in the creation of compelling content and visuals to attract potential customers
• Offering a framework for tracking and analyzing the success of your marketing campaigns
• Ensuring consistent brand messaging and increasing brand awareness in your target market
• Assisting in identifying new opportunities and staying ahead of competitors in the catering industry.

Main Elements of Catering Business Marketing Plan Template

ClickUp's Catering Business Marketing Plan template provides a comprehensive solution to help you streamline your marketing efforts and drive success in your catering business!

Here are the main elements of this template:

• Custom Statuses: Keep track of the progress of your marketing tasks with 6 different statuses, including Cancelled, Complete, In Progress, Needs Input, Planned, and To Do.
• Custom Fields: Utilize 6 custom fields, such as Quarter, Task Type, Impact, Progress, Percent Completion, and Effort, to add important details and metrics to your marketing plan.
• Custom Views: Access 5 different views to gain insights and manage your marketing plan effectively, including Key Results view to track key performance indicators, Timeline view to visualize your marketing schedule, Getting Started Guide view to get started quickly, Objectives view to define your marketing objectives, and Progress Board view to monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
• Collaboration Tools: Leverage ClickUp's collaboration features, such as task comments, file attachments, and real-time collaboration, to enhance communication and teamwork among your marketing team.
• Integrations: Integrate with popular marketing tools like email marketing platforms, social media management tools, and analytics software to streamline your marketing workflows and gather valuable data for analysis and optimization.

How to Use Marketing Plan for Catering Business

If you're looking to promote your catering business effectively, using a marketing plan template can be a game-changer. Follow these five steps to get the most out of your Catering Business Marketing Plan Template:

1. Define your target audience

Before diving into marketing strategies, it's crucial to identify your target audience. Determine who your ideal customers are based on factors such as demographics, preferences, and event types. This will help you tailor your marketing efforts to reach the right people.

Use custom fields in ClickUp to categorize and track your target audience based on key characteristics like age, location, and event preferences.

2. Set clear marketing objectives

Outline your marketing objectives to give your efforts a clear direction. Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate more leads, or boost sales? Whatever your goals may be, make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Create tasks in ClickUp to outline and track your marketing objectives, assigning due dates and responsibilities to keep everyone on track.

3. Develop a strong brand identity

Establishing a strong brand identity is essential for standing out in the competitive catering industry. Define your unique selling proposition (USP) and create a compelling brand story that resonates with your target audience. This will help you differentiate yourself from competitors and build brand loyalty.

Utilize the Board view in ClickUp to visually organize and brainstorm ideas for your brand identity, including your USP, brand values, and messaging.

4. Implement a multi-channel marketing strategy

To reach potential customers effectively, leverage various marketing channels. This might include a combination of online and offline tactics such as social media marketing, email campaigns, content creation, search engine optimization (SEO), and networking events. Tailor your strategy to align with your target audience and marketing objectives.

Use Automations in ClickUp to streamline your marketing efforts, such as automatically scheduling social media posts or sending personalized email campaigns.

5. Track and analyze your marketing performance

Regularly monitor and analyze the performance of your marketing campaigns to identify what's working and what needs improvement. Track key metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, and customer feedback. This data will help you make data-driven decisions and optimize your marketing efforts for better results.

Utilize the Dashboards feature in ClickUp to create visual reports and track your marketing performance in real-time, allowing you to make informed decisions and adjust your strategies accordingly.

By following these five steps and utilizing the Catering Business Marketing Plan Template in ClickUp, you'll be well-equipped to create an effective marketing plan that drives success for your catering business.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Catering Business Marketing Plan Template

Catering business owners can use this Catering Business Marketing Plan Template to effectively promote their services and increase brand awareness for their target market.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive marketing plan:

• Use the Key Results View to set measurable goals and track the success of your marketing efforts
• The Timeline View will help you plan out marketing activities and campaigns over a specific period
• Refer to the Getting Started Guide for step-by-step instructions on using this template effectively
• The Objectives View will help you define your marketing objectives and align them with your business goals
• The Progress Board View allows you to track the progress of each marketing task and ensure timely completion
• Organize tasks into six different statuses: Cancelled, Complete, In Progress, Needs Input, Planned, To Do, to keep track of progress
• Update statuses as you progress through tasks to keep your team informed of progress
• Monitor and analyze tasks to ensure maximum productivity and measure the success of your marketing efforts

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How To Write A Winning Catering Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for catering businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding. This begs a question: what elements appropriately belong in your catering business plan.

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

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every catering business owner should include in his or her business plan.

Download the Ultimate Catering Business Plan Template

What is a Catering Business Plan?

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

Why Write a Catering Business Plan?

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

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

Writing an Effective Catering Business Plan

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

Executive Summary

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

• Start with a one-line description of your catering company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.
• Form a line-up of evaluators to whom you will give your catering business plan and have them be heartless in their criticism.

Company Description

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

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

You will also include information about your chosen catering business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

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

Questions to answer in the catering business plan  include:

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

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

Customer Analysis

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

For example, a catering business’ customers may include:

• Wedding receptions
• Corporate luncheons and events
• Private parties
• Cocktail parties

This information will help you determine your marketing strategy later on. It is important to remember that your target market may not always be the same as your actual customer base. In other words, you may have to market to a different audience in your catering business plan than the one you eventually want to sell your services to.

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

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or catering services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

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

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

Marketing Plan

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

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

Operations Plan

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

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

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

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next three-to-five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a catering business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include:

Hiring a certain number of new employees

Opening a second location

Rolling out a new product or service line

Management Team

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

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

Financial Plan

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

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

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

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Catering Business

Balance sheet.

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

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

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Catering Business

Cash flow statement.

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

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

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

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Catering Business

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

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

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

A well-written business plan is critical for any catering business looking to start or grow. In addition, be sure to include a detailed financial plan and supporting documentation in your appendix. This will give investors and lenders the confidence they need to believe in your company’s long-term success.  

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Bright Future Youth and Family Services

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

Society lacks resources for the less privileged or homeless youth population. Eugene, like all the other cities, has a migration of homeless teenagers who have run away from home. They are here for a few months of the year and then they hitch down to California during the winter for warmer weather. These are young adults who have no idea how to be part of society. They can’t provide for themselves and eventually they have children and the cycle continues.

We provide at-risk youth alternative education and career assistance in Lane County. We want to make this experience valuable for our clients. We do this through a series of curricula funded by the Lane Workforce Partnership, Oregon Youth Conservation Corps, Oregon Department of Human Resources, and the local school districts.

Our most recent program is a culinary arts program in which students learn about food preparation and safe handling and then put this knowledge to use by preparing lunches for their peers at the Chambers School. After completing the 9-week curriculum, students are placed with a local food service business for a 60-hour practical training where they can continue to develop their skills. Currently, the culinary arts program is available to five students per 9-week school term, or approximately 25 students per year. Students enrolled in the program are selected because of their sincere interest in the culinary field and their excellent attendance.

According to the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, “[a]t the heart of the Eugene economy are the homegrown small and medium-sized businesses. Most of Eugene’s businesses employ fewer than 20 workers. From specialty retail shops to financial service firms, from management consultancies to ethnic groceries, Eugene’s small business community is diverse, active, thriving and well-supported. Including sole proprietorships and limited partnerships, there are more than 10,000 businesses in and around Eugene.” Eugene/Springfield’s population has grown 3.95% on average since 1998 and this new growth has meant new businesses and expanding opportunities for catering companies who can serve these businesses’ needs.

Catering For Kids anticipates that Eugene/Springfield businesses have unmet demand for catered lunch meetings and other events. And unlike other restaurant and food-related businesses, business to business catering is not as cyclical as business to consumer catering. Businesses continue to have lunch meetings and employees who wish to purchase their lunches year round. In order to gain some insight into the market size and demand, we undertook some limited market research. An email survey was sent to 144 Lane County nonprofit organizations that requested their current or future demand for catering services and their interest in patronizing a nonprofit catering business. We received many responses like the ones that follow.

“I think that this is a great idea and could be a good resource for the community. Springfield/Eugene Habitat for Humanity does not host many lunchtime meetings, however there is a group of about 13 or 14 Executive Directors of Habitat affiliates that meet here about every three months that might use your service.” – Susan Brown, Volunteer Coordinator, Eugene/Springfield Habitat for Humanity

“…if we do have an event that we need catering we will call your program first. We have a policy of using nonprofit organizations for services first.” – Bob Smith, Exec Dir, Pacific Youth Corps of Oregon

“Our needs for catering are not very large, maybe a few times a year. However, you may contact me to discuss the program. My son attends Chambers School and I would welcome hearing more details.” – Mark West, Lane County Agricultural Museum

“We do have General Membership Meetings where we require a venue for 50 to 100 people. I’m not involved with arranging the meetings but do know that our organization is in need of a place to meet where food and beer can be served. Perhaps you will hear from Dave – I think the first meeting is usually in October.” – Emily, Graduate Teaching Federation Office

Competition

A number of other caterers offer boxed lunches for business clients. However, none of these businesses specialize in serving the nonprofit sector, nor are they themselves a nonprofit that benefits the local community. Catering For Kids will specialize in developing excellent relationships with its nonprofit clientele. We believe that this unique position, combined with competitively priced, fresh, high-quality meals will set Catering For Kids apart as the premier caterer for the Lane County nonprofit sector.

Catering For Kids is dedicated to providing at-risk youth with an opportunity to gain work experience and transferable skills by providing our customers with  healthy, homemade foods and excellent service at reasonable prices. Employees of Catering For Kids will be students who are enrolled in the culinary arts program at the Chambers School and Career Center and are interested in gaining work experience in the restaurant and food services industry. The experiences the students have while participating in this program will assist them in making the transition from school to work and will allow them to develop entrepreneurial skills that will be transferable to any job in the future.

Expectations

The following benchmark chart indicates our key financial indicators for the first three years. We foresee slow but steady growth in demand for our services and consequent increase in operating expenses. During year one, Catering For Kids will serve its internal market only, as we ramp up to serving the external market in year two.

Financial Highlights by Year

Financing needed.

One of our revenue lines is grant funding, $15,000 annually. And we need and anticipate donations of $2,000 per month, plus some revenue from fees for lunches and event catering.

Problem & Solution

Problem worth solving.

Society has a problem, they do not have enough resources for the less privileged or homeless youth population. Eugene, like all the other cities, has a migration of homeless teenagers that have run away from home. They are here for a few months of the year and then they hitch down to California during the winter for warmer weather. These are young adults who have no idea how to be part of society. They can’t provide for themselves and eventually, they have children and the cycle continues. 

Our Solution

The Chambers School and Career Center is one of ten tax-exempt nonprofit programs of Bright Future Youth and Family Services. Our mission is to assist at-risk youth in the Eugene/Springfield area in becoming productive citizens by providing a learning and work environment where they feel challenged, respected, and accountable as they strive to meet the demands of adulthood.  We have a staff of approximately 250 employees and also utilize several volunteers each year who play a vital role in the organization. Bright Future prides itself on its diversity of funding sources that make for a fiscally strong organization. Agency revenues come from governmental contracts, charitable gifts, United Way funding, and fees for service

Target Market

Market size & segments.

Market Segmentation

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1. Internal Bright Future Customers:

• Board of Directors meetings, serving 35-45 meals per month in either a buffet or lunch box format.
• Board Sub-committee meetings, serving 40-50 meals per month in either a buffet or lunch box format.
• Bright Future Counseling Center meetings, serving approximately 25 meals each week in either a buffet or lunch box format.
• Miscellaneous meetings throughout the Bright Future organization, which has over 250 employees on staff.
• Rolling cart lunch service at various Bright Future locations in Eugene/Springfield, serving boxed lunches and beverages only.

2. Nonprofit External Customers:

• Catered meetings held by other nonprofit clients.

3. For-profit External Customers:

• Rolling cart boxed lunch and College City coffee service in local government or private sector offices that are underserved by local restaurants and coffee shops.

Target Market Segment Strategy

Catering For Kids’ target market segment is nonprofit customers (including internal customers). We plan to target this group for several important reasons. First, we are a nonprofit organization and believe that we are better positioned to serve the needs of other nonprofits. Secondly, we believe that nonprofit organizations are more likely to try and continue to use a fellow nonprofit for catering services. And thirdly, we do not intend to jump into the commercial catering market in direct competition with for-profit caterers. Instead, this is a long-term growth opportunity that Catering For Kids may explore in the future. By postponing this direct competition, we believe our organization will be better able to remain focused on our primary objective: serving at-risk youth in Lane County.

Current Alternatives

There are several caterers in town that will compete directly with Catering For Kids for business, once we grow beyond serving our internal organization customers only. The key alternative caterers are:

• Of Grape & Grain , which specializes in deli style boxed lunches and cafe-style dining. This is the caterer currently used by Bright Future.
• Cravings Fine Foods , which specializes in event planning and cafe-style dining but which also offers deli style corporate boxed lunches.
• Ariana’s Deli  (owned by Alpine Catering), which features online ordering of deli style boxed lunches for delivery.
• Fetuccini and Co.  , which also features online ordering of deli style boxed lunches for delivery.
• The Garden Deli , which also features online ordering of deli style boxed lunches for delivery.
• Napoli Restaurant , which features Italian style boxed lunches with a limited menu and no delivery.
• Brindiamo Catering , which features high-end boxed lunches with delivery, table decor and waitstaff.
• Wild Duck Brewery , which features hot and cold boxed lunches as well as boxed salads and offers delivery for a small fee.
• Oregon Electric Station , which specializes in high-end events such as weddings and corporate parties.
• Alpine Catering , a full service caterer.
• Oakway Caterers

Several of the above caterers, such as Napoli Restaurant, have a primary focus of operating their restaurant and may not put as much emphasis on catering details. Others, like Wild Duck Brewery, are focused primarily on large events and require a 15 person minimum for service. Still others, like Brindiamo Catering, are focused on very high-end customers and are out of the price range of many nonprofit organizations at over $12 per person. Therefore, Catering For Kids’s primary competitors are the smaller, deli-style caterers, such as Of Grape & Grain and Ariana’s Deli, whose prices are around $5-7 per person and who can be flexible with catering to small, less formal meetings.

There are also a number of low-end caterers that will compete with Catering For Kids even before we grow beyond our internal clients, as these caterers are currently used by some Bright Future programs now. These include:

• Local and national grocery stores chains  such as Albertson’s that will make made-to-order deli submarine sandwiches, chips and sides.
• Local and national sandwich fast-food chains  such as Togo’s and Quizno’s. Like grocery stores, these stores will also make made-to-order sandwich based meals that include chips and a beverage.

Although these providers offer low-cost fare, they are unable to offer much in the way of custom menu planning and do not differentiate between retail consumers and business or nonprofit customers. Thus, their services are one size fits all – they have a fixed and limited menu and their delivery hours are restricted to their normal hours of operation. Patronizing this type of business also does not benefit the community directly as does the Catering For Kids.

Our Advantages

Catering For Kids has the ability to provide internal and external customers with high-quality catered business lunches year round at competitive pricing while providing a valuable service to the community. We are able to provide this value because we have a pre-trained workforce – students of the Bright Future Chambers School and Safe & Sound Youth Project. These students are enrolled in the culinary arts program and have training in commercial food preparation and have food handler’s cards. This work experience will provide students with transferable skills that help facilitate their transition from school to work and provide an excellent public relations position for Catering For Kids. The instructor of the culinary arts program is an experienced restaurateur who will bring practical business management know-how to the business and serves as a role model to the students in the program.

As our organization is a school, which experiences a constant flow of students through its classes, the workforce of Catering For Kids will be constantly changing as well. This presents a challenge to the permanent staff to maintain the same high levels of customer service and quality that our customers demand, despite having an entirely new staff every nine weeks. However, we are confident that our teachers and staff members are committed to the success of this project. In addition, each class of students is quite small, which allows adequate supervision and quality control over the products created.

Keys to Success

Our Keys to Success: 

• Cultivate an identity (brand) for the Catering For Kids business in the Eugene/Springfield community.
• Expand our customer base into new areas within Eugene/Springfield.
• Hire a year-round business manager for the catering business, thereby providing student employment twelve months of the year.
• Expand the donor/corporate partner base and corporate contributions that add to the financial resources of Chambers School’s programs.
• Provide students with entrepreneurial job skills that can open doors to future employment opportunities.
• Acquire additional equipment to support future growth and offer greater flexibility, leading to expanded services offered by Catering For Kids that will further the goal of providing valuable work opportunities for homeless and at-risk youth.

Marketing & Sales

Marketing plan.

Catering For Kids strives to be the premier provider of healthy, homemade catered corporate lunches for nonprofit organizations.

The marketing strategy attempts to successfully communicate the unique value the program offers to customers. This strategy builds on the focus of high-quality lunches for catered meetings to the benefits that at-risk youth student workers gain from involvement in the program. The marketing strategy will continue to identify the needs of the corporate market and to communicate with this audience in the most effective and positive manner possible.

The growth strategy is based on continued attention to the quality of the customer’s experience in conjunction with identifying opportunities to expand the student participation in the program. Future changes in key areas, such as the facilities used for food preparation as our customer base grows will present considerable challenges for all aspects of the program.

Catering For Kids is committed to balancing its operating budget and operating on a solid financial foundation. These efforts are based on a mixture of revenues from catering events, fundraising, partnerships with local businesses and charitable gifting. Just as revenues are tracked, internal expenses will be closely monitored.

Catering For Kids is intentionally emphasizing the need to reduce reliance on donation-based revenues and looks toward revenues from catering customers to support the program. Indeed, our goal is to become self-sustaining, involving our students in the process of maintaining a profitable and competitive entrepreneurial venture that benefits our community. This is a considerable challenge, due to the number of local catering competitors, the small size of the program and the unpredictable costs in areas such as food.

 Fundraising Programs

• First year revenues assume that internal Bright Future customers will begin using Catering For Kids in October for all catered board, committee and counseling meetings. A sales increase is anticipated in December when Catering For Kids may be used to cater company Christmas parties.
• Per person pricing of $6.50 is assumed and is an average number. This number may be revised up or down to reflect costs of goods and competitor’s prices.
• Anticipated donations are based on past donations received from grant-making foundations for similar Bright Future school-to-work programs. However, as it is a goal of this program to become self-sustaining, these funds taper off over the first year as Catering For Kids becomes more financially stable.

Locations & Facilities

Catering For Kids will be located inside the Chambers School and Career Center at 1390 Keasey Boulevard in Eugene, Oregon. The school facility includes a commercial kitchen that is licensed by the Oregon Department of Human Services to serve the public. Currently, the kitchen is used by the culinary arts program to prepare and serve breakfast and lunch for students during each school year.

So far, only three Eugene caterers offer online ordering, which means that the primary methods of ordering catered lunches in Eugene/Springfield is still by phone or fax. Catering For Kids will offer fax/phone ordering with either trained students or staff taking orders with a minimum two days in advance of delivery. During this first year, Catering For Kids will primarily serve Bright Future internal customers only and online ordering will be unnecessary. However, in the long term as more customers become used to ordering lunch online, Catering For Kids may update its website to receive online orders.

During year two, Catering For Kids will have a website that includes its complete menu and contact information. We will include this website address on as many printed materials as possible. For example, our thank-you notes, which will be included in every boxed lunch, will have our website address printed on them. The administrative offices of Bright Future currently updates and maintains the organization’s websites and we anticipate that this department will also handle the design and creation of the Catering For Kids website.

Milestones & Metrics

Milestones table, key metrics.

Our key metrics are: 

• Linked in business to business lead generation 
• # of facebook page views 
• # of twitter tweets and retweets 
• Blog – share and get consultants to write expert artices 
• Fundraising events – a little old school but donors expect this 
• Facebook videos 
• Videos and articles that take advantage of crowdfunding 

Ownership & Structure

Our organization is led by the director with the instructor(s) reporting directly to this director. A volunteer advisory board offers a broad range of social services expertise and years of business experience to the team.

Management Team

Christy Smith, the director of the Chambers School and Career Center, holds an MS in counseling from the University of Ohio and has been employed with Bright Future for the past 24 years.  She has over 30 years experience in working with at-risk youth and 16 years in program management including: personnel, grant writing, fiscal management, contract compliance, public relations, and daily operations.

Monica Kraft, the head of the culinary arts program at the Chambers School and Career Center has over 23 years of restaurant business ownership experience. While she currently owns La Pequena Taqueria, a successful  food booth that has been serving the Eugene Saturday Market for 23 years, she has also owned a catering business and cafe and was a founding member of the Keystone Restaurant, a fixture in Eugene since 1981. She received her teaching credentials at Kansas State University  and has been teaching the curriculum she developed for the Chambers School

The Volunteer Steering Committee consists of seven talented members of the Eugene/Springfield business and education communities. Combined, they bring years over 55 years of business experience, including two MBAs, to the table. These volunteers are dedicated to the success of the Catering For Kids and to ensuring that our area youth get the opportunities they deserve.

Personnel Table

Financial plan investor-ready personnel plan .">, key assumptions.

The financial plan depends on important assumptions, most of which are shown in the following table. The key underlying assumptions are:

• We assume direct food costs will be equal to or less than 30% of total direct costs.
• We assume a slow-growth economy, without major recession or crisis in food contamination.
• We assume that there are no unforeseen changes in government grant funding availability.
• We assume a continued interest in restaurant and hospitality services by students of the Chambers School. It has proved to be a highly popular program in the past and we have no reason to believe this situation will change.
• We assume a continued interest in using catering services by organizations and businesses in the Eugene/Springfield area.

Revenue by Month

Expenses by month, net profit (or loss) by year, use of funds.

Start-up Expenses

Dept. of Health Fees $100

Lease (Commercial kitchen) $8,000

Expensed Equipment $1,500

Software $500

TOTAL START-UP EXPENSES $10,000

We will also have $30,000 in mostly culinary equipment as long-term assets when we start. 

Sources of Funds

We will get our $40,000 from initial fundraising to a specific grantor that will front us the money, plus an annual $15,000 grant from the Eugene Downtown Commission. Our plan assumes $2K per month in donations. 

Projected Profit & Loss

Projected balance sheet, projected cash flow statement.

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HOW TO SERVE YOUR TARGET MARKET IN A CATERING BUSINESS -->

How to serve your target market in a catering business.

[fa icon="calendar"] Apr 9, 2018 11:30:07 AM / by Roberta Oddati

Baking is one of the most rewarding services out there, especially if it’s also a passion of yours.  You may have the necessary skills and tools that can make your catering business successful , but demands are not driven by what you know. Demand is driven by the preferences of the general consumers. As trends continue to keep changing, consumers are expected to be more health-conscious with their choices and  opt for gluten-free, vegan, or organic varieties. Focusing on the right market or consumer group will result in highly profitable business. There are certain key points to make your catering company stand out from the rest . Read our blog to learn how to properly serve your target market in a catering business.

Client Base

Your clients are pretty much your boss and your main source of income. If you anger or displease a customer, you will damage not only your profits but also your business.  Your goal here is to serve a sizeable yet doable portion of the large consumer market without losing quality nor profits. You should know how to define your target market , cater to their tastes and use appropriate and  creative marketing ideas  to reach out to them.

Your Expertise and Strengths

This means knowing and establishing what you are good at and banking on those skills as profit. One thing you should know before opening your catering business is that your skills should also go hand-in-hand with your target market. For example, you can’t cater to a consumer group that prefers pastries when you aren’t a pastry chef in the first place. This also extends to the capabilities of your business itself. If  a catering business is too much of a hassle for your to handle, consider creating an on-site bakery/pastry shop. All in all, know your strengths and weaknesses as a team and business to establish a brand and name for yourself.

The C onnections

We are social beings in nature. We tend to create bonds even at times we don’t even expect them. A successful business also needs to have the right bonds with other people and businesses. Don't forget to get your name out there by (at least) word of mouth. This also means reaching out to create partnerships with other services like being a caterer for a wedding planner. Using social media platforms for your catering business   can also be a powerful tool when used right because it opens opportunities to not only local and international partnerships. Your goal here is to build your brand among the consumer base to reach an even wider one.

The Financial Plan

As of 2017, the estimated start up cost can reach at around $5, 000, but can also potentially earn you $5, 000 per month. You should know how to balance quality over quantity in everything related to business. A business trying to cater to a high-class consumer base when in reality they cannot keep up with the demands financially, is bound for bankruptcy. You should define  your middle ground of balance between quality and expenditure.

Topics: business , catering

Written by Roberta Oddati

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Home » Europe » Moscow

EPIC MOSCOW Itinerary! (2024)

Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia. Just the mention of this city conjures images of colorful bulbous pointed domes, crisp temperatures, and a uniquely original spirit!

Moscow has an incredibly turbulent history, a seemingly resilient culture, and a unique enchantment that pulls countless tourists to the city each year! Although the warmer months make exploring Moscow’s attractions more favorable, there’s just something about a fresh snowfall that only enhances the appearance of the city’s iconic sites!

If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or simply wanting to see as much of the city as possible, this Moscow itinerary will help you do just that!

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Best Time To Visit Moscow

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Here is a quick look at the seasons so you can decide when to visit Moscow!

The summer months (June-August) are a great time to travel to Moscow to take advantage of the enjoyable mild temperatures. This is considered peak travel season. Bear in mind that hotel prices rise along with the temperatures!

If you’re planning a trip to Moscow during fall (September-November) try to plan for early fall. This way the temperatures will still be pleasant and winter won’t be threatening.

Russian winters (December-February) are not for the faint of heart as Napoleon learned to his peril. Some days the sun will be out for less than an hour, and snow is guaranteed. Although winters are exceptionally cold, this is when you’ll get a true glimpse of the Moscow experience!

The best time to visit Moscow is during spring  (March-May). The temperatures will begin to creep up and the sun begins to shine for significant portions of the day. Hotel rates will also have yet to skyrocket into peak ranges!

With a Moscow City Pass , you can experience the best of Moscow at the CHEAPEST prices. Discounts, attractions, tickets, and even public transport are all standards in any good city pass – be sure invest now and save them $$$ when you arrive!

Moscow is a large city with many accommodation options to choose from. Staying in a location that fits with your travel plans will only enhance your Moscow itinerary. Here is a brief introduction to a few great areas of the city we recommend checking out!

The best place to stay in Moscow to be close to all the action is Kitay-Gorod. This charming neighborhood will put you within walking distance to Moscow’s famous Red Square, thus cutting down on travel time. This will allow you to see more of the city in a shorter amount of time!

It’s surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. If you’re a first-time visitor to Moscow, or just planning a quick weekend in Moscow, then this area is perfect for you!

Another great area to consider is the Zamoskvorechye district. This area of the city offers a blend of new and old Moscow. It has an artsy vibe and there are plenty of fun sites you can explore outside of the main touristy areas of Moscow.

Of course, as in all areas of Moscow, it’s close to public transportation that will quickly connect you with the rest of the city and make your Moscow itinerary super accessible!

Best Airbnb in Moscow – Exclusive Apartment in Old Moscow

Modern and cozy, this apartment is in the heart of Old Moscow. Bordering the Basmanny and Kitay-Gorod districts, this two-bedroom flat is walking distance to the Kremlin and Red Square. Safe, quiet, and comfortable, this is the best Airbnb in Moscow, no question!

Best Budget Hotel in Moscow – Izmailovo Alfa Hotel

The Izmailovo Alfa Hotel is a very highly rated accommodation that provides all the components necessary for a comfortable trip to Moscow. There is an on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, and an airport shuttle service. The rooms are modern and spacious and are equipped with a TV, heating/air conditioning, minibar, and more!

Best Luxury Hotel in Moscow – Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre

If you’re touring Moscow in luxury, the Crowne Plaza Moscow World Trade Centre is the hotel for you! Elegantly furnished rooms are equipped with a minibar, flat-screen TV,  in-room safes, as well as tea and coffee making facilities! Bathrooms come with bathrobes, slippers, and free toiletries. There is also an onsite restaurant, bar, and fitness center.

Best Hostel in Moscow – Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station. Guests will enjoy all the usual hostel perks such as self-catering facilities, 24-hour reception, Free Wi-Fi, and security lockers. This is one of the best hostels in Moscow and its wonderful social atmosphere and will make your vacation in Moscow extra special!

Godzillas Hostel is one of our favourites in Moscow but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.

An important aspect of planning any trip is figuring out the transportation situation. You’re probably wondering how you’re going to get to all of your Moscow points of interest right? Luckily, this sprawling city has an excellent network of public transportation that will make traveling a breeze!

The underground metro system is the quickest and most efficient way to travel around Moscow. Most visitors rely exclusively on this super-efficient transportation system, which allows you to get to pretty much anywhere in the city! It’s also a great option if you’re planning a Moscow itinerary during the colder months, as you’ll be sheltered from the snow and freezing temperatures!

If you prefer above-ground transportation, buses, trams, and trolleybuses, run throughout the city and provide a rather comfortable alternative to the metro.

Moscow’s metro, buses, trams, and trolleybuses are all accessible with a ‘Troika’ card. This card can be topped up with any sum of money at a metro cash desk. The ticket is simple, convenient, and even refundable upon return to a cashier!

No matter which method you choose, you’ll never find yourself without an easy means of getting from point A to point B!

Red Square | Moscow Kremlin | Lenin’s Mausoleum | St. Basil’s Cathedral  | GUM Department Store

Spend the first day of your itinerary taking your own self guided Moscow walking tour around the historic Red Square! This is Moscow’s compact city center and every stop on this list is within easy walking distance to the next! Get ready to see all of the top Moscow landmarks!

Day 1 / Stop 1 – The Red Square

• Why it’s awesome: The Red Square is the most recognizable area in Moscow, it has mesmerizing architecture and centuries worth of history attached to its name.
• Cost: Free to walk around, individual attractions in the square have separate fees. 
• Food nearby: Check out Bar BQ Cafe for friendly service and good food in a great location! The atmosphere is upbeat and they’re open 24/7!

The Red Square is Moscow’s historic fortress and the center of the Russian government. The origins of the square date back to the late 15th century, when Ivan the Great decided to expand the Kremlin to reflect Moscow’s growing power and prestige!

During the 20th century, the square became famous as the site for demonstrations designed to showcase Soviet strength. Visiting the Red Square today, you’ll find it teeming with tourists, who come to witness its magical architecture up close!

The square is the picture postcard of Russian tourism, so make sure to bring your camera when you visit! No matter the season, or the time of day, it’s delightfully photogenic! 

It’s also home to some of Russia’s most distinguishing and important landmarks, which we’ve made sure to include further down in this itinerary. It’s an important center of Russia’s cultural life and one of the top places to visit in Moscow!

In 1990, UNESCO designated Russia’s Red Square as a World Heritage site. Visiting this historic site is a true bucket-list event and essential addition to your itinerary for Moscow!

Day 1 / Stop 2 – The Moscow Kremlin

• Why it’s awesome: The Moscow Kremlin complex includes several palaces and cathedrals and is surrounded by the Kremlin wall. It also houses the principal museum of Russia (the Kremlin Armory).
• Cost: USD $15.00
• Food nearby: Bosco Cafe is a charming place to grat a casual bite to eat. They have excellent coffee and wonderful views of the Red Square and the Moscow Kremlin!

The iconic Moscow Kremlin , also known as the Kremlin museum complex, sits on Borovitsky Hill, rising above the Moscow River. It is a fortified complex in the center of the city, overlooking several iconic buildings in the Red Square!

It’s the best known of the Russian Kremlins – citadels or fortress’ protecting and dominating a city. During the early decades of the Soviet era, the Kremlin was a private enclave where the state’s governing elite lived and worked.

The Kremlin is outlined by an irregularly shaped triangular wall that encloses an area of 68 acres! The existing walls and towers were built from 1485 to 1495. Inside the Kremlin museum complex, there are five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.

The Armoury Chamber is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex and is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established in 1851. It showcases Russian history and displays many cherished relics. Definitely make sure to check out this museum while you’re here!

The churches inside the Moscow Kremlin are the Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation, and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki (a church tower).

The five-domed Cathedral of the Dormition is considered the most famous. It was built from 1475–1479 by an Italian architect and has served as a wedding and coronation place for great princes, tsars, and emperors of Russia. Church services are given in the Kremlin’s numerous cathedrals on a regular basis.

The Grand Kremlin Palace was the former Tsar’s Moscow residence and today it serves as the official workplace of the President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin seems to have bagged that title for life) .

Insider Tip: The Kremlin is closed every Thursday! Make sure to plan this stop on your Moscow itinerary for any other day of the week!

Day 1 / Stop 3 – Lenin’s Mausoleum

• Why it’s awesome: The mausoleum displays the preserved body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin .
• Cost: Free!
• Food nearby: Khinkal’naya is a charming Georgian restaurant with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick. It’s a popular place with locals and right next to the Red Square!

Lenin’s Mausoleum, also known as Lenin’s Tomb, is the modernist mausoleum for the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. It’s located within the Red Square and serves as the resting place for the Soviet leader! His preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in 1924.

It’s located just a few steps away from the Kremlin Wall and is one of the most controversial yet popular Moscow attractions!

Admission is free for everyone, you’ll only need to pay if you need to check a bag. Before visitors are allowed to enter the mausoleum, they have to go through a metal detector first. No metal objects, liquids, or large bags are allowed in the mausoleum!

Expect a line to enter the building, and while you’re inside the building, you’ll be constantly moving in line with other visitors. This means you won’t be able to spend as long as you’d like viewing the mausoleum, but you’ll still be able to get a good look. Pictures and filming while inside the building are strictly prohibited, and security guards will stop you if they see you breaking this rule.

The mausoleum is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday – unless it’s a public holiday or a day scheduled for maintenance. The hours it’s open for each day are limited, make sure to check online before you visit to make sure you can fit this into your Moscow itinerary for that day!

Insider Tip: The Lenin’s Museum is there for people to pay their respect; remember to keep silent and move along quickly, it’s not intended for people to congregate around. Also, men are not allowed to wear hats and everyone must take their hands out of their pockets when inside the building.

Day 1 / Stop 4 – St. Basil’s Cathedral

• Why it’s awesome: A dazzling designed cathedral that showcases Russia’s unique architecture. This cathedral is one of the most recognizable symbols of the country!
• Cost: USD $8.00
• Food nearby: Moskovskiy Chaynyy Klub is a cozy cafe serving food items and pipping hot tea; it’s the perfect place to go if you’re visiting Moscow during the winter months!

Located in the Red Square, the ornate 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral is probably the building you picture when you think of Moscow’s unique architecture. Its colorful onion-shaped domes tower over the Moscow skyline!

The cathedral was built from 1555-1561 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It was designed with an iconic onion dome facade and enchanting colors that captivate all who see it. Fun fact: If you’re wondering why Russian churches have onion domes, they are popularly believed to symbolize burning candles!

This iconic cathedral has become a symbol of Russia due to its distinguishing architecture and prominent position inside the Red Square. It’s one of the most beautiful, wonderful, and mesmerizing historical cathedrals in the world!

The interior of the church surprises most people when they visit. In contrast to the large exterior, the inside is not so much one large area, but rather a collection of smaller areas, with many corridors and small rooms. There are 9 small chapels and one mausoleum grouped around a central tower.

Visiting the inside is like walking through a maze, there are even small signs all around the cathedral tracing where to walk, and pointing you in the right direction! The walls are meticulously decorated and painted with intricate floral designs and religious themes.

The church rarely holds service and is instead a museum open for the public to visit.

Insider Tip: During the summer months the line to go inside the cathedral can get quite long! Make sure to arrive early or reserve your tickets online to guarantee quick access into the cathedral!

Day 1 / Stop 5 – GUM Department Store

• Why it’s awesome: This is Russia’s most famous shopping mall! It’s designed with elegant and opulent architecture and provides a real sense of nostalgia!
• Cost: Free to enter
• Food nearby: Stolovaya 57 is a cafeteria-style restaurant with a variety of inexpensive Russian cuisine menu items including soups, salads, meat dishes, and desserts. It’s also located inside the GUM department store, making it very easily accessible when you’re shopping!

The enormous GUM Department Store is located within the historic Red Square. It has a whimsical enchantment to it that sets it apart from your typical department store.

A massive domed glass ceiling lines the top of the building and fills the interior with natural sunlight. There are live plants and flowers placed throughout the mall that give the shopping complex a lively and cheerful feel! A playful fountain sits in the center, further adding to the malls inviting a sense of wonder and amusement!

The GUM department store opened on December 2, 1893. Today, it includes local and luxury stores, including Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and many more! There are numerous cafes, restaurants, and even a movie theater inside!

For a special treat, head into Gastronom 1. This 1950s-style shop sells gourmet food items, like wine, freshly-baked pastries, cheese, Russian chocolate, and of course, vodka! Also, be on the lookout for a bicycle pedaling ice cream truck with an employing selling ice cream!

The ambiance is simply amazing, a trip to this idyllic shopping mall is an absolute must on any Moscow itinerary!

Insider Tip: Make sure to carry some small change on you in case you need to use the restroom, you’ll need to pay 50 rubles – or about USD $0.80 to use the bathroom in GUM.

Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….

These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the  real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

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Novodevichy Convent | Gorky Park | State Tretyakov Gallery | All-Russian Exhibition Center | Bolshoi Theater

On your 2 day itinerary in Moscow, you’ll have a chance to use the city’s excellent public transportation service! You’ll explore a few more of Moscow’s historic highlight as well as some modern attractions. These sites are a little more spread out, but still very easily accessible thanks to the metro!

Day 2 / Stop 1 – Novodevichy Convent

• Why it’s awesome: The Novodevichy Convent is rich in imperial Russian history and contains some of Russia’s best examples of classical architecture!
• Cost: USD $5.00
• Food nearby: Culinary Shop Karavaevs Brothers is a cozy and simple place to have a quick bite, they also have vegetarian options!

The Novodevichy Convent is the best-known and most popular cloister of Moscow. The convent complex is contained within high walls, and there are many attractions this site is known for! 

The six-pillared five-domed Smolensk Cathedral is the main attraction. It was built to resemble the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral and its facade boasts beautiful snowy white walls and a pristine golden onion dome as its centerpiece. It’s the oldest structure in the convent, built from 1524 -1525, and is situated in the center of the complex between the two entrance gates.

There are other churches inside the convent as well, all dating back from many centuries past. The convent is filled with an abundance of 16th and 17th-century religious artworks, including numerous large and extravagant frescos!

Just outside the convent’s grounds lies the Novodevichy Cemetery. Here, you can visit the graves of famous Russians, including esteemed authors, composers, and politicians. Probably the most intriguing gravestone belongs to Russian politician Nikita Khruschev!

The Novodevichy Convent is located near the Moscow River and offers a peaceful retreat from the busy city. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The convent remains remarkably well-preserved and is an outstanding example of Moscow Baroque architecture! 

Insider Tip: To enter the cathedrals inside the complex, women are advised to cover their heads and shoulders, while men should wear long pants.

Day 2 / Stop 2 – Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

• Why it’s awesome: A large amusement area in the heart of the city offering many attractions!
• Cost: Free! 
• Food nearby: Check out Mepkato, located inside Gorky Central Park for a casual meal in a cozy setting. There are indoor and outdoor seating options and the restaurant is child-friendly!

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is a large green space in the heart of Moscow. The park opened in 1928, and it stretches along the scenic embankment of the Moskva River. It covers an area of 300-acres and offers a lovely contrast from the compact city center.

You’ll find all sorts of wonderful attractions, from boat rides to bike rentals to tennis courts and ping-pong tables, and much more! there are an open-air cinema and festive events and concerts scheduled in the summer months.  A wide selection of free fitness classes is also offered on a regular basis, including jogging, roller skating, and dancing!

Although many of the options you’ll find here are more suited for outdoor leisure during the summer, you’ll also a selection of winter attractions, including one of Europe’s largest ice rinks for ice-skating!

If you’re trying to decide what to do in Moscow with kids, the park also offers several venues designed specifically for kids. Check out the year-round Green School which offers hands-on classes in gardening and art! You can also feed the squirrels and birds at the Golitsinsky Ponds!

The park is very well maintained and kept clean and the entrance is free of charge, although most individual attractions cost money. There is also Wi-Fi available throughout the park.

With so many attractions, you could easily spend all day here! If you’re only planning a 2 day itinerary in Moscow, make sure to plan your time accordingly and map out all the areas you want to see beforehand!

Day 2 / Stop 3 – The State Tretyakov Gallery

• Why it’s awesome: The gallery’s collection consists entirely of Russian art made by Russian artists!
• Food nearby : Brothers Tretyakovs is located right across the street from the gallery. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric restaurant serving top quality food and drinks!

The State Tretyakov Gallery was founded in 1856 by influential merchant and collector Pavel Tretyakov.  The gallery is a national treasury of Russian fine art and one of the most important museums in Russia!

It houses the world’s best collection of Russian art and contains more than 130, 000 paintings, sculptures, and graphics! These works have been created throughout the centuries by generations of Russia’s most talented artists!

The exhibits range from mysterious 12th-century images to politically charged canvases. The collection is rich and revealing and offers great insight into the history and attitudes of this long-suffering yet inspired people!

All pictures are also labeled in English. If you plan to take your time and see everything inside the museum it will take a good 3-4 hours, so make sure to plan your Moscow trip itinerary accordingly! This gallery is a must-see stop for art lovers, or anyone wanting to explore the local culture and history of Russia in a creative and insightful manner! 

Insider Tip: When planning your 2 days in Moscow itinerary, keep in mind that most museums in Moscow are closed on Mondays, this includes The State Tretyakov Gallery!

Day 2 / Stop 4 – All-Russian Exhibition Center

• Why it’s awesome: This large exhibition center showcases the achievements of the Soviet Union in several different spheres. 
• Food nearby: Varenichnaya No. 1 serves authentic and homestyle Russian cuisine in an intimate and casual setting.

The All-Russian Exhibition Center is a massive park that presents the glory of the Soviet era! It pays homage to the achievements of Soviet Russia with its many different sites found on the property.

The center was officially opened in 1939 to exhibit the achievements of the Soviet Union. It’s a huge complex of buildings and the largest exhibition center in Moscow. There are several exhibition halls dedicated to different achievements and every year there are more than one hundred and fifty specialized exhibitions!

The Peoples Friendship Fountain was constructed in 1954 and is a highlight of the park. The stunning gold fountain features 16 gilded statues of girls, each representing the former Soviet Union republics. 

The Stone Flower Fountain was also built in 1954 and is worth checking out. The centerpiece of this large fountain is a flower carved from stones from the Ural Mountains! Along the side of the fountain are various bronze sculptures.

You will find many people zipping around on rollerblades and bicycles across the large area that the venue covers. It’s also home to amusement rides and carousels, making it the perfect place to stop with kids on your Moscow itinerary! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and allow a few hours to explore all the areas that interest you!

Day 2 / Stop 5 – Bolshoi Theater

• Why it’s awesome: The Bolshoi Theater is a historic venue that hosts world-class ballet and opera performances!
• Cost: Prices vary largely between USD $2.00 –  USD $228.00 based on seat location.
• Food nearby: Head to the Russian restaurant, Bolshoi for high-quality food and drinks and excellent service!

The Bolshoi Theater is among the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world! It also boasts the world’s biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers!

The theater has been rebuilt and renovated several times during its long history. In 2011 it finished its most recent renovation after an extensive six-year restoration that started in 2005. The renovation included an improvement in acoustics and the restoration of the original Imperial decor.

The Bolshoi Theater has put on many of the world’s most famous ballet acts! Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the theater in 1877 and other notable performances of the Bolshoi repertoire include Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker!

Today, when you visit the theater, you can expect a magical performance from skilled singers, dancers, and musicians with the highest level of technique!

If you don’t have time to see a show, the theater also provides guided tours on select days of the week. Tours are given in both Russian and English and will provide visitors with a more intimate look at the different areas of the theater!

The stage of this iconic Russian theater has seen many outstanding performances. If you’re a fan of the performing arts, the Bolshoi Theater is one of the greatest and oldest ballet and opera companies in the world, making it a must-see attraction on your Moscow itinerary!

Godzillas Hostel

Godzillas Hostel is located in the center of Moscow, just a short walk from all the major tourist attractions and the metro station.

• Towels Included

Cosmonautics Museum | Alexander Garden | Ostankino Tower | Izmaylovo District | Soviet Arcade Museum

Now that we’ve covered what to do in Moscow in 2 days, if you’re able to spend more time in the city you’re going to need more attractions to fill your time. Here are a few more really cool things to do in Moscow we recommend!

Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

• Hear the timeline of the ‘space race’ from the Russian perspective
• This museum is fun for both adults and children!
• Admission is USD $4.00

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a museum dedicated to space exploration! The museum explores the history of flight, astronomy, space exploration, space technology, and space in the arts. It houses a large assortment of Soviet and Russian space-related exhibits, and the museum’s collection holds approximately 85,000 different items!

The museum does an excellent job of telling the full story of the exciting space race between the USSR and the US! It highlights the brightest moments in Russian history and humanity and is very interesting and fun for all ages!

If you’re a fan of space or just curious about gaining insight into Russia’s fascinating history of space exploration, make sure to add this to your 3 day itinerary in Moscow!

The Alexander Garden

• A tranquil place to relax near the Red Square
• Green lawns dotted with sculptures and lovely water features
• The park is open every day and has no entrance fee

The Alexander Garden was one of the first urban public parks in Moscow! The garden premiered in 1821 and was built to celebrate Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s forces in 1812!

The park is beautiful and well maintained with paths to walk on and benches to rest on. The park contains three separate gardens: the upper garden, middle garden, and lower garden.

Located in the upper garden, towards the main entrance to the park is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame. This monument was created in 1967 and contains the body of a soldier who fell during the Great Patriotic War!

The park stretches along all the length of the western Kremlin wall for about half a mile. Due to its central location in the city, it’ll be easily accessible when you’re out exploring The Red Square.

It provides a bit of relief from the city’s high-energy city streets. Bring a picnic lunch, go for a walk, or just sit and people watch, this is one of the best Moscow sites to wind-down and relax!

Ostankino Television Tower

• Television and radio tower in Moscow
• Currently the tallest free-standing structure in Europe
• Make sure you bring your passport when you visit, you can’t go up without it!

For spectacular views of the city, make sure to add the Ostankino Television Tower to your itinerary for Moscow! This impressive free-standing structure provides stunning views of the city in every direction. The glass floor at the top also provides great alternative views of the city!

It takes just 58 seconds for visitors to reach the Tower’s observation deck by super fast elevator. The tower is open every day for long hours and is a great site in Moscow to check out! There is even a restaurant at the top where you can enjoy rotating views of the city while you dine on traditional Russian cuisine or European cuisine!

The tower is somewhat of an architectural surprise in a city that is not known for skyscrapers! To see the city from a new perspective, make sure to add this stop to your Moscow itinerary!

Izmaylovo District

• The most popular attractions in this district are the kremlin and the flea market
• Outside of the city center and easy to reach via metro
• Most popular during the summer and on weekends

Travel outside the city center and discover a unique area of the city! The Izmaylovo District is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and one of the coolest places to see in Moscow! The two main attractions we recommend checking out are the Kremlin and the flea market.

The Izmailovo Kremlin was established as a cultural center and molded after traditional Russian architecture. This colorful complex is home to several single-subject museums, including a Russian folk art museum and a vodka museum!

Next to the Kremlin is the Izmailovo open-air market, which dates back to the 17th century! The market is connected to the Izmailovo Kremlin by a wooden bridge. Pick up all your Russian souvenirs here, including traditional handicrafts, paintings, books, retro toys, and Soviet memorabilia!

You will find many hand-made and hand-painted options available at higher prices, as well as mass-produced souvenir options at lower prices!

Museum of Soviet Arcade Games

• Closed on Mondays
• Filled with old arcade games that visitors get to try out!
• The museum also includes a small cafe and burger shop

For something a little different, check out the Museum of Soviet Arcade Games! The museum features roughly 60 machines from the Soviet era, including video games, pinball machines, and collaborative hockey foosball! The machines inside the museum were produced in the USSR in the mid-1970s.

The best part is, most of the games are still playable! Purchase tickets and try the games out for yourself! The museum also has a neat little screening room that plays old Soviet cartoons and an area with Soviet magazines! This unique attraction is a fun addition to a 3 day itinerary in Moscow, and an attraction that all ages will enjoy! 

Whether you’re spending one day in Moscow, or more, safety is an important thing to keep in mind when traveling to a big city! Overall, Moscow is a very safe place to visit. However, it is always recommended that tourists take certain precautions when traveling to a new destination!

The police in Moscow is extremely effective at making the city a safe place to visit and do their best to patrol all of the top Moscow, Russia tourist attractions. However, tourists can still be a target for pickpockets and scammers.

Moscow has a huge flow of tourists, therefore there is a risk for pickpocketing. Simple precautions will help eliminate your chances of being robbed. Stay vigilant, keep your items close to you at all times, and don’t flash your valuables!

If you’re planning a solo Moscow itinerary, you should have no need to worry, as the city is also considered safe for solo travelers, even women. Stay in the populated areas, try and not travel alone late at night, and never accept rides from strangers or taxis without a meter and correct signage.

The threat of natural disasters in Moscow is low, with the exception of severe winters when the temperature can dip below freezing! Bring a good, warm jacket if you visit in Winter.

However, please note that Russian views on homsexuality are far less accepting than those in Western Europe. Likewise, Non-Caucasian travellers may sadly encounter racism in Russia .

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance for Moscow

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Now that we’ve covered all the top things to see in Moscow, we thought we’d include some exciting day trips to other areas of the country!

Sergiev Posad (Golden Ring)

On this 7-hour guided tour, you’ll visit several scenic and historic areas of Russia. Start your day with hotel pick-up as you’re transferred by a comfortable car or minivan to Sergiev Posad. Admire the charming Russian countryside on your drive and enjoy a quick stop to visit the Russian village, Rudonezh!

You’ll see the majestic Saint Spring and the Church of Sergiev Radonezh. You’ll also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, one of the most famous Orthodox sites in Russia!

Lastly, you’ll swing by the local Matreshka market and enjoy a break in a nice Russian restaurant before returning to Moscow!

Day Trip to Vladimir and Suzdal

On this 13-hour trip, you’ll discover old Russia, with its picturesque landscapes and white-stoned beautiful churches! You’ll visit the main towns of the famous Golden Ring of Russia – the name for several cities and smaller towns north-east of Moscow.

Your first stop will be in the town of Vladimir, the ancient capital of all Russian principalities. The city dates back to the 11th century and is one of the oldest and the most important towns along the Ring! Next, you’ll visit Suzdal, a calm ancient Russian town north of Vladimir with only 13,000 inhabitants!

The old-style architecture and buildings of Suzdal are kept wonderfully intact. If you’re spending three days in Moscow, or more, this is a great option for exploring the charming areas outside the city!

Zvenigorod Day Trip and Russian Countryside

On this 9-hour private tour, you’ll explore the ancient town of Zvenigorod, one of the oldest towns in the Moscow region! As you leave Moscow you’ll enjoy the stunning scenery along the Moscow River, and make a few stops at old churches along the way to Zvenigorod.

Upon arrival, you’ll explore the medieval center, including the 14th-century Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. Next, you’ll take a break for lunch (own expense) where you’ll have the chance to try out the Russian cuisine! Next, you’ll visit the Museum of Russian Dessert and sip on tea at a Russian tea ceremony.

The final stop of the day is at the Ershovo Estate, a gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy nature!

Day Trip to St Petersburg by Train visiting Hermitage & Faberge

On this full-day tour, you’ll enjoy a a full round trip to St Petersburg where you’ll spend an exciting day exploring another popular Russian city! You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Moscow and be transferred to the train station where you’ll ride the high-speed train ‘Sapsan’ to St Petersburg.

Upon arrival, you’ll start the day by touring the Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace. Next, you’ll visit the Faberge Museum, where you’ll explore the impressive collection of rare Faberge Eggs! In the afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing boat ride and a traditional 3-course Russian lunch.

If you’re spending 3 days in Moscow, or more, this is an excellent trip to take!

Trip to Kolomna – Authentic Cultural Experience from Moscow

On this 10-hour tour, you’ll escape the city and travel to the historic town of Kolomna! First, you’ll visit the 14th-century Kolomna Kremlin, home to the Assumption Cathedral and an abundance of museums!

Next, enjoy lunch at a local cafe (own expense) before embarking on a tour of the Marshmallow Museum – of course, a marshmallow tasting is provided!  Your final stop is the Museum of Forging Settlements, where displays include armor and accessories for fishing and hunting.

Discover this beautiful Russian fairytale city on a private trip, where all of the planning is taken care of for you!

Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.

It looks exactly like a normal belt  except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)

Find out what people want to know when planning their Moscow itinerary.

How many days you need in Moscow?

We recommend that you spend at least two or three days in Moscow to take it all in.

What’s the best month to visit Moscow?

The best time to visit Moscow is over the spring, from March to May as temperatures are mild, crowds are thin and prices are reasonable.

What are some unusual things to do in Moscow?

I mean, queuing up to see an almost 100 year old corpse is pretty unsual! Check out Lenin’s Mausoleum if you fancy it!

What are some fun things to do in Moscow?

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is a fun place to explore the famous space race from the perspective of the ‘other side’!

We hope you enjoyed our Moscow itinerary! We’ve made sure to cover all the Moscow must-sees as well as some unique attractions in the city! Our addition of insider tips, favorite food stops, and day trips from Moscow is an added bonus and will guarantee you make the most out of your exciting Russian vacation!

Immerse yourself in the modern and traditional Russian lifestyle! Get lost in museums, witness awe-inspiring architecture, and indulge in Russian cuisine! Spend the day strolling through all of the charming sites of Moscow, admiring the beautiful scenery and discovering the city’s fairytale-like enchantment!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Alya and Campbell

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Moscow-City – The Moscow International Business Center

• 3 years ago

Moscow-City is an iconic location for life and work in Russia’s capital. Enormous skyscrapers, business centers, the best restaurants and retail spaces – all this is concentrated in one place. The ultramodern Moscow-City towers are truly striking in their outward appearance, and the layout of the apartments inside and the fantastic views that can be seen from the higher floors are nothing short of impressive.

This skyscraper compound, often referred to as Moskva-City, is the Russian take on Manhattan, where businessmen strike multi-million dollar deals daily while ordinary life goes on next door. Its state of the art spaces offer the ultimate convenience. The infrastructure of this business district is so well-developed that anyone can find something interesting for themselves here: from residential apartments to boutiques, clubs, exhibitions and more.

When the foundations for the Moscow-City skyscrapers were laid, a special kind of concrete was used, the properties of which are amplified by many times compared to standard concrete. Even in the event of a plane crashing into one of the buildings, the structural integrity of the towers will be preserved.

The architects of the Moscow-City Business Center have created a unique locality that has integrated into itself the hub of the capital’s business life and a whole ensemble of historical monuments. Anyone can admire the beauty of these skyscrapers from within or without the compound. There are also a number of apartments for sale or rent available in the MIBC itself. But first, let’s have a look at some more interesting facts about the financial core of Russia’s capital.

• 1 How It All Began
• 2.1 Moscow-City Central Core
• 2.2 Tower 2000
• 2.3 Evolution Tower
• 2.4 Imperia Tower
• 2.5 Moscow Tower and St. Petersburg Tower
• 2.6 Steel Peak Tower
• 2.7 Federation Tower
• 2.8 Mercury City Tower
• 2.9 OKO Tower Complex
• 3.1 Afimall City Shopping Center
• 3.2 Bagration Bridge
• 3.3 Expocentre Fairgrounds
• 4 Renting and Buying Real Estate in Moscow-City

How It All Began

The history of Moscow-City goes all the way back to 1992. The government of Moscow at the time wanted to bring into existence its own skyscrapers like the ones in London or New York. And the idea caught on. In 1992 the project for the construction of the huge “Moscow-City” MIBC compound was enthusiastically approved, kick-starting the painstaking preparatory works. The original intention was that the skyscrapers would only house office space. However, as time went on, the towers began to welcome in ordinary residents who wanted to live on the territory of this business and finance hub.

Moscow-City is undoubtedly a city within a city. Its grandeur is mind-boggling. It is perfect in every way: from location to infrastructure. And today, anyone can get a feel of the atmosphere of the “capital city” of Russia’s business world – many of the apartments in Moscow-City are available for rent. Any citizen of Russia and even nationals of other countries can make use of these offers.

What It’s Like in 2021

Today Moscow-City is not just a magnificent and fascinating sight, but also a real hub for the work, life and leisure of thousands. Its infrastructure is organized in such a way that there is no need to leave the territory of the “city within a city” at all. This business district contains everything one may need for work and recreation. And if one does decide to venture out into the larger metropolis, the MIBC’s three subway stations make this remarkably simple to do.

Moscow-City stands on the Presnenskaya Embankment . Each of the buildings in the district has a name, which simplifies its identification. Some of the buildings form complexes that are united under one name, such as the Neva Towers and the Naberezhnaya Tower complex of two skyscrapers and one high rise. There are a total of 16 towers in the MIBC, of which the most popular are:

• Moscow-City Central Core;
• Tower 2000;
• Evolution Tower;
• Imperia Tower;
• City of Capitals (Moscow Tower and St. Petersburg Tower);
• Steel Peak Tower;
• Federation Tower;
• Mercury City Tower;
• OKO Tower Complex.

Moscow-City Central Core

This is the most complex building within the MIBC compound. Its total floor area is a whopping 1 476 378 sqft (450 000 m²). It consists of two massive parts, each of which boasts a truly impressive infrastructure. The underground part includes 3 Moscow Metro stations, a parking lot for automobiles and a shopping mall. The aboveground part houses a concert hall and a hotel.

Tower 2000 is a skyscraper having 34 stories. Its total floor area is 200 318 sqft (61 057 m²), most of which is office space. The key feature of this skyscraper is its direct connection to the Bagration Bridge, which has its own shopping arcade. The tower has everything one may need while working here, including a large parking lot and several restaurants.

Evolution Tower

This elegant structure is 836 feet (255 m) high – that’s a whole 54 stories! The total floor area here is 554 462 sqft (169 000 m²). The Evolution Tower’s key feature is that it has its own Wedding Hall. This skyscraper houses large office spaces, a parking lot and several restaurants.

Imperia Tower

MIBC’s Imperia Tower is the undeniable focal point of the MIBC’s business life. Its height is 784 feet (239 m), which means one can hold conferences and resolve key business matters on the 59 th floor! And that really is amazing! The tower has everything: offices, hotels, restaurants and parking lots. But if you want a truly unforgettable experience, visit the viewing platform! It is situated on the 58 th floor and a simply astounding view of Moscow can be seen from it.

Moscow Tower and St. Petersburg Tower

The Moscow and St. Petersburg Towers are the chief representatives of the MIBC. The Moscow Tower has 76 stories and is 990 feet (302 m) high, while the St. Petersburg Tower has 65 stories and stands 843 feet (257 m) tall. Both towers offer fantastic views of the capital city.

Most of the floors of these two skyscrapers are taken up by luxurious sky apartments. There are also several recreational and entertainment centers, office spaces, restaurants, etc.

Steel Peak Tower

Also known as the Eurasia Tower of Moscow-City, this supertall skyscraper has a total of 680 912 sqft (207 542 m²) of floor space. Most of this is taken up by offices, and the rest – by residential quarters (around 65 616 sqft or 20 000 m²). The tower also houses a number of the greatest restaurants, studios and shopping centers.

Federation Tower

The Federation Tower is a complex of two skyscrapers, known as Tower East and Tower West. Tower East is the second highest building in Europe (the first is a skyscraper recently erected in the city of St. Petersburg). Its height is a colossal 1 223 feet (373 m) and that makes 95 stories! Tower West, on the other hand, is noticeably shorter at 794 feet (242 m).

The Federation Tower is a multifunctional complex.

Mercury City Tower

The Mercury City Tower skyscraper is widely known as one of the tallest buildings in Europe. Its height is 1 112 feet (339 m) and it has 75 stories. It is multifunctional by concept, holding within its walls shopping centers, offices and all kinds of other spaces. It is also possible to rent apartments here.

OKO Tower Complex

The OKO Tower Complex consists of two towers – the North Tower (49 stories and 803 ft or 245 m in height) and the South Tower (85 stories and 1 155 ft or 352 m in height).

Each of the MIBC’s tower complexes has its own recreational and entertainment areas, restaurants and parking lots. The top floors of most of these buildings contain luxurious fully-furnished apartments. At night, the towers shine with bright lights, while inside them the panoramic windows reveal astounding views of Moscow. This breathtaking view of the capital of Russia is why visiting Moscow-City is a must!

What Not to Miss

There are many interesting landmarks within the Moscow-City compound, but three of them are truly deserving of special attention:

• The Afimall City Shopping Center;
• The Bagration Bridge with two galleries and a shopping arcade;
• The Expocentre Fairgrounds.

Afimall City Shopping Center

The Afimall City Shopping and Entertainment Center is located in Moscow-City’s Central Core. It is divided into 4 zones, each with its own theme – one for every season of the year. The shopping center houses the biggest indoor fountain found worldwide. The height of this watery wonder is 118 feet or 36 meters.

The shopping and entertainment center contains everything one might expect from one of the largest centers of its kind:

• Retail brand stores;
• Exhibitions;
• Game rooms;
• and Restaurants.

The main recreational space is roofed with a giant transparent dome, which is an impressive sight to behold.

Bagration Bridge

Bagration Bridge with its upper and lower galleries has a shopping center all of its own and was the first structure to be built as part of the Moscow-City business district. Its lower gallery is a shopping arcade and its upper gallery is an open-air viewing platform with a spectacular view of the MIBC and the Moskva River. The hall of the bridge houses the 23 foot tall sculpture called “Tree of Life”. Having gone through the bridge via either one of its two galleries, a pedestrian would find themselves standing right on the Kutuzovsky Prospekt.

Expocentre Fairgrounds

The Expocentre Fairgrounds exhibition venue is located at the very heart of the capital. The first exhibition held at the Expocentre happened all the way back in 1959, much earlier than the MIBC was erected. Today it is the venue of many interesting events.

Exhibitions with very diverse themes are regularly held at this complex. An up-to-date schedule can be found on the official webpage of the Expocentre. The events can be free or fixed-price entry, depending on their type.

Renting and Buying Real Estate in Moscow-City

Moscow-City is not only a work and business hub, but also a residential neighborhood. Any citizen of Russia can rent or buy apartments or elite sky lounges here. The variety of residential real estate available inside the skyscrapers is impressive, including options for any pocket. The following buildings in the MIBC contain residential blocks:

This skyscraper has a mirror glass façade which reflects the passing clouds. Just imagine how beautiful that looks! Anyone can buy an apartment in the Federation Tower. Such properties are not only a good investment, but also a mark of prestige. The average price of residential real estate here is 45 million rubles for an apartment with a total floor area of 334 sqft (102 m²). The average price of a square meter (3.28 square feet) is in the range of 650 to 700 thousand rubles. There are two- and three-room apartments available in the Federation Tower, each with its own loggia. As for rent, the minimum price of one month’s stay in a three-room apartment in this skyscraper is 300 000 rubles per month.

The Mercury City Tower skyscraper welcomes citizens from all parts of Russia. This building is no less tall than the world-famous Dubai skyscrapers. Living in its apartments is a delight. The minimum cost of an apartment in the Mercury City Tower is 75 million rubles. The average price of a square meter (3.28 square feet) is 800 thousand rubles. And for those looking for a lower price point, some of the properties are also available for rent – in this case you will pay a minimum of 250 thousand rubles per month.

The Imperia Tower is a key cluster of interesting offers. The best options for buying and renting apartments within the MIBC can all be found in this skyscraper. The lowest price of a residential apartment here is 40 million rubles. A square meter (3.28 square feet) in a luxurious apartment in the Imperia Tower currently costs 600 thousand rubles, while the price range of the listings available for rent in this skyscraper is from 350 thousand all the way up to 1 million rubles per month.

This complex, standing on a faceted or “crystal” base, is an architectural engineering project boasting spectacular design. Behind its impressive façades is an abundance of penthouses and apartments having floor areas in the range of 262 sqft (80 m²) to 984 sqft (300 m²). The minimum price of an apartment in the OKO Tower Complex is 40 million rubles (the price of a square meter (3.28 square feet) is 500 thousand rubles). You can rent an apartment here starting from 400 thousand rubles per month.

City of Capitals

The City of Capitals is an exemplary architectural complex. Its sum appearance gives the impression of a huge city. Inside its walls are spacious apartments available for purchase and rent. This complex is considered to be especially prestigious. The prices of apartments here start from 50 million rubles, while the minimum cost of renting is 400 thousand rubles per month.

Please note! The price of real estate available for purchase or rent depends on: the tower, the floor, the total floor area, the furnishings and/or interior design, and other factors.

The key advantages of buying/purchasing real estate in Moscow-City are:

• Favorable location;
• Convenient transportation links;
• Well-developed infrastructure;
• High safety level;
• Efficient architecture;
• Panoramic windows.

Buying real estate in Moscow-City is very much a rational decision, most appealing to those who value the ultimate level of comfort. The residential apartments here boast impressive interior design solutions executed in the contemporary style.

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Our Rating of the Best Districts of Moscow for Living In

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You Russians have a very Beautiful Rich Culture, I remember a time where the Russian Citizens Broke out in Song Singing the Hymn of Red October and there wasn’t a dry Eye in my House that day. You Spartans Are a Wonderful People to live with.

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