How to Start Your Own Healthy Food Franchise

For a career that combines both profits and incredible job satisfaction, why not consider running a healthy food franchise? There’s a lot to like when it comes to running a healthy food business, but with so many enterprising businesses already out there, how can you start your own?

Job satisfaction is more than just a simple wage. Individuals also want to be treated professionally, to have some job security, and to know that their role is having a meaningful impact. If you’ve been looking for an opportunity that combines all of these things, you might want to consider starting your own healthy food franchise.

Healthy food is changing the way we all go about our daily lives. With so much evidence linking better diets to improved health outcomes, we’re all more aware than ever of the effect that our diets have on our lives.

What does a healthy food franchise do?

According to Statista, around 40% of Brits follow a healthy and balanced diet on a regular basis [Statista]. With millions looking for the right healthy food options, your role as a healthy food franchisee will be to provide as many delicious and rewarding foods as you can. Franchisees will often find themselves:

• Negotiating with suppliers
• Perfecting new recipes and foods
• Marketing your business
• Recruiting new employees
• Processing invoices
• Speaking to other franchisees in your network

On top of all of this, you will also be helping out with the day-to-day running of the business. You could find yourself working with customers face to face and helping out with the organisation in whatever is needed, so having a general mindset and skillset will be a great advantage for you. 

Why start a healthy food franchise in 2021?

Eating healthily is one of the biggest priorities for Brits in the post-Covid reality. UK government statistics show that as many as 7 in 10 people are looking to make healthier changes to their lifestyle, and healthy eating is at the heart of all of it [UK Government]. To say that demand for healthy food is spiking is an understatement. 

Unlike some other industries, the healthy food sub-sector is looking at huge increases in long-lasting demand. This is the perfect industry for an ambitious franchisee who is looking for an exciting business opportunity, so if this all sounds like the right kind of business opportunity for you, it’s time to start planning for your future in business. 

How to start your own healthy food franchise

If you think you’re ready to make a go of things in the healthy food environment, here are our top 4 tips for making it a reality. 

1. Understand the industry 

You don’t necessarily need to know every minor detail about the industry, but you should have a good idea of what kinds of challenges you will need to overcome. Starting a new business always comes with lots of challenges, so no matter how prepared you feel you are, it’s worth asking yourself how prepared you are for these challenges. 

There’s no simple business toolkit that guarantees you success in franchising, but having some of the below skills is certainly a great place to start:

• Good organisation
• A good business sense
• Capable of leading a team of people with different abilities
• Confident when working under pressure 
• Ambitious
• Committed to developing a long-term business 
• An eye for innovation
• A positive personality 

2. Find the franchise 

Many of the UK’s largest healthy food businesses are franchises, so to really maximise your chances of business success, joining a franchise that has your interests at heart is the best way to go. From training to financial options to survival rates, the franchising business model has something for everyone. 

But not every franchise is the right fit. Where some will be more than happy to take on the right franchisee regardless of their previous experience, others will be better suited to those with some pre-existing industry experience. So, go through a list of potential franchises and carry out some research on each one to figure out which franchise is the best fit for you. 

3. Figure out your finances 

The average cost of starting up a franchise is around £42,200 [British Franchise Association], and fortunately, there are lots of potential franchises out there with more than affordable start-up costs.

• My Local Farm is one of the UK’s largest fresh food subscription boxes and has a minimum investment level of £5,950.
• Yakinori requires a minimum investment of £25,000 to start operating as an exciting Japanese food restaurant.

Regardless of how much you have currently to put towards your business, there is also the option of finding a broker to help get you the best possible rates. Many lenders see franchising as such a stable business opportunity, they are prepared to lend up to 70% of your start-up costs depending on your credit history. 

4. Produce a business plan

When you’re ready, you’ll need to produce a business plan that sets out the plans and ambitions for your franchise. Include key details about your finances, inventory, business descriptions, summaries and food you want to sell, and you’ll be well on the way to starting your own business.

Start your own healthy food franchise today

Lots of people dream of starting their own business, but only a small proportion ever do. By following the above tips, you will be in the process of starting a satisfying and profitable business - whichever franchise you decide to start working with. 

If healthy food isn’t the dream business you had in mind, there’s plenty other franchising opportunities to choose from. Filter through the different options that suit you to find a sector and business that ticks all your boxes on the UK franchise directory.