What Do I Need to Start a BBQ Trailer Business?
If you love barbecue, having a barbecue stand at fairs and festivals is a profitable way to indulge your passion. A love for barbecue, though, isn't quite enough to start a business. Perfect a few recipes and try them out on your friends and family before investing in a concession stand or trailer.
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License and Permits
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Call your local and state health departments and find out what licenses and permits are required to operate a mobile food stand or concession-type stand. Your trailer will need to be inspected and you will need to satisfy certain requirements regarding inventory and hygiene in the trailer. If you will be setting up a stand in a semi-permanent location in your town, for example, you will likely need a permit from your municipality to do so. Fairs and festivals usually have their own requirements regarding the types of permits or licenses needed, so check with them before signing up.
Trailer
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Some people who offer barbecue use just a grill or smoker set up under a tent. Others choose to purchase or make their own full concession trailer, complete with stoves and flat top griddles, fryers, refrigerators and sinks. A mobile concession trailer is a commercial kitchen on wheels and will be subject to inspection by the local health department. In addition to proper kitchen equipment, a concession trailer also needs to be ready for the road with proper tires, lights and trailer hitch.
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Smoker/Grill
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Your smoker or grill is the center of your business. It is possible to purchase a large commercial grill or smoker already attached to a trailer or concession stand, but these are often very expensive. If you are starting with a smoker or grill, under a tent, you will have more options for fuel, such as gas, charcoal or wood. If you can, try different barbecue from different vendors. Ask them what kind of grill or smoker they use and why. Choose the grill or smoker that best suits your cooking style.
Inventory
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To get started in the barbecue business you will need a lot of inventory. When heading out to your first few festivals or fairs, you will want to order more than you think you'll need, but not so much to have a lot of leftover meat and other items to go bad. You will also need to stock your seasonings, side order items and drinks. Buying inventory takes some practice. Talk with the organizers of the event you will be selling at and find out how many people they expect. Talk with other food vendors at similar-size fairs or festivals and see how much they normally order for a weekend. In the beginning, you may find you ordered too much or too little, but eventually you'll learn how to keep tight control on your inventory.
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References
- Photo Credit barbecue image by bright from Fotolia.com
