MODULE II

I. THE SEGMENT OF CATERING BUSINESS

II. CONTENT SUMMARY
This module covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes required in managing a
catering business industry and provide students or trainees the opportunity to discover
information on how to attract target customers.

III. LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module the student should:
1. Understand the know the classifications of catering segments
2. Identify what type of catering service is right for a certain event
3. Prepare a marketing plan for a catering business
4. Apply the 7P’s in marketing a catering business
5. Outline marketing catering business strategy and techniques
6. Describe innovative catering and food trends
7. Identify the food and its functions
8. Determine the seven functions of catering

IV. LECTURE NOTES

CATERING SEGEMENT
Catering management is executed in many diverse ways within each of the
three segments. The commercial segment, traditionally considered the profit generating
operation, includes the independent caterer, the restaurant caterer, and the home-based caterer.
Catering segments for Food
Service Industry
 Commercial segment
1. independent caterers
2. hotel/ motel caterers
3. private clubs
4. restaurant / catering Firms
Non-commercial segment Military segment
1. business/ industry accounts 1. military functions
2. school catering 2. diplomatic functions
3. health care
4. transportation catering
5. recreational food service
6. college and university
catering
7. social organizations

WHICH TYPE OF CATERING SERVICE IS RIGHT FOR YOUR EVENT?

 Tip #1: Consider a few important things
 Tip #2: Understand the different types of catering services
 Tip #3: Read the fine print

MARKETING PLAN FOR A CATERING BUSINESS

A marketing plan for a catering business outlines the process the business plans to go
through promote the catering services and land catering customers. A catering business marketing plan
includes information about the target audience, the business brand, the goals, the competition and the
budget the catering business can devote to its marketing efforts. Building knowledge in these areas and
putting a written marketing plan in place helps a catering business to attract the right potential customers
and the opportunity to convert the prospects into paying catering clients.
 Identification of target audience
 Branding
 Create goals and plans
 Get to know competition
 Budget

MARKEING A CATERING BUSINESS: HOW CATERERS GET CLIENTS

 Step 1: Design a Catering Logo
 Step 2: Build a Catering website
 Step 3: Create a Press Release
 Step 4: Tell Everyone You Know
 Step 5: Print you Catering Logo
 Step 6: Pimp you Catering Ride
 Step 7: Go Mobile
 Step 8: Advertise
 Step 9: Work on Public Relations
 Step 10: Look for Lucrative Partnerships

THE 7P’S OF MARKETING A CATERING BUSINESS

Marketing is based on thinking about the business in terms of customer needs and their
satisfaction. Marketing differs from selling because it concerns with the tricks and
techniques of getting people to exchange their cash for your product. It is not concerned
 with the values that the exchange is all about. And it does not, as marketing invariable
does. The 7P’s are set of recognized marketing tactics, which you can you use in any
combination to satisfy customers in your target market. The 7P’s is controllable, but
subject your internal and external marketing environments. Combining these different
marketing tactics to meet your customer’s needs and wants is known as using a “tactical
marketing mix”.

 Product
 Price
 Promotion
 Place
 People
 Process
 Physical evidence

INNOVATIVE CATERING AND FOOD TRENDS

Every year, restaurant experts and industry analysts are forecasting the food trends that
we will be eating every year such as the following innovations:
1. Local sourcing
2. Tapas and small plates
3. Vegan, vegetarian and healthy eating
4. Gluten-free
5. Eat, Drink and Entertain
6. Sour, bitter, spicy and sweet-spicy flavors
7. Pan-Asian cuisine
8. Breakfast for Dinner
9. Up-Scale Comfort Food
10. Ethnic and International Cuisine

TYPES OF FOOD FUNCTIONS

1. Breakfast
2. Luncheon
3. Dinner
4. Dinner with entertainment and/or dancing
5. Coffee breaks
6. Receptions
7. Hospitality set-ups in suites, meeting rooms or exhibit halls.

THE SEVEN FUNCTIONS OF CATERING

There are seven functions to the basic catering management function. In order for
you to properly run a catering company, you must be intimately familiar with all of these
functions. Missing out just one of them might cause you to mess up an event.
1. Planning
2. Operations – execution of tasks
3. Organizing the event
4. Equipment
5. Implementation
6. Controlling
7. Understanding Legal & Insurance Issues