9 Steps To Start An Eatery In Nigeria

Food has always been one of the basic necessities for man’s survival, in recent times the consumption of food has gone beyond the consideration of the method of preparation, whether it is fried, grilled, roasted, boiled, baked etc.

Now, people just want to walk into a place with a serene environment, beautiful decoration, as they are served food they enjoy with courtesy at it’s best.

A lot of Nigerians prefer to eat out for numerous reasons such as; celebration of an event, dates, hangouts etc. For whatever the reason is, an eatery is the go to place for these activities and that is why there has being a boom in the food industry lately in Nigeria.

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Do you want to make your mark on the ever growing food industry in Nigeria? Here is how to start an eatery in Nigeria.

An eatery is usually a small and informal restaurant, to start an eatery in Nigeria there are certain things that need to be set rightly and considered.

As a lover of good food and an aidant environment to enjoy my food, I will be explaining the basic things you need to consider and put in place to ensure that you are on the right track to starting an eatery in Nigeria smoothly and easily

1. Be in the right frame of mind

The eatery business is more of a service rendering business and this is the truest fact about the eatery business, this further implies that the customer’s satisfaction is the ultimate goal and of utmost priority of the business.

To start an eatery in Nigeria you have to get in a right mindset because the business is people oriented which entails daily interaction with humans and dealing with humans is a huge challenge as everyone have different background and upbringing, running an eatery is tough so you have to ask yourself am I ready to face the challenge? Do I have the will power to work under pressure? Am I emotionally intelligent enough to deal with other people?

2. Acquire knowledge about the food industry in Nigeria

Knowledge is said to be power and applying the gained knowledge is an added advantage, this is no different in business.

To start an eatery in Nigeria you need ample knowledge on how the food industry works and also on how to run an eatery, the much needed information can be gotten through research and interaction with experts from the food industry.

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3. Write a business plan

Before you start an eatery in Nigeria, you will need to write a detailed business plan, you may need professional assistance in writing the business plan for the eatery to ensure that it is foolproof.

The business plan should contain detailed description about every aspect of the eatery business because it serves as guide from the inception the business to the maturity stage, the business plan can be upgraded in the course of the business but at the end ultimate aim of writing a business plan is to guide the eatery business towards success.

4. Choose a location for the eatery

The location for the new eatery should have a very natural and clear connection with the “Target Market” to start an eatery in Nigeria the target market has to be determined and this can be done by answering the following questions who are those that will eat at your eatery? What is their occupation? What is their mean income?

These will enable choose a suitable location, other things to consider are: link to major roads, parking space, what other eatery exist in that location, cultural feel of the location, operational hours etc.

5. Raising fund for the eatery

In raising fund the business structure determines how funds are gotten to start an eatery in Nigeria, the business structure can be overwhelming and confusing, figuring it out yourself might be near an impossible and you would need a professional to do this for you.

There is no “best” or “worst” way of structuring your eatery business; you would have to determine the most successful structure based on specific needs, wants and circumstances. The categories of business structure are sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, Limited Liability Company.

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6. Furnishing and finishing of the eatery

Looks is everything when it comes to an eatery, most people hardly eat in a place that doesn’t look nice. The quality of food can be perceived through the eatery’s furniture, there are no rules when it comes to furnishing and finishing a starting eatery in Nigeria but one is advised to stick to a theme, it could be traditional with lots of color and fabric or retro; giving out the 70s and 80s vibe.

In whatever you do using plastic tables and chairs makes the eatery to look lousy, unorganized, untidy and cheap, wondering what to do then?

When you start an eatery in Nigeria furniture from local carpenters can come in for as low as fifty thousand naira depending on your bargaining power.

The finishing has to do with the decorative accessories and it have to be in tune with the chosen theme for the furniture.

7. Create the menu for your eatery

The menu should have been written down while writing your business plan; it is advisable you create a menu that can be served once you start an eatery in Nigeria.

The menu should also include special dishes by your kitchen personnel; customers seek out your menu more than anything about your eatery because that brought them there.

The dish, prices and physical appearance of the menu are major determinant on who your customers will be and how frequently they dine at your eatery, the financial success of your eatery highly depends on your menu and the guest who orders from it.

This means that your pricing has to be strategic and intentional as you aim to make profit and also deliver top notch services to your customers when you start an eatery in Nigeria.

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8. Eatery utensils and accessory

 Items needed to be purchased depend on the concept of the eatery; what you have chosen with the designer, architect and your budget.

Some major utensils to consider are: plate ware, glass ware, table top décor, pots and pans, cooking utensils, cleaning supplies etc.

The important factor to weigh when choosing any of these items as you start an eatery in Nigeria are, cost, brand consistency, durability etc.

9. Create a buzz for your eatery

Make a concentrated effort in creating a buzz as you start your eatery in Nigeria, as technology and trend varies from time to time and in location your marketing strategies should adapt to these changes too.

Environmental and internet marketing are coming up as major parts of any eatery marketing campaign, some of which are; development of a website, good press publicity, promoting your business on social media etc.

Once you have all these mentioned above in place and implemented you’re good to start an eatery in Nigeria, Good luck!

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