Start an office lunch and meeting catering business
Supply sandwiches, hot lunches and meeting platters to local offices on regular orders.
- £1k-6k
- Part-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
27,708 UK companies in this field, 40% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 56210 “Event catering activities”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
Catering for workplaces: boardroom lunches, team meetings, training days and regular weekly lunch deliveries. Food is made in a registered kitchen and delivered ready to serve.
Your first three steps
- Register your kitchen with your local council and complete a food hygiene course
- Create a simple lunch and meeting menu with minimum order sizes and delivery radius
- Visit nearby offices and business parks with samples and ask who orders lunches
Who pays
Offices, training providers, co-working spaces and small businesses ordering for staff or clients.
How it makes money
Per-order or per-head pricing, with repeat weekly or monthly clients giving steadier income than one-off events.
Skills that help
- Fast, consistent food preparation
- Reliable timekeeping and delivery
- Costing and invoicing
- Building business relationships
Watch out for
- Food business registration with your local council before trading
- Allergen labelling and information on every order
- Public liability insurance, plus cover for delivery vehicles and business use
- Late payment from businesses, agree payment terms and invoice promptly
- Early starts and tight delivery windows
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: office lunch and meeting caterer
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an office catering business?
Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £6,000, depending on your kitchen arrangements, equipment, delivery vehicle and insurance. These are estimates, so price up your own setup before you start.
How much can an office lunch caterer earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many regular offices you win and order sizes. These are estimates, and late payment can affect cash flow, so agree payment terms and invoice promptly.
What rules should I check before catering for offices?
Check food business registration with your local council before trading. Also check allergen labelling and information on every order, public liability insurance, and cover for delivery vehicles and business use.
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