Starting and running a lucrative business in school can be a very difficult task, but it is also the best time for young people to establish a business. At school, you are largely gifted with time and adequate research facilities. It can be daunting at first, especially when it comes to parting with cash; but over time, it could turn out to be the best decision you ever made in school.
So if you are thinking of starting a business, it means that you have an idea, and chances are that this product or service is already available and is already being marketed. but this does not mean that it is not a future multi-billion dollar company. Keep in mind that many successful companies entered the market second and learned from the mistakes of their competitors.
After you’ve researched your competitors and feel you still have a significantly different and better product or service, then it’s time to map out the business in a viable way where it’s easy to assess each area of the market.
Food is generally an essential consumable item. Currently, many entrepreneurs are seriously looking for trending and profitable food business ideas to start a new business. Choosing the right niche is the first and most important step for any business initiative. The increase in population and the desire to have easy access to food are the factors that create more opportunities in the food industry. Below are 50 food-related business ideas to start in school.
Food Business Ideas for Students
- Food and nutrition blog
In this age of technology, blogging is one of the easiest ways to earn money, if you have a good knowledge of food and nutrition, one of the food service-related business ideas that you can successfully start in school is blogging about topics related to food and nutrition.
If you are good at what you do and your blog is always updated with useful posts, you will attract a lot of traffic to your blog, and the truth is that the more people who visit your blog, the easier it will be for you to attract high-paying ads.
- Catering service
Running a small catering service is a lucrative school-based food business. A school is a place of fun and display for wild youth, as such there are bound to be parties going on all the time at school, giving the catering business a huge market to thrive. If you have an interest and love to cook, with a few extra hands, you can easily start a school catering business and provide students with finger foods.
- Bake cakes and supply
This business idea is an easy food-related business to start and comfortably run in school. If you know how to bake cakes, then you should consider starting a business that deals with cakes. In addition to making and selling the cakes yourself, you can also find vendors and event planners. There is certainly a huge market for cakes and if you are a hard worker you can earn a fortune from this type of business even as a student.
- Start a juice bar
Fruit and vegetable juices are known to be very good and necessary for maintaining good health, and they relieve thirst like cold drinks. Many people prefer juice over other beverages as it is good for health and has higher nutritional value. This business can be started with very minimal capital; you just need to meet with the necessary school authorities to verify if the business is acceptable within the institution.
- Make candies
As a student, candy making business idea is an attractive way to turn your hobby and skill into a profitable school-based business. Homemade sweets are very easy to make and also very popular. From chocolates to lollipops, children and adults enjoy sweets.
It is a wonderful idea so you can consider turning your hobby into a profitable home candy-making business. The specialty candy market is large and growing globally. It is recommended that you start by taking a candy-making class. you will need to develop your unique candy recipe as well.
- Organize cooking contest
Keep in mind that another amazing and easy way to make money from food-related services is to host a cooking competition at school. it could be at the community, state, or national level. The truth is that if you are good at organizing events and shows, you will be able to attract sponsorship from various organizations. In addition to the sponsorship, it will attract, interested participants who must pay registration fees.
- Spice processing
Spices are a must-have ingredient in our daily meals, which is why there is such a high demand for them all over the world. There are more than 30 different types of spices available in the United States alone, with a production amount of around 42.68 tons per year. Keep in mind that with high demand and a high-profit ratio, spice processing can be a very lucrative business to start in school.
- Open a small grocery store
If you are looking for a retail business to start with low start-up capital, then you should consider opening a grocery store in an ideal location within your school community. many people visit supermarkets to replenish their homes from time to time. This type of business is easy to set up and is indeed a profitable business.
If you decide to start this type of business, make sure you do some concrete feasibility research to learn about the types of products to stock your store with. Keep in mind that if you stock your store with what people don’t need, you’ll have a hard time making sales. You don’t necessarily need to be the person running your grocery store, you can hire a salesperson.
- Making tea bags
Teabags and paper are the only two materials you need to start a tea bag manufacturing business. This business is very easy to start and can be run part-time or even full-time. The raw materials required to run this business are readily available at reasonable prices, leaving this niche open for anyone willing to take this opportunity and earn good money.
- Cookie gift business
If you love to bake cookies, you can start a cookie gift business comfortably in school. Reports have shown that the gift industry, in general, is booming, and the demand increases during the festive seasons. This is a profitable and rewarding business that any student with a creative mind can start and successfully run.
- Write and publish cookbooks
At school, it will be much easier to write a book due to the wide availability of resource materials. Just make sure you do a thorough job on the book to simplify the cooking processes of various delicacies and you won’t have a hard time selling the book. Do not forget that the packaging of a book is very important.
- Make and sell homemade sandwiches
The high-quality product, the lower use of preservatives, and the deliciousness differentiate homemade food products from others available on the market. That is why there is a great demand for homemade snacks. You can conveniently prepare these snacks and sell them to students or even online through an e-commerce site.
- Gourmet food sale
This is another attractive retail business that a student can successfully start and run on and off campus. If you are looking for a simple yet very prosperous small business to start as a student, then you should seriously consider starting a gourmet retail business.
Statistics have shown how profitable this business can be and if you want to get the most out of this type of business, place your gourmet outlet in a movie theater, football viewing center, sports center, and outdoor event center.
- Making potato chips
French fries are one of the world’s favorite snack foods for several reasons. First, French fries are very tasty, available at a cheap price, and help kill hunger easily. Reports indicate that China is the largest potato producer in the world and provides a lot of raw materials to start this school food business.
- Frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt stand is a very lucrative business that can be started with little capital investment. Your success in this business will largely depend on the location and uniqueness you create with your products. Also, keep in mind that value-added products are the most crucial issues to be successful in a frozen yogurt business.
- Mobile food truck
This business opportunity differs greatly from a normal food restaurant in two main ways. one is that you’re moving and don’t have a retail store. second is that you go to the customers yourself. Please note that a student with little or no experience in the food service industry can successfully start and run this business.
From a food truck, you can sell frozen and packaged items like ice cream, soft drinks, candy, and snacks. You can also opt for cooked dishes with a specific menu that includes breakfast, brunch, and lunch. People with busy work schedules always prefer hygienic instant food cooked on their doorstep.
- Soy sauce production
The main raw materials required for the production of soy sauce are soybeans, wheat, and salt. Different types of manufacturing processes are used to produce different types of soy sauce. Soy sauce production can also be started on a small scale.
- Organize food and nutrition programs on the radio
Comfortably, you can start a radio food and nutrition program if you don’t have the financial ability to go on TV. TV slots are generally much more expensive than radio slots. You can start by taking advantage of your school’s radio and resources.
You just have to make sure you have rich content and you won’t have a hard time attracting sponsorship from corporate organizations. Please note that you must allow guests to call in during live shows to ask questions and also to contribute.
- Become a nutrition coach
In this age where humans are becoming more conscious about their health and nutrition, this creates a demand for the nutritionist. As a nutritionist, the primary service he will provide is helping people live longer in good health. This business can be started at home and also part-time. You can combine this business with your studies if you can plan accordingly.
- Pickle making business
Pickle-making is like a heritage in the world and you can give this heritage a business face by starting a pickle-making business. It is a highly-demanded food business with low investment. You can start this business very small in school, reaching out to the few students and vendors available to you, but you can also grow hugely as the demand and market in this business are nowhere near saturation.
- Fish farming business
A highly interesting and profitable business that a student interested in making money from the food and agriculture industry should consider starting is fish farming. We all know that fish is consumed in all parts of the world, therefore there is a huge fish market.
At different stages of human history, quite a few people have made their fortune from fish farming. Till now, people find it easier to raise only catfish, but in recent times fish farmers can comfortably raise tilapia, trout, salmon, etc. All you need to get started is a space, tanks or ponds, fry and fish food, etc.
- Peanut butter-making business
Just imagine how delicious it is to eat whole-grain bread with peanut butter. it is a favorite food because it is also tasty and healthy. Children and adults, especially young students, love peanut butter and you can make a fortune making and supplying this food.
- Make fries
The fries are made from good-quality potatoes. They have become very popular in the world market. In addition to domestic demand, the product also has an export opportunity. The potato chip-making business can be started on a small scale in school, but you will have to pay attention to the packaging.
- Personal chef
Anyone can start this business from home as long as they are well-versed in food and delicacy manufacturing. Many celebrities and health-conscious people generally like to keep personal chefs so that they have healthy and hygienic food daily. If you like to cook and work for a celebrity, you can start this business straight from school.
- Frozen food business
Frozen foods are rapidly gaining demand in the world market. This could be due to the change in our lifestyle, as we have very little time to cook. In turn, it has increased the demand for frozen foods and created a market opportunity for even a student to run for success.
- Create cooking videos with instructions
Many people today are beginning to understand the various means of earning money online. YouTube is one of the main internet tools that people are taking advantage of to earn good money. If you are looking to start a food-related business then you should consider getting into the production and sale of ‘how-to cooking videos. but you should make sure you have multiple recipes in your videos. To attract buyers from far and wide for your videos, make sure both local and intercontinental dishes are covered there.
- Jam doing business
Most people love to jam and there is no telling how big the niche will grow, especially in a generation with a sweet tooth. jams are tasty to eat, healthy, and make life easier for moms as you just need to spread jam on bread, and breakfast or early school lunch is ready. You can start this business comfortably at school and look for vendors who sell your products.
- Block ice-making and selling business
One business that a student can start and run successfully is the ice block business. This business is one of the retail businesses that are relatively easy to start and manage; It is a business that will not take your time.
With an effective ice block-making machine, all you need to do is hire a sales girl or boy and they will help you run the business. this business fits very well into your schedule as a student if you plan very well. allows you to socialize and enjoy your vacation as a student while earning money.
- Peanut roasting business
This business simply involves buying raw peanuts from the market and selling them after roasting. Note that roasted peanuts are priced much higher than raw peanuts. If you are waiting for a good and easy school-based food business idea then this is one from the list.
- Catering rental services
Catering rental services is a lucrative food-related services business that a student can successfully launch. We believe that this type of business is easy to set up and easy to manage. many catering companies from time to time went out of their way to rent catering products.
Items such as plates, food warmers, cutlery, tablecloths, industrial gas cookers, drums, etc. are part of the items you must rent. This business will be easy to start if you already have the goods or if you can specialize in your business by only renting a particular item like dishes.
- Flour milling business
Many people won’t believe it, but in this age of packaged foods, people still like to buy flour straight from the mill, no matter how small, as they are fresh and nutritious. To start this business, you just need a small place around 200 square feet with a flour milling machine and one or two workers. This is also one of the very profitable food business ideas with low investment that a student can start and run successfully.
- Food delivery services
This business is all about helping people deliver food to different places. It could be homes, offices, hospitals, classes, camps, etc. You will be the intermediary between canteens, restaurants and caterers and others, and consumers.
This business is sure to make you rich, especially in schools where students would patronize your services. This type of business is easy to start and requires little or no start-up capital. So if you are looking for a low-budget food service-related business to start, then you should consider registering your food delivery service.
- Banana wafer doing business
Banana is a healthy and much-loved fruit in the world, which gives banana wafers a great opportunity for business to flourish. You can start this business and supply them to stores or even sell them directly. This business is sure to thrive if you can meet the challenges that come with starting a business, especially in school.
- Vegetable cultivation
Without a doubt, this is a unique business that a student can carry out during the holidays. Spinach, lettuce, pumpkin, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, and others are vegetables that are consumed in all parts of the world and can also be grown in all parts of the world.
You need to understand that most agricultural products are perishable crops, therefore a proper provision needs to be put in place to ensure that they are sold as soon as possible after harvest. Normally in this business, farmers make sure to make arrangements with buyers before harvesting; It is safer and more profitable.
- Home-cooked food delivery business
People who aren’t always home crave home-cooked meals. Many of them do not have enough time to cook, so you can start a home food business delivering food to customers, offices, etc. that pay, you can start small with little investment and add more hands and clients as you grow.
- Become a personal grocery shopper
If you like to shop, you can start a business as a personal shopper and help others shop for groceries and other items. Students can also start this business while they are in school. To get started, you need to find out their demographics who are likely to be seniors or people with disabilities and offer this service to them at their convenience and for a fee.
- Ginger garlic paste manufacturing business
We have very little time to process food and use it in the kitchen. ginger and garlic are needed in most kitchen items to enhance their flavor, the reason why people prefer to use ginger garlic paste instead of processing raw ginger and garlic, makes This an attractive food business idea with low investment.
- Cookie making
Biscuit-making business is very lucrative and can be started on a small scale. Biscuit-making is a conventional activity and a student can also run this business with little startup capital. Even with the advent of modern, large-capacity, automatic biscuit-making plants, a large portion of people still prefers fresh biscuits from local bakeries as they are cheap and offer many varieties.
- Ketchup doing business
Chinese dishes are in great demand all over the world, and simultaneously, the demand for different types of sauces such as tomato, soy, oyster, and others has also increased. Hotel, restaurant, and food business owners are part of the large salsa market across the country. the sauce can be easily prepared at home as well.
- Pop up restaurant
You must understand that these are temporary restaurants that often operate in strange places, such as private homes, roofs of historic buildings, courtyards, old factory spaces, and other strange places. There are also pop-up restaurants during festivals and concerts.
Keep in mind that these types of restaurants generally help people gain exposure for their skills, especially in the hospitality field, while also allowing them to gain the necessary experience to attract investors. This business is ideal for a student as it allows you to experiment with limited funds.
- Onion paste manufacturing business
We can all agree that onions are necessary for almost every type of cuisine. peeling onions, cleaning them, and making a paste in a grinder can be a horrible task and that is why people prefer prepared onion paste. You can start a business that makes onion paste, which is simple as you only need onion, preservatives, a good packaging system, and equipment to make the paste.
- Retail bread
Bread is widely eaten in all parts of the world and it is easier to find entrepreneurs who sell bread at retail. If you are looking for a food retail business, a business that needs little capital to start, then you should consider bread retail.
Keep in mind that all you need to do is secure deliveries of loaves from different bakeries and then display them in your store. It’s a great way to make money, but you have to make sure you sell them all as fast as you can because loaves have a short shelf life.
- Mobile fruit juice truck business
The mobile fruit smoothie and juice truck business is designed to serve areas where it might be difficult to quickly build conventional fruit and smoothie bars; areas such as carnival sites, construction sites, sporting event centers, campgrounds, beaches, and others.
You need to understand that fruit juice and smoothie trucks also take advantage of places like campuses, office complexes, military bases, clockwork towns, industrial parks, farmers’ markets, movie theaters, and religious centers to sell their fresh juice and smoothie drinks.
44. hot dog stand
A hot dog stand is a food business where hot dogs are sold from an outside counter. A hot dog stand can be permanent or semi-permanent. You should be aware that most hot dog stands are usually located in public places with heavy foot traffic, such as stadiums, campuses, and shopping malls. Even though a hot dog stand may not be mobile, a hot dog cart and truck are generally mobile and have a greater advantage because they can move to where the crowd is.
- Bake and sell dog treats
A handful of students may not want to bake and sell chocolate chip cookies, but they would love to bake dog treats. If you are one of them, then you should consider a dog treat business. There are many recipes available online for dog bones, dog biscuits, and other treats, along with the supplies needed to run a profitable and professional dog treat business. you can bake and sell these treats at your convenience.
- Production of coconut milk powder
Reports have shown that coconut milk powder has good market potential not only in the United States but also in other countries. Powdered coconut milk comes with the benefit of long shelf life, less storage space, and a lower bulk packaging cost. Coconut milk powder is one of the trending food processing business opportunities for new entrepreneurs.
- Food stand
A concession stand is simply a snack bar found where there is a lot of foot traffic: amusement parks, movie theaters, fairgrounds, campuses, stadiums, or other similar entertainment centers where customers can purchase snacks or food. Food stalls generally charge more for their meals because they are conveniently close to an attraction, especially since most attraction locations do not allow patrons to bring their own food or drinks, plus they also generate significant revenue for the operator of the attraction. event.
- Cake decorating business
Cake decorating is one of the sugar arts that uses frosting or icing and other edible decorative elements to make simple cakes more visually interesting. As a student willing to follow the path of entrepreneurship, you can offer your services as a cake decorator for events, bakeries, or other clients. You can also start making and decorating cakes for other people. Since events are usually held on weekends, you can efficiently juggle school activities.
- Pastry cream production
The raw materials needed to start producing custard powder are corn flour, arrowroot starch, food coloring, and essence. The easy availability of raw materials has made this business lucrative and profitable. A small-scale unit can also be started by a student with some simple machinery. flan is one of the popular foods that is considered a dessert.
In conclusion, one of the lies told by this generation is that students don’t have the time to run their businesses. Many successful entrepreneurs started their businesses in school and are doing very well. The truth is that when you are equipped with the right information, you will be able to do well in a trade.
But before you can decide on the business you want to get into, you need to have carried out thorough feasibility research.
Although most of the food service companies mentioned above have similarities, there are also many differences. You should consider your personality. The business has its own popularity and challenges, but what makes a good entrepreneur is the ability to turn those pitfalls into profit.
