Corporate catering is steady, weekday work that is booked in advance and paid by invoice. I run a catering business in the Midlands and have delivered over 300 events. This is the approach I would give any small caterer or street food trader starting out.
Corporate food is rarely booked by a director. It is usually an office manager, a personal assistant, someone in HR or an events coordinator. Venues and event planners also book caterers on behalf of their clients.
They want a supplier who replies quickly, quotes clearly and turns up on time. Make each of those easy to see.
Two or three set options with a price per head and a minimum spend. Work the numbers out first so every job covers food, staff, travel and margin.
A PDF with your packages, what is included and dietary information. Bookers forward it to whoever approves the spend.
Public liability insurance, food hygiene rating, allergen information and risk assessments. Larger companies and venues ask for these as standard.
Somewhere to send people that shows your menu and takes the date, guest numbers, venue and budget in one message.
List the employers within your travel area and find the person who organises staff events. A short, factual email with your pricing pack attached is enough.
Venues without their own kitchen keep lists of approved caterers. Ask what they need from you to be added.
Office managers and events staff are easy to find by job title and area. Keep the first message short and specific.
People who ate your food at a market or a wedding work somewhere. Tell them you cater for offices.
Most bookings come after a second or third contact, often months later when an event comes up. Keep a simple list of who you contacted and when, and check back at sensible intervals.
Tools that help: the free quote calculator for per-head pricing, what to put on a catering website, and websites for caterers if you want the site, quote form and pricing pack built for you. The Trader Brief lists checked corporate leads by region each month.
Usually an office manager, a personal assistant, HR or an events coordinator. Venues and event planners also book on behalf of clients.
Per head, with a minimum spend. Set packages are easier for a client to approve than a custom quote each time.
A clear quote, allergen and dietary information, public liability insurance and a food hygiene rating. Many also ask for a website.
A short, factual email or LinkedIn message to the person who organises staff events, with your pricing pack attached.