Editor’s note: This article was first published in September 2010. The claim that few businesses offer fast, healthy or special-diet food, and that such a venture would be pioneering, describes the market back then; healthy fast-casual chains and delivery options are now common.
Food is a business, and fast food has obviously been a very profitable idea. Companies like McDonald’s and Burger King have built genuine empires on it, to the point where it’s very hard to compete with them on their own turf. You can, however, take their way of working and carry it over to a new business that meets another market need not yet covered in fast food.
Despite people’s ongoing concern with keeping fit and eating a healthy, balanced diet, few businesses have focused on this sector.
Today we’re proposing a food business idea that could make a difference: fast food designed for people with “special” dietary needs, which are now very common.
Food for diabetics, low-calorie fast food, menus with all the protein a child needs to be properly nourished. Few establishments are devoted to this line of business, even though the demand already exists and we see it every day.
Picture a food service like McDonald’s, with fast service, drive-through pickup and even home delivery, but where customers have the peace of mind of knowing they’re eating healthy food and special menus.
The advantage of this business is obvious, and if you do it in an eye-catching way, you wouldn’t be short of free publicity from the media, since the initiative would be a pioneering one.
The investment would depend on the size of the business you want to start and the services you want to promote, but focus on making food with flavor and seasoning, aimed at your main customers: children and teenagers, sporty people and anyone who has to follow a strict diet. In short, a large share of today’s population.
Who knows, you might start a new business that over time becomes the kind of business model that giants like McDonald’s and Burger King have today. Remember to get the balance between quality and price right.
Further reading
- The businesses of the next decade
- 15 business ideas nobody has exploited yet
- Business ideas in leisure and tourism
- Why new businesses fail
- How to start a business with no money
Featured image: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr.
