|
|
 |
There's no reason to reinvent the wheel. Since 2003 our company and Association have helped meal prep businesses around the world. The products and services available through this site are tried and tested. They are cost-effective. They are supported by some of the most successful and experienced people in the industry.
This page lists our 11 current Guides and Training products. Recipes and Nutritionals, Website and Software, and Stock Photosare on separate pages. Please contact us if you would like to purchase or learn more about any of the items we offer.
|
|
|
 The Meal Prep Industry FACTS AND FIGURES GUIDE is a 42-page book that was last updated in January 2008. It provides the most up-to-date industry information including:
• What is a meal prep business?
• Why are meal prep businesses popular?
• What is the target market?
• Where did the concept originate?
• Industry growth, revenues, and geographic distribution of stores.
• How can the industry be segmented?
• What is the typical financial structure of a meal prep business?
• What are some of the most important industry trends?
This guide comes with a 3-month subscription to our Directory+ which tracks the following information not available on the public version of the EasyMealPrep.com directory:
• Stores announced, but not yet open (currently stores).
• Stores that closed and why (currently stores).
|
|
|
 The MARKETING GUIDE is 53-page product that was updated in January 2008 to include the latest lessons on what works and what doesn't to make your meal prep business successful. This guide helps meal prep business owners with answers to the following types of questions:
• How to be effective in branding and messaging?
• What product/service mix will optimize your revenues?
• What are the most effective pricing strategies?
• What does it take to gain a customer?
• What promotions work to generate awareness?
• Upselling, promotional discounts, and profit maximization.
• Customer satisfaction and customer feedback processes.
• Tips on how to compete.
This product was written by Bert Vermeulen of Corp21 based on his experience in helping and observing many meal prep businesses since early 2004. It comes with consulting to help new businesses start right and to help existing businesses grow their revenues.
|
|
|
 The MARKET RESEARCH GUIDE is a 70-page document that provides the results of research obtained through four professionally managed focus groups and an in-depth 50-question survey of 400 meal preparation customers. It helps provide answers to questions such as:
• What drives a customer's choice between meal prep outlets?
• How customers use the meals in their dinnertime routines?
• What will drive customers to your store more often?
• What menu offerings are customers looking for?
• How often should you repeat favorites?
Apply these learnings directly to your business or use the guidelines and survey template provided to in this guide to field your own customized survey and gain even more specific insights.
|
|
|
 The PRACTICAL PLANNING GUIDE is a 69-page book last updated in January 2008 that comes with a speadsheet template and consulting. It is designed to help people analyze whether they should start a meal prep business. The spreadsheet template includes a practical financial model and step-by-step notes that help to forecast the investment required and cash flow based on the owner's strategy and circumstances.
To date, we have provided this product and service to over 300 satisfied teams around the world. It is the best tool we know for people that need industry-specific information and consulting to help them write a realistic plan for their business. This guide is organized around answering the following types of questions:
• Is this a fad? (We provide a detailed market analysis.)
• What type of meal prep business is best for me?
• Can I make money? (We provide a spreadsheet template.)
• What steps do I need to go through to open a meal prep store?
• What other resources are available to help me?
|
|
|
 The BUILD OUT GUIDE, which was updated in February 2007, is kit that includes a 29-page document, a 3-page spreadsheet, and consulting to address:
• Choosing a location where you can succeed.
• Kitchen strategy.
• Store layout.
• Recommended equipment.
• Equipment suppliers.
• Getting through the building and health department approval processes.
• Managing the build-out process.
• Issues others have faced and how they've addressed them.
This product comes with consulting which most clients use to help with:
• Developing a store layout.
• Finding equipment suppliers.
• Resolving building and health department issues.
|
|
|
 The BUSINESS STARTUP GUIDE was updated in March 2007. This is combination of a guide with a series of samples to address the following topics:
• How to pick a name for your business and get a web domain.
• How to structure your business if you have partners or investors.
• Choosing your entity structure (LLC, S-Corp, etc).
• How to create and register your business entity.
• Setting up your accounting system.
• Taxes and how to manage these during the startup process.
• Insurance.
This guide also comes with extensive consulting to help you find a name, register your business, and get things set up from from a business standpont.
|
|
|
 The OPERATIONS MANUAL AND HANDS ON TRAINING provides a day-to-day "how-to" manual for the meal preparation business. You'll hit the ground running with guidance on setting up shop, session prep, staffing and vendor management and more. In addition, you'll receive 2-3 days of hands-on training at an established meal preparation business and support during the startup of your business. The manual and training cover the following areas:
• Setting up shop: General organization and small equipment.
• Calendar planning: session schedule and coordination.
• Menu planning.
• Vendor selection, ordering, and inventory management.
• Preparation for a session.
• Running a session.
• Cleaning up after a session.
• Staffing.
• Monthly changeover.
• Food safety.
The OPERATIONS MANUAL can also be purchased separately.
|
|
|
 The STARTUP RECIPE KIT AND TRIAL PARTY GUIDE has sold to over 100 customers and was last updated in February 2007. This kit includes:
• 10 excellent recipes that are fully documented and ready to use in a meal prep business. The recipes come with certified nutritionals.
• Instructions and templates for running a trial session with friends and relatives at home.
• A recipe cost analyzer spreadsheet that allows you to determine your expected food costs by entering the cost of all of the ingredients required for the 10 recipes supplied in the kit.
|
|
|
The RECIPE DEVELOPMENT GUIDE is designed for people who want to develop their own recipes. This 17-page product last updated in March 2006 helps with the following:
• Finding good sources for recipe ideas.
• Selecting a recipe.
• Formalizing and documenting a recipe.
• Adapting a recipe.
• Nutritional analysis.
This guide was written by Lynda Byrnes Pelichowski, who is a prolific and popular recipe developer and who has owned and run Meals Made Easy since mid 2003. This guide comes with Lynda's consulting time to answer any questions and provide help on how you can effectively develop recipes for use in your meal prep business.
|
|
|
 The NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION GUIDE is a new 70-page manual released in January 2007. This guide was written by Dietetic Designs and Corp21 to provide the following information of specific relevance to meal prep businesses:
• Basic nutrition.
• Food guide pyramid.
• The Meal Prep industry and obesity.
• Portion sizes.
• Food labels and food claims information.
• How nutritional information is calculated.
• Food fads and diets.
• How to make recipes healthier.
• Understanding special diets.
• Preventing cross contamination and improving food safety.
• Food storage guidelines for refrigerated and frozen foods.
• USDA standards for cooking temperatures.
• Sanitation monitoring forms.
• Temperature control logs.
• And much, much, more.
|
|
|
 The GUIDE TO BUYING OR SELLING A MEAL PREP BUSINESS was updated in January 2008. It covers the following topics and comes with consulting to help you:
• Value a meal prep business,
• Identify whether you should work through a business broker,
• Find a business broker, if appropriate,
• Connect with others we know that may be interested in your business, and
• Strategize and negotiate to reach a win-win.
This guide is 26 pages long. It also includes information and consulting for people wanting to buy out one of their co-owners or bring in outside investors.
|
|
|
We welcome others who would like to market products and services through our company. Please contact us if you would like to work with us.
|
|
|
|
|
