7 Promising Food Business Ideas, What Are They?

Starting a business isn’t a walk in the park. From brainstorming ideas to securing capital, everything needs thorough planning. 

But here’s one business you might want to try: the F&B business. 

Why? Because the F&B industry never goes out of style; there’s always something new popping up. You can get inspired by international foods or drinks. But that doesn’t mean you can copycat someone else’s idea exactly! For example, you can mix different foods, like turning fried chicken into ice cream shaped like fried chicken pieces.

Moreover, an F&B business doesn’t always require huge capital and can be quite profitable. 

In this article, we’ll share a list of promising food business ideas you might want to consider!

Here Are Some Promising Food Business Ideas!

1. Fried Chicken

Source: Freepik.com

Chicken dishes come in many varieties, but fried chicken remains a favorite among all the chicken menu options available in Indonesia. Just look around, and you’ll see many kiosks or restaurants selling fried chicken.

There are many types of fried chicken, not just the regular kind but also versions inspired by other countries, like gochujang chicken from South Korea.

Different sauces or seasonings can make your fried chicken unique. You can start this promising food business tailored to your target market. 

If your location is near schools or universities, you might want to offer budget-friendly options like spicy crushed chicken.

2. Frozen Food

Source: Cove Blog

Who hasn’t heard of or tried frozen food? It’s one of the promising food businesses today, including nuggets, sausages, tempura, dim sum, meatballs, and fries. These frozen foods can be used as meals or snacks when you’re bored. 

Prices for frozen food vary, from expensive to cheap. You can adjust it according to your needs and budget.

Selling frozen food doesn’t require much kitchen equipment. You need a freezer and a fridge for stock. Add some signs or banners, promote your business on social media, and you’re good to go. You can sell frozen food directly to consumers or become a distributor!

3. Korean Food

Source: Realfood

Korean culture is a big hit among Indonesian youth. Beyond being fans of Korean dramas, Korean food has also become popular. The trend of Korean dramas has given a stage for Korean food. 

From sauces, and snacks, to main dishes, everything is loved by K-Pop fans. Not just the food, but also the presentation style with chopsticks and other Korean accessories make the business feel trendy and authentic. Choose a suitable location and employ a solid marketing strategy.

4. Dry Snacks

Source: Populix

Snacks are always a favorite for movie nights or weekend family gatherings. Dry snacks, especially spicy ones, are popular choices, like crispy skin, spicy dried meatballs, macaroni, noodle sticks, and dry batagor.

The appealing presentation of spicy snacks attracts customers who love spicy food. Besides being visually enticing with a good market prospect, you can also find snack suppliers to collaborate with, so you don’t have to make the snacks yourself. Just repackage them and create a solid promotion strategy.

5. Fried Snacks

Source: Fimela

Cheap and easy to find, fried snacks never lose their charm. Indonesian people’s love for fried snacks is undeniable. These snacks aren’t just for snacking but can also be eaten with rice.

Think of fried stuffed tofu, vegetable fritters, or tempeh fritters. These are staples in any F&B business. Interested in trying this promising food business? Starting a fried snack business doesn’t require a lot of capital. You can innovate with the packaging or presentation.

6. Healthy Food

Source: Love and Lemons

Lately, a healthy lifestyle is super trendy, and many people are jumping on the bandwagon. This trend boosts the popularity of F&B businesses focusing on healthy food like vegetable salads, fruit and vegetable smoothies, Vietnam spring rolls, vegan oat bowls, and other vegan dishes. You can run this promising food business with a pre-order system to ensure the freshness of the ingredients.

7. Seblak

Source: PT Suparma Tbk

Lastly, you can try the seblak business. Seblak is a popular Bandung dish found in many regions. Its spicy taste and unique texture make it popular among young people, adults, and even older folks due to its filling portion and affordable price. Starting a seblak business doesn’t require a lot of capital, and you don’t need to be a chef.

Seblak is easy to make, with main ingredients like crackers, mushrooms, sausages, meatballs, and macaroni available at markets. You can develop different seblak variations to expand your menu, such as chicken feet seblak, bone seblak, or buffet-style seblak where customers can choose their toppings and spice levels.

There you go! Various promising food business options that you can adjust according to your location and budget. You also need to devise the right strategy to market your F&B business effectively. A good food idea alone isn’t enough to ensure business success.