Pie Shop

    What one gets hands on experience as a menutainment chef at a college cafeteria or as a kitchen helper at a pizza shop. Whether one is involved with local soup kitchens or has experience on the fields with produce, applications for work experience may stretch far and beyond. With practical work experience and skills one may start and own a business in any part of the world with necessary paperwork and some savings. Though franchise may be a great option for those with a large budget, starters may resort to managing a non franchise and smaller scale business. Among all the small scale businesses, pie and fast food business stand out globally. Nevertheless, skills like inventory management in the kitchen, depreciation control and location do come handy when it boils down to managing your own business. 

    First of all, Inventory Management is a key to profit in any business. For a pie shop, knowing which pie to stock in a food warmer is essential in keeping pies fresh for customers. Some pies may be out of trend or demand while some may be more suitable for breakfast and supper.  For example, mushroom pies may be more of a early morning snack while beef and chicken pies may be considered lunch by many. Furthermore, meat pies along with crispy chicken and fries on the menu for takeout and delivery may pay utilities and rent for many pie shops. However, keeping meat pies fresh is a challenge especially if one does not count inventory to meet consumer demand every day. Consumer demand may depend on weather and traffic in many parts of the world. Hence, using the periodic inventory system to do a physical inventory count is essential for any pie business to survive. This system gives the owner a clear idea as to total inventory he needs to purchase as well as the number of pies he needs to transfer from a freezer to a pie warmer. Some owners may even resort to a limited number of pies because many customers may prefer fresh pies. In addition to pies, if one has chicken and fries on the menu, they may also need to buy and stock chicken supply from wholesalers. Again, keeping chicken fresh could be an issue with limited freezer and shop space for storage. Not to mention, any additional items one may need to introduce on the menu to meet the gross sales target. This could be a challenge if you manage your business overseas. In any case, the first in first out method works great in any food business to keep food fresh. Overall, Inventory management may play a huge role in a successful business.

    Depreciation Control is another factor that plays an important role in the survival of a business. First of all, equipment and machines are a huge part not just pie but any food business. Freezers keep pies and chicken fresh hence without them business operation is not possible. Some business owners may decide to invest in new freezers and equipment while others resort to used equipment. But, used equipment also has its drawbacks. The life and quality of this equipment may depend on factors like maintenance and usage not just by the new owner but also the previous owner. If this equipment was not handled properly or was overused without giving it time to cool down, it could mean it will break down much often. Additionally, if a freezer breaks down, not only do you lose customers for that day or week but also all the pies that are in the freezer. It may be a huge loss for starters. Not to mention, commercial beverage coolers may also play a huge role in supplementing extra income for a pie shop. A hot weather in many countries may bring in a lot of potential customers.for a pie shop especially the working class. Moreover, pie warmers depreciate just like freezers and coolers. They may also need time to cool down after a five to eight hour shift. Many owners prefer to operate their pie warmers only for couple hours a day. When the heat builds up inside the pie warmer, it does not escape from the glass unless one opens the glass to add or remove the pies. Regular maintenance and strategic control may prevent further depreciation of this crucial commercial equipment especially if customers prefer their pies warm and fresh. If chicken and fries are on the menu, one may also need to maintain deep frying equipment. Grease build up as well as third degree burns may make this equipment tough to maintain. However, with training as a menutainment chef in a college cafeteria, it should be a piece of cake.  Finally, kitchen equipment like stove also depreciate with time. Though, one may not need a stove for a pie shop, it is an important supplementary piece of kitchen equipment for any additional and traditional items the owner may decide to introduce in a non-franchise setting especially overseas. Stoves may not work from time to time and may need replacement. Hence, a petty cash fund could be essential if one needs to keep the shop from closing down. Overall, depreciation control plays a huge role in the survival and success of a business. 

Last of all, location also plays a crucial role in the success and survival of a pie shop. Though non-franchise fast food business do play a role in North American economy, they may not be able to compete with franchised fast food chains. McDonald's, Burger King, A&W, Subway, Popeye's, KFC, Pizza Pizza are just few examples of successful franchise operations. Apart from franchised North American fast food chains, many gas stations also sell pies which makes this business a competitive one. On the other hand, franchised North American fast food chains have a visible presence globally. Some starters may go for a franchise with the help and support of family and friends while others may decide to run a non-franchised fast food business independently to sharpen their business management and accounting skills. Some find good locations to run a small scale fast food business in North America while others seek opportunities overseas especially if a visit to their cousins and extended family may turn in to a long term stay. However, finding good locations may be a challenge even overseas. For example, with the fast food market in the UK dominated by franchises like fish and chips while the south African fast food market dominated by McDonald's, one has to do a lot of research to find good locations. A newly built mall or plaza could bring in a lot of revenue especially if it's near a main road, highway or commercial area. This way one may target both the working class consumers as well as those seeking a drive-thru nearest to the highway or main road exit. Furthermore, a newly built mall in a commercial area will mean customers like shop owners and employees who don't have time to make their lunch in the morning or go for a lunch break. Not to mention, security concerns that affect the survival of a business in many parts of the world. If it may not be safe to walk on the streets after hours, consumers may only prefer to go out for basic necessities.This factor may affect the survival of a non-franchised fast food chain significantly. Overall, location plays a crucial role in the survival and success of a pie shop and/or a fast food business.

 In conclusion, any food business like pie shops and fast food require intensive research, experience, skills and a lot of savings. Without experience and vision, one may easily run out of business or may have to declare bankruptcy to lenders. Financing for a business overseas is very risky for many hence many prefer to rent. Furthermore, investment in equipment may also lead to a loss if one is not able to maintain this equipment for resale. Though, may starters may get in to a business for the purpose of reselling the entire business model along with equipment, shop and inventory, it may take some time to build this kind of business especially overseas. In many parts of the world, paperwork like Visa's and business permits also play a huge role as to whether one may be able to own a business in the first place. Even when they get permits to own a business, many people decide to invest some time and gain experience working for other business. Once they are ready for their own business, they may still need to rent a shop and business space to do some experiments and check how far they can go. But the bright part about this adventure is building a skill set and experience for a profitable business or even a profitable franchise in the near future.