Owning a business in the food service industry; such as a restaurant, bar, cafe or bakery, can offer great financial and lifestyle benefits. Providing you start out right.

But getting it ‘right ‘in today’s challenging market, is a lot harder than it seems.

Consumers have multiple options on every corner when it comes to their daily cup of coffee or lunch stop- so how do you make sure you are the one taking their order?

In Australia, the performance of cafes and coffee shops has carried the food industry through times of economic hardship.

As restaurants across the country are only just showing signs of recovery, revenue of cafes and coffee shops have shown a 5.3 per cent increase from 2009-2014.

Take a trip down any inner city area and no doubt you will come across an abundance of cafes and coffee shops all competing for the consumer’s dollar.

So what is the difference between a booming business, and the one next door with few customers?

The key to a successful hospitality business is strong branding, and a distinguished product offering that sets your business apart from the ‘one next door’.

Though, that is easier said than done.

For those new to the industry, your idea to open a coffee shop, cafe, restaurant or bakery, means finding a niche that very few other businesses can offer.

This franchise buyer guide from Ferguson Plarre looks at Australia’s cafe and food culture, the different business concepts within these markets, and how prospective business owners can hope to deliver a point of difference.

Click here to find out more.