How Gourmet Burger Vans Changed The World And Why Catering Van Insurance Makes All The Difference
Britain’s burger market is now worth an estimated £3.3 billion, up 22% in just five years. The reason for this significant increase? The rise of the gourmet burger!
If you run a gourmet burger van or are thinking of setting one up, read our guide on how you can take advantage of this trend, which is changing the way Brits enjoy fast food. You’ll also learn why the correct catering van insurance matters so much.
When did the burger go upmarket?
There are not many of us who can resist the temptation of a burger – quick, convenient and totally delicious, they’re the ultimate fast food. They had a reputation for being cheap and cheerful – a guilty-pleasure. But in the 1990s, sales took a knock during the BSE scare with a 40% reduction in domestic beef purchases, and the more recent horsemeat scandal has also caused some concern.
It’s not just beef that has suffered scandals in recent years. As a result, as a nation we’ve slowly started to take more interest in the welfare and source of all the food we eat. Cookery shows and TV chefs have also revolutionized the way we think about food, with talk of Michelin stars and interesting flavor combinations on our prime time TV screens almost daily.
Whilst the future of the traditional, reformed meat burger looked as dismal as the bun it was being served on, some clever chefs decided that the solution was to upscale the burger, keeping that taste and convenience but with the promise of high-quality ingredients that customers could rely on to be safe as well as delicious.
With assurances of hand-reared local beef, slowly hung for an intense flavor and artisan cheese and pickle toppings, the gourmet burger was born – and has become an overnight success story with gourmet burger vans parked at almost every festival, event and foodie market you can think of.
What makes a burger a gourmet burger?
Want to cash in on the trend and make gourmet burgers? This is what your customers expect:
Make it fresh
According to 2016 research by Mintel for the Food Service Equipment Journal, 71% of Brits polled expect their burger to be freshly prepared if they are buying it from a gourmet van.
Use high-quality ingredients
Of those polled, nearly a third are looking for artisan ingredients (31%) to be used in their gourmet burger.
Tell your customers as much as you can about the product
25% of customers expect detailed information on the source of the produce you use to create your gourmet burger, and as many as 1 in 5 want to know exactly what cut of meat had been used.
Offer choice and customized options
41% of customers want to be able to customize their burger by selecting their favourite bread and toppings.
Don’t forget the paperwork
Whilst you might prefer to be dreaming up new relishes or sampling new cheeses, one of the most important aspects of running a successful gourmet burger van is getting the right mobile catering insurance. You’ll need specialist van insurance for your wheels, and there are other areas that you’ll need to consider too.
Commercial van insurance will cover your van against accident and theft. Make sure that you opt for a provider who will quickly deal with any claims and can provide a similar replacement vehicle during any period of repairs or you could find yourself unable to trade. It’s worth considering specialist breakdown cover too as it’s often cheaper to purchase this together within your insurance package rather than buying it separately.
Public liability insurance covers you for any damage to person or property caused by your business. A mobile kitchen can be a tricky space and even the most stringent health and safety procedures can go wrong and result in food poisoning or an allergic reaction to an allergen that was not properly highlighted. ‘No win, no fee’ offers make it easier than ever for a member of the public to make a claim against you, and depending on the severity of the illness or damage, claims can run into the £hundreds of thousands.
Employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ any members of staff, even if they are part-time or just working cash in hand. Without it, you can be fined and faced with large legal fees if something does go wrong. Often cramped working space, and all those knives and hot oil, make working in a burger van a dangerous place, so make sure you are fully covered
Personal injury cover. There’s plenty of profit to be made from a gourmet burger van, but what happens if you’ve paid for a pitch at a festival or event but are injured or ill and are unable to attend? Personal injury cover is designed to cover you for loss of earnings whilst you’re ill, so you can still pay the household bills and meet your commitments to suppliers.
Our specialist catering team at Park Insurance understand the unique needs of your mobile catering business. We are the preferred brokers for a number of leading insurance providers and can effectively compare prices to find you the best deal available.
We create bespoke catering van insurance packages tailored to your specific needs, so you only pay for what you need, and you can be confident that there’s nothing hidden in the small print that could give you a nasty shock if you do need to claim.
Get in touch now to find out more and for a free quote.