Press Release
Press Contact:
Gerd Fleischer | Phone: +49 711 18560-2252 | Fax: +49 711 18560-2539 | [email protected]
No. 16
2 December 2015
Having a good idea is not enough: Success factors for start-ups
Newcome: New platform for the movers and shakers at Intergastra /
Opportunities and risks for young entrepreneurs are often related
Those setting up a company today in the highly competitive gastronomy sector
face numerous challenges: the increasing number of requirements, high
fluctuation in service personnel and above all the pressure to work efficiently are
some of the major obstacles for young entrepreneurs. There is no recipe for
successfully starting a company. But stability, a creative concept and a good
network can make the difference.
The idea of being your own boss appeals to many people and also in the
gastronomy sector entrepreneurs take a huge risk to achieve this dream. But those
who want to have a successful start-up must not only have the courage to drive
something forward – experts and successful founders of restaurants agreed on this
at the Intergastra Media Day 2015. At the round table ahead of the
Stuttgart-based industry event other characteristics of successful entrepreneurs, as
well as the opportunities and risks of self-employment, were discussed. "It is
important to be able to pursue your own goal", states Tobias Meyer, who offers
German and regional dishes with Tobi's restaurant chains. He is well aware that
the passion for the product is always at the forefront. "But a distinctive character
is just as important, to set you apart from the competition, because the consumers
are always better informed when it comes to the topic of food and have a need
for authentic concepts. Therefore, my advice is to set your own trend, instead of
jumping on the bandwagon."
DIY or delegate?
Besides a good idea and industry and product knowledge, in the increasingly
complex business world a considerable amount of knowledge is also required in
other areas, such as law, Internet or social media. It is therefore no wonder that
today in the restaurant start-up business a surprisingly large number of career
changers and interdisciplinary teams are launching new businesses. And those
who are not au fait with these subject areas should delegate these tasks to a
service provider. "It is important that an entrepreneur concentrates on his
strengths, he can hand over all other duties to someone else. And a good network
is very valuable. As a result of the increasing complexity today it is not about
'Those who can't open a bar', ultimately conditions such as mandatory awards or
the Working Hours Act require dealing with diverse topics", states David Marx,
who founded the interdisciplinary Foodlab Science Kitchen, where science meets
gourmet cuisine. Marx's team aims to reinvent food in all its facets and with the
avant-garde molecular ice cream Kyl21 is well on the way to establishing the
ice-cream parlour of the future. Simon Tress is not only a passionate top organic
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chef and hotelier, but he also transfers his ideas to other business areas: He is a
cookbook author, goes on book tours, with his "Local" experiment he cooks only
using regional ingredients and provides cooking events. Under the label
"Küchenbrüder" the entrepreneur also offers soups, which are cooked fresh each
day using fresh organic ingredients and are available in retailers. Tress is
convinced: "With full concentration on the essential ingredients, successful
entrepreneurs, however, must rely on several pillars, i.e. operate a targeted
diversification of their business."
Finance and talking with the bank: Maximising profits versus passion
One thing the experts agree on is that financing is and remains a key issue for new
start-ups. "When I, as a start-up company, go to the bank with an idea, there is a
fundamental problem: The objectives of banks and start-up companies are
completely different, and the banks are generally risk-averse, which is contrary to
the start-up mentality", explains Marx. Giving investors a chance at financing
start-ups is often a highly explosive topic. "It is not so much a question of passion
and ideals, but is more about maximising profits and achieving growth and scaling
a business model. If we assume that food appeals very strongly to people's
emotions, then difficulties are already inevitable", confirms Meyer.
For the first time Intergastra 2016 is offering a new platform with the special area
Newcome at which experienced makers and shakers can exchange information
and ideas with entrepreneurs and experts. "The new platform not only offers
inspiration for start-ups or for the further development of business models", states
Gerd Fleischer, Communication Manager of Intergastra. "Newcome also offers
room for new ideas and provides a visionary view of the future gastronomy scene
with the 'Restaurant of the future' competition."
About Intergastra:
The world of hospitality – This is the claim of Intergastra, one of the most
important European trade fairs for gastronomy, hotels and dedicated hosts. In
2014, the comprehensive offer on over 100,000 square metres of floor space
brought together almost 90,000 visitors and around 1,300 exhibitors from
Germany and abroad. The event thus meets the high expectations, and regularly
receives top marks from the exhibiting companies and specialist visitors alike.
Kitchen technology and food, ambience and equipment, services, handmade ice
cream, beverages and coffee – These are the themes on which the specialist
visitors from Germany and abroad obtain information, and are encouraged to
think outside the box. The gastronomical heart of Germany beats in the south
west, where at the start of the year Intergastra showcases innovations and trends
and provides many opportunities for the exchange of expert opinions and ideas.
For more information, text and press photos please visit: www.intergastra.de
www.facebook.com/intergastra
www.twitter.com/intergastra
www.xing.com/communities/net/intergastra
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