There’s a sense of anticipation in the air as we look ahead to the current lockdown being lifted and a lot more freedom for us all to enjoy. These have been difficult times and many people have struggled to stay at work, make enough money or keep their businesses going.
If you’re a budding entrepreneur and have been thinking about starting a food or drinks delivery business in your local area, however, investing in a refrigerated van might well be near the top of your list of expenditure.
There’s a good reason for thinking about food deliveries as a business opportunity in the current environment. Food delivery is not just the province of supermarkets. More and more of us have seen the benefit of ordering our food and drink online and having it delivered to our door.
Small farm outlets are increasingly adding this to their operational plan, some even sidestepping selling to big chains and making it the norm rather than the exception. Niche food services have also started to pop up around the country with small business owners taking the plunge and creating their own brands.
According to the stats, food deliveries have increased by nearly 40% in the UK alone, adding close to £9 billion to the economy. The lockdown has meant there was an explosion in new companies setting up online and selling their food and drink to local customers. People like not just the convenience but the idea of getting something out of the ordinary they can’t find in their local store.
Of course, you may already run a food delivery service and now you’re thinking of either growing your fleet of refrigerated vans or replacing an old vehicle for something more eco-friendly. With the lockdown lifting over the next few months, this is the perfect time to think about expanding.
Hire, Lease or Buy Your Refrigerated Van
This is probably the first big question that people tend to ask when they set up a new business delivering food and drink. It can make a big difference to that all-important bottom line, especially when you are first starting.
At FridgeXpress, we provide our customers with a range of options:
- Hiring your van: This tends to be a more short-term option and is useful if you want to try out a particular vehicle or cope with a sudden increase in trade which means you need another vehicle. If your existing van breaks down, hiring one is probably the quickest and cheapest way to get a temporary replacement.
- Leasing or contract hire: A more sustainable approach is to contract hire your van which has several advantages to your business. It means you can stay in control of your costs and you don’t have to worry about things like repairing or maintaining your van as this is handled by the hiring company. You also have the option to upgrade at some point which can mean you always have a van that’s at the cutting edge of delivery.
- Buying outright: At first, this can seem like a good option but does mean that you own the van and are responsible for its upkeep. It also doesn’t give you the flexibility that you need a contract hire arrangement offers.
Size of Van
The other consideration is the size of the van that you need for your business. This all depends on the quantity of stock you will be carrying and its type. A small van might be suitable if, for example, you’re delivering homemade ice cream or ready meals to the local population. If you’re transporting sides of beef and other meat products, you’ll need something bigger.
Why Partner with FridgeXpress
Most hire companies don’t specialise in fridge and freezer vans so often don’t have a wide range of stock available. This can be pretty frustrating if you are trying to find a van that perfectly fits your needs.
FridgeXpress is totally different – we’ve specialised solely in refrigerated and freezer vans for the last 20 years, providing them for hire, leasing and to buy all across the UK. We understand what businesses need when they are looking at refrigerated vans. Our team is highly knowledgeable when it comes to different industries, whether its food and drink, pharmaceuticals or transporting something like flowers.
If you are thinking of starting a new business when lockdown lifts and need a refrigerated van, contact the team at FridgeXpress to see how we can help.
