Looking for feedback for our new business idea

Debs2626

Hi All,

Myself and my business partners are thinking of setting up a business in the Dublin region.

Our idea involves the fresh preparation of meals and a to-your-door delivery service specifically targeting the elderly. I want to provide an affordable quality service to the market which will take the hassle out cooking ‘meals for one’. Through preliminary research we learned that elderly people often fail to meet their daily recommended nutritional intake which can lead to a diminishment in mobility and overall health.

We aim to provide our service twice a day (lunch and dinner) up to seven days a week with clients choosing as many meals as they desire. (We will most likely have to set a minimum per week).

In order to provide a well rounded service we aim to include an additional/optional benefit of updating the individual’s family member(s) as to their well being on delivery of the meal via txt or email. This feature aims to combat the problem of loosened familial bonds due to the accelerating pace of modern life whereby the “children” are increasingly unable to take direct care of their elderly parents. We feel that in many cases the “children” will be paying for this service and this will leave them safe in the knowledge that their parents are looked after.

We would really appreciate any feedback you may have.

Many Thanks

codykelly

I think this is a great idea and it has great potential. There is great demand for this sort of service especially if it provides high quality meals. Meals on wheels is a similar service however it does not supply high quality food. If you can differentiate yourselves i think your service will be a great success. Best of luck.

minichunkies

What kinda dinners would ye serve up? Would ye do a bit a fish and turkey and would it be spuds everyday?

Larianne

So like Meals on Wheels ?

HavingCrack

Meals on Wheels do a lot of good work but their food sometimes leaves a bit to be desired according to a few eldery friends of my granmother. They also a bit more of a charity than a business I think as in you don't pay a fee to them?? If I'm wrong correct me.

It's a good idea OP but you'd definately want to have tour market research done.

Debs2626

While Meals On Wheels (MOW) is a great service for the elderly and extremely important there are some limitations:

Volunteers -
MOW is highly dependent on volunteers, in these challenging times it is difficult to get dependable willing people to help out.

EC Regulations -
MOW are required to comply with European legislation however the Environmental Health Officer rarely visit and aren't even aware that some exist.

Funding -
they receive very limited funding from the government therefore cannot provide for the increasing demand for their service

Hygiene -
as many MOW's use community kitchens they have no control over the cleanliness of the kitchens they use.

MOW also tend to ask for a contribution of an average of €3 per meal. We aim to ensure our service will cover these limitations at an affordable price.

Thank you for your response, have you or someone you know ever availed from the Meals on Wheels service?

randylonghorn

Debs2626 wrote: »

Thank you for your response, have you or someone you know ever availed from the Meals on Wheels service?

Yes, an elderly neighbour - rural community, service ran just 3 days a week.

In fairness, especially with the limitations and the distance involved, the quality of food was quite good ... hardly cordon bleu, but quite acceptable.

This would be much easier to do in the city, obviously.

I think like any other business, it will make or break on quality issues:

- quality of food
- reliability of service (consistent timing, etc.)
- friendliness of service: many old people are quite isolated, esp. in winter, and simple things like the person calling to the door smiling, addressing them by name, asking them how they are to-day means a lot.

If this is to be a paid service as opposed to MOW I would suggest you need to offer at least 2 choices per day (easiest would be to simply offer choice one day for the next, and note answer).

At the prices you could charge, I couldn't see you making a fortune ... but if you built it up, there might be the potential to make an "honest living".

I suspect the idea that someone is calling to the house, updates, especially an alert if something appears amiss might be attractive to children living at a distance all right.

C-J

In my home area there are 3 nursing homes that deliver meals to local bachelors, elderly people etc. Then there is also meals on wheels. It'd be interesting to know if all nursing homes do this

Riamfada

I thought about this myself a while ago. The thing that put me off was the initial startup investment. Great minds

bobbysands81

I think the question that the OP is asking is the wrong one as it is impossible to say whether or not the service is commercially viable if the OP doesn't tell us how much they are going to charge for the service.

The idea is a good one though and has a lot of merit.