Crazy Crepes Final 1
Crazy Crepes Final 1
Crazy Crepes Final 1
Submitted by:
Crazy Crepes
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Crazy Crepes is an innovative new food truck that will be operating in the downtown Toronto core. Crazy
Crepes has embraced the growing popularity of food truck style vending and has developed a variety of
unique products that offer an alternative to the current fast food options. Crazy Crepes has developed
an array of freshly prepared, high quality, savory and sweet crepes to be prepared fresh for every order.
Our crepes are not just your standard white crepes, but are made from different ingredients including
buckwheat or whole wheat flours and with many other gluten-free and vegan options across the menu.
With an increasing number of dietary restrictions in the world, Crazy Crepes would like to ensure that
everyone can enjoy a crazy crepe. We transform the traditional French dessert crepe because crepes
aren’t just desserts, but they are also delicious shells for savoury meals. Crazy Crepes is both a savoury
meal and a sweet dessert food truck, made with the finest and healthiest ingredients. We offer
customers fresh food made within minutes, complemented by legendary service. With our combined
skills we believe that Crazy Crepes has a team of hard workers who are self-reliant and not afraid to take
responsibility. It is vital that the faces of Crazy Crepes share specific key traits that include being focused
on the future, are eager to learn, are action oriented, and are tech-savvy. Working on each other’s’
strengths and reinforcing the positives, Crazy Crepes has a solid foundation and a bright future that we
are willing to work for.
Crazy Crepes plans to develop contracts with the University of Toronto and the Sony Centre for
Performing Arts, based upon pre-negotiated conversations with the venues. The cost of these long term
agreements will be $8,000 and $12,000 respectively. In addition to these contracts Crazy Crepes will
attend catering engagements for private events to further enhance our profits and brand awareness.
Long term goals for Crazy Crepes include expanding our customer base, increasing networking for
private events, developing more menu items, and eventually moving into a physical space for
preparation.
In order to accomplish these goals Crazy Crepes will require an investment of $75,000. The loan will be
used for legal fees and licensing as well as the initial truck costs and employee salaries. Having the ability
and funds to enhance our business right away will garner larger profits that will be reinvested into the
company and be used to pay off loans. Our owners will contribute a total of $120,000 which will
contribute to spending for start-up costing that come to a total of $222,263.61. The bulk of our start-up
costs are to pay 5 staff members for the first year as well as the cost of the food truck. As well, we will
acquire a Youth Entrepreneur Grant of $25,000. We expect to pay back the loan in full through years 5-8
of our business, this will give us time to continue to reinvest our profits in the business and foster its
growth.
Thank you for your time and consideration, we look forward to a very successful agreement with you.
Sincerely,
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Company Background………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
History…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 8
Target Market………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8
Short Term Goals…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
Long Term Goals…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11
Management Team………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12
Legal Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 16
Industry Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 22
Competition…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23
Direct and Indirect Competition………………………………………………………………………………….. 24
Competitive Advantage……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27
SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28
Marketing Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 30
Manufacturing Plan………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 34
How It Works……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37
Financial Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 40
Start-Up Costs………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 41
Balance Sheet………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 42
Payroll………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 43
Expenses and Revenue Spreadsheets…………………………………………………………………………. 44
Cash Flow Chart………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 50
Risks……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 51
Appendix……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 52
Mission Statement: Crazy Crepes offers the Toronto area unique crepes made with the finest and
healthiest ingredients for any diet, complemented by legendary service on a mobile platform.
Products and Services: The primary revenue generation for this business will come from the sale and
distribution of crepes served from the Crazy Crepe’s food truck that will operate throughout the Toronto
area. The business will specialize in serving crepes that cater to different dietary restrictions or lifestyle
by offering options that include: Vegetarian crepes, vegan crepes, gluten-free crepes, and dessert
crepes.
Business Name and Ownership Structure: Crazy Crepes has been registered as the legal operating name
for the business launched by three individuals: Sarah Jorstad, Arielle Peters, and Gabriela Cerritos. The
three individuals have agreed upon general partnership ownership, which is shared as: 41% (Peters),
41% (Jorstad) and 18% (Cerritos). If the opportunity comes available, the entire team has agreed to offer
limited partnership opportunities for investors.
Legal Analysis: Crazy Crepes has completed the necessary steps for opening this food truck business as
per the information available through the government’s Canadian Business Network in addition to
consulting city officials. This includes but is not limited to working with the regulatory bodies of the
health department, Toronto Public Health Inspection (3 categories for food vehicles and most gourmet
food trucks - likely to be considered Mobile Preparation Premises - depending on what food is being
prepared and with what equipment), fire department (NFPA), standards and safety (TSSA), and electrical
safety (ESA). The business has the necessary licenses and registration numbers collected for operation
and for the vehicle. The partners have all become food handler certified and Workplace Health and
Safety Insurance is being pursued for protection of all workers.
Financing: Cerritos, Peters and Jorstad are seeking to raise $75,000 from a bank loan. The interest rate
and loan agreement are to be further discussed during negotiation. This business plan assumes that the
business will receive a 10-year loan with a 5 percent fixed interest rate compounded annually. The
financing will be used for the following:
Development of the Crazy Crepes food truck;
Financing for the first year of operation;
Capital to pay employees for the first year of labour,
Cerritos, Peters and Jorstad will contribute a combined amount of $120,000 to the venture.
$400,000.00
$300,000.00
$200,000.00
$100,000.00
$-
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Revenue from Catering $13,387 $26,775 $40,162 $53,550 $66,937 $72,515 $78,093 $89,250 $100,40 $111,56
Revenue from Daily Operations $121,99 $140,28 $161,33 $185,53 $213,36 $245,36 $282,17 $324,49 $373,17 $429,14
Marketing Plan: Crazy Crepes will be marketed through a variety of different channels including word of
mouth to enhance reputation and the use of relationship selling in the early stages of our business. We
will continually use social media including Facebook and Twitter, and earned media coverage to create a
buzz around our company and gain loyal followers. Crazy Crepes will utilize a direct marketing channel
and sell products straight to consumers using no intermediaries and we will implement a competitive
pricing scheme to emerge as a fierce competitor in the industry.
Target Market and Customer Analysis: Crazy Crepes provides delicious healthy food choices to all
Toronto, tourists and students. Our two agreements provide two locations that allow for many cultures
and ages to enjoy Crazy Crepes. The average age group for our target market is roughly around 17 – 55
years old. Our business caters to those who are seeking healthy alternatives and quality food.
Expansion Plan: As time progresses, Crazy Crepes will expand its presence throughout Toronto and the
Greater Toronto Area by attending food truck gatherings, music concerts, trade shows, sporting events,
and other venues that feature a large number of people. At typical industry slow times (the winter),
Crazy Crepes will focus on providing catering service to businesses and personal events. Additionally,
over time, the business will generate a strong repeat customer base from the continual servicing at
contract locations at the University of Toronto and at the Sony Centre. It should be noted that after 10
years of operation, Jorstad, Cerritos and Peters intend to acquire a second truck that will operate within
other sections of Toronto. This will expand the revenues of the business.
Mission
Crazy Crepes offers savoury meal and dessert crepes made with the finest and healthiest ingredients for
any diet, complemented by legendary service.
Vision
Crazy Crepes will focus on providing fresh and delicious savoury crepes by:
1. Offering customers healthy food choices;
2. Offering customers solutions to their dietary restrictions (vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-
intolerant);
3. Catering to busy on-the-go lifestyles;
4. Providing legendary customer service;
5. Making eating a meal a superior experience.
Within the next five years, Crazy Crepes hopes to grow into a successful and dominant competitor in
Ontario’s food truck industry, increasing profit to $280,299.33 by Year 5.
Values
We at Crazy Crepes value fresh, healthy, and appetizing food choices. We understand the difficulty of
finding tasty food with dietary restrictions and we would like to give everyone the chance to experience
the taste of a crazy crepe. We understand that each person is different, and our menu caters to today’s
vast and differentiating market.
Our values serve as a guiding path to ensure that our business remains socially responsible in any and all
decisions. Our values set us apart from our growing competition. They outline what we stand for and
what we strive to accomplish.
Goals:
To become a household name;
To become a dominating food service provider within the Toronto crepe scene;
To become one of the best food trucks in Toronto;
To become a major Toronto tourist attraction.
Objectives:
1. To reach a positive revenue by Year 4;
2. To expand the menu after Year 2;
3. To attend many Toronto festivals, sporting and music events;
4. To hire a third full-time employee in Year 3 and a fourth full-time employee in Year 6;
5. To hire a fourth part-time employee in Year 7;
6. To pay back any loans completely by Year 8;
7. To acquire a second truck after Year 10;
8. To reach a profit of $500,000 by Year 10
Crazy Crepes was formed by three ambitious young women while studying Media Studies at the
University of Guelph-Humber. Crazy Crepes consists of Gabriela Cerritos, Sarah Jorstad, and Arielle
Peters. Jorstad and Peters each own 41% of the company (with each an investment of $50,000), and
Cerritos owns 18% of the company (with an investment of $20,000). Friends of the three, Samantha
Stiavnicky and Karolina Visic wanted to be part of the project but could not commit themselves to
permanent position. Both Stiavnicky and Visic are not owners of Crazy Crepes, but are part-time
workers. All five members of the Crazy Crepes team are currently in their third year of post-secondary
study. The business idea for Crazy Crepes came to be through the combination of different skill sets and
hobbies from each team member.
All five of the individuals are formally trained in aspects of marketing, promotions, and business. Peters
has a passion and love for cooking. Cerritos has many years of experience in the food and service sector
(with a keen sense for numbers). Jorstad is an experienced communication specialist with work
experience relevant to the food service industry. Both Stiavnicky and Visic have many years work
experience in customer service.
Together the skills, knowledge and passion amongst the team encouraged this partnership that believes
that it is a prime time to enter the food truck business in Toronto with a good chance of success.
This group of business partners felt that the food truck industry in Toronto is understated compared to
other metropolitans in North America where food trucks have become very profitable businesses. Crazy
Crepes intends to enhance the Toronto food truck scene while building upon the popularity of food
trucks. With the unique spin on crepes, the Company would acquire greater opportunity to be successful
because it differentiates itself from current competitors in Toronto. The varied options of crepes will add
to the lack of variety of quick and on-the-go food choices Toronto.
Target Market*
*See Appendix E, I, K
Crazy Crepes’ target market consists of local downtown Toronto residents, post-secondary students
near the vicinity of the food truck’s two locations, and tourists visiting Toronto. The residents of
downtown Toronto have chosen to live in this area because of the accessibility to get from place to
place, the entertainment, the endless number of stores to shop at, and because it is a vibrant
environment. Crazy Crepes knows its products and services can appeal to these attributes of downtown
Toronto and fit smoothly into the on-the-go lifestyle of the residents.
Due to Toronto’s multicultural society, Crazy Crepes does not want to limit itself catering to one specific
cultural group. With its unique menu of creative but delicious crepes, Crazy Crepes will attract
consumers from different cultures. It is important to cater to a number of different cultures to increase
the business’ profit and success in the food truck industry.
Crazy Crepes has negotiated an agreement with the University of Toronto and the Sony Centre for
Performing Arts (pending our funding) to conduct business on their private premises.
There are many other factors that contribute to trend towards vegetarianism, which includes growth in
immigrants who arrive from other countries where this would be their regular dietary lifestyle, such as
China, India, Philippines, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Taiwan. This is often associated with their
religious practices. As Toronto is incredibly multi-cultural, it is likely that a huge portion of vegetarians
across the country live in this city. Research also points to recommendations for healthier diet choices
by associations like the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
"By looking at the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association's top 2013 Hot Trends, we can
quickly see that Crazy Crepes is going to provide a wanted food service.
How it works:
The regular business day begins at seven in the morning. All prep work is done at the residence of Peters
the night before, where equipment and ingredients are stored. The business’ employees prepare and
pack all the ingredients that will be needed to prepare the sweet and savoury crepes. The first shift is
the breakfast shift from 7 to 10 a.m. catching people on their way to work or to school. During regular
hours there are two employees on the truck (one takes orders and the other prepares the crepes).
During rush hours there is an added cook. The two majority owners are always on the truck as full-time
positions, with the third minority owner working part-time (during rush hours and to change one of the
full-timers when need be). The third worker is also on-call for rush hours.
The second shift is typically from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the dinner shift is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The time
in-between and after can be used for catering engagements or to replenish/prepare more food.
Short-Term Goals
In the first year of production, Crazy Crepes hopes to become part of the Toronto Food Truck
Association. We as individuals have been a long term supporter of the association, partaking in their
petitions and staying up-to-date with current trends and activity at city hall and across Canada. The
association is not only about traffic, it is more for supporting the rights of food truck businesses. The
association’s online website keeps over 8,500 “foodies” informed about the latest news of Toronto’s
current food trucks. It promotes the business of food trucks to ensure that interested consumers are
kept in the loop about where the next upcoming location will be for its featured food trucks. This
association offers interested food truck consumers the opportunity to download an app that specifically
focuses on tracking and posting schedules of food truck activity. With an established relationship with
this association, Crazy Crepes will have another platform to create awareness, build its brand name and
attract more potential customers.
Crazy Crepes will form relationships with food truck festival organizers to have our food truck featured
at all of the local food truck festivals. Our business plans on participating at the Street Food Block Party
which attracts over 4,000 people every year. In addition, Crazy Crepes will attend the Toronto Food
Truck Rally which takes place in the Distillery District as well as at the CNE Food Truck Rally. Showcasing
our food truck at these festivals, Crazy Crepes will establish its brand among a large number of potential
consumers. The promotion through these festivals will allow Crazy Crepes to establish its brand which
In addition, the business hopes to have a loyal and returning customer base, to ensure that in a single
business day, the food truck will serve an average of 500 customers. Crazy Crepes hopes to book a
minimum of 24 catering events in the first year. These private events are a main source of income for
the business, especially as a new food truck breaking into the industry. Thus, these private events will
allow Crazy Crepes to build business relationships and network to gain more future clients.
Crazy Crepes will work vigorously throughout its first year to ensure it overcomes the numerous
obstacles of a starting business. It hopes to produce profit in its first year to help continue the business
into its second year and onwards.
Crazy Crepes will aspire to maintain its customer base from its first year and work to expand it to outside
of Toronto. The networking at the private events in the first year will be a great asset to increasing its
clientele for future bookings. It hopes to have a minimum of 48 catering engagements in Year 2 (see
Catering in Financials for 10 Year engagement goals). Previously mentioned, the business’ main income
will come from private events, thus with an increase of a minimum of bookings, Crazy Crepes will have
the opportunity to do more with its business.
In its third year, Crazy Crepes would like to offer its customers an increased menu which will build upon
its crepes that cater to different dietary needs. Crazy Crepes will see what crepes worked well, and what
customers suggested. A larger variety of choices will be added, continuously appealing to a larger
consumer base and keeping focused on our speciality crepes that everyone can enjoy.
One of Crazy Crepes’ important long term goals to achieve are better working conditions. There will be
an increase of the number of staff in Year 3, Year 6 and Year 7. This is to cut down the 17 hour working
business day for owners to a maximum of 9 (three 3 hour shifts). This way staff can rotate shifts and
hours will be more flexible. Furthermore, this will ensure that staff are at their best while on the job.
This will drastically improve the business’ efficiency and productivity.
Crazy Crepes hopes to no longer do prep work in Peters’ basement catering area, but will have a rented
space that will be used for doing all preparations, while storing all ingredients and equipment. The use
of this space will give Crazy Crepes more room to work in and easier accessibility to ingredients if need
be. After Year 10, Crazy Crepes will acquire a factory space (to also coincide with a second truck) to
facilitate prep work and food storage.
Once establishing profitability yearly and maintaining a strong presence in the food truck industry, Crazy
Crepes hopes to be able to open a second food truck after Year 10. With a second truck there are more
opportunities for the business to make larger profits, expand its customer base and grow the entire
business in all aspects.
Ownership Structure
As this business is operating as a partnership of three individuals, Peters, Cerritos, and Jorstad,
registering the business will be done in the name of Crazy Crepes. Financial risks and workload are
shared evenly amongst all three partners, at 41%, 41% and 18%. Thus property, profits, liability, and
work are shared, as stipulated in the partnership agreement. The head office of the business will
operate out of the home of Peters. The two business activities will be the sale of crepes and beverages
at designated location, in addition to mobile catering agreements by contract.
Backgrounds
EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
Of Peters, Cerritos, Jorstad, Visic and Stiavnicky
ARIELLE PETERS:
Owner, Full-Time, General Manager and Recipe Developer
Personal Background:
Peters will utilize her experience working in the Communications and Marketing department at ALS
Ontario, as well as her relevant customer service skills working in the retail industry to effectively
market and promote the Crazy Crepes food truck. She will be responsible for creating and implementing
marketing and promotional plans and developing brain equity through effective use of company image,
logos, slogans etc. Peters will also apply her passion and love for cooking to develop new and exciting
recipes for the Crazy Crepes food truck. In this role she will be responsible for adjusting and modifying
menu items that are not selling, or creating new items based on popular demand.
Employment History:
Personal Background:
Cerritos has worked in the retail business for approximately five years and in that time she has gained
valuable working experience in dealing with customers and co-workers. She is fully equipped to work in
close knit team based on past employment. She knows what is necessary to ensure that all requirements
are met on a daily basis to adhere to the wants and needs of customers. In addition, Cerritos has worked
in the service industry and gained a core understanding of the intricacies of the business. She will bring
to the team her skills of being able to work in a fast-paced environment, where time is of value and
service is essential for success. In her former roles, she has also proven her knack for financial record
keeping which will be an asset to our operation.
Employment History:
SARAH JORSTAD:
Owner, Full-Time, Communications Manager
Personal Background:
Jorstad has spent the last six years in post-secondary training having demonstrated her dedication to her
field of media studies. She is an experienced event planner and communications specialist, with over
three years of consistent work experience. She will be able to bring her skills to the marketing
operations and branding initiatives of the business. Additionally, Jorstad has an invested interest in
creative cuisine. Growing up, she has held various positions in retail and food service locations which
enable her to bring valuable insight to our operations and for an understanding of the customer
experience. Her personality can be described as organized, reliable, and ambitious.
Additional Training:
SAMANTHA STIAVNICKY:
Part-Time, Food Service Worker
Personal Background:
With her love of healthy food and the outdoor environment, Stiavnicky is proud addition to the Crazy
Crepes food business. She worked her first job of almost four years within the largest health food store
in Ontario and since grew a deeper appreciation for healthy lifestyles. Working at Natures Emporium
provided her experience within a professional setting and set a strong foundation for working within a
business. As she entered to her second job at Holland Valley Nursery she gained a strong customer
service background as well. These jobs allowed for Stiavnicky to work within environments that taught
her all she knows about being a strong, dedicated worker. Stiavnicky brings a personality, a creative
mind, and a positive outlook to every job she has.
Employment History:
KAROLINA VISIC:
Part-Time, Food Service Worker, Social Media and Graphic Designer
Personal Background:
Visic is an enthusiastic and optimistic university student. She is very detailed oriented and understands
the value of time due to numerous service jobs. She brings a positive attitude to the workforce and is a
great team player. Visic is a great addition to the Crazy Crepes team as she is a reliable and honest
worker. Moreover, she is trilingual, speaking and writing in Croatian, French and English. Coming from a
strong academic background with both honours and awards, she can transfer her academic integrity and
hard work ethic into a workplace environment to benefit of Crazy Crepes. Additionally, Visic is very
passionate about public relations and graphic design. She will be designing all graphic aspects of the
company (from menu to truck wrap, etc.). Creativity is her strong suit and she will prove to be a great
asset to Crazy Crepes.
Employment History:
Graphic design;
Part-time (required to work at least five 3 hour shifts a week);
Assist with catering events;
Assist with food prep;
Manage social media.
Location Logistics
Agreements have been made with the University of Toronto and the Sony Centre for Performing Arts.
University of Toronto*: Having run the “Food Truck Friday” initiative for 2011-2012 (see appendix K),
the university has expressed interest in having a more permanent food and beverage establishment on
campus. We have secured the location for three days per week (Tuesday through Thursday) at a cost of
$8,000 for the year. We can operate a minimum of three hours a day to a maximum of eight, for 28
weeks of the year (September, October, November, January, February, March and April). *
Sony Centre for Performing Arts*: Likewise to the university, the Sony Centre and Crazy Crepes have
established an agreement for operation on their prime days of Fridays and Saturdays at a cost of
$12,000 for the year. We can operate a minimum of four hours a day to a maximum of eight, for 35
weeks of the year. Reference appendix K for information on their former initiatives.
* Reference appendix D for research that influenced the business decisions between both parties
Both venues have emphasized that their interest is due much because of the innovative and quality
cuisine available, but also because of our commitment to healthy options and giving back to the
community. We have been able to prove ourselves to these groups as mature, innovative, driven, and
intelligent young entrepreneurs. These agreements have been negotiated upon the requirement that
we must receive funding and begin operations by January 2014.
Additionally, with the mobile vehicle, we are able to attend private events or festivals where we intend
to gather additional revenues from.
Our extensive research determined that we were unable to operate in the downtown core due to a
moratorium by the city that will not allow for additional designation permits. Food truck vehicles may
operate in the Greater Toronto Area or the Former City of Toronto but are bound to municipal
regulations. Additionally, subsection 269G of Toronto’s licensing bylaw stipulates that food vending
vehicles in the downtown core (our primary market) may not operate on the property for more than 10
minutes or they may be fined. This stipulation made it necessary for Crazy Crepes to establish strong
relationships with businesses prior, as we have, in order to have access to their private property.
Form: http://app.toronto.ca/health/foodhandler/pdfs/fh_registration.pdf
For the operation of food establishments, the Toronto by-law states that at least one individual on the
premises must possess the food handler certification during all hours of operation. Multiple individuals
are permitted to receiving the certification as well.
Form:
http://www.forms.ssb.gov.on.ca/mbs/ssb/forms/ssbforms.nsf/FormDetail?openform&ENV=WWE&NO=
007-07219
Cost: $109.20
This permit is required to register a business name for the general partnership.
Form:
www.appmybizaccount.gov.on.ca/wps/poc/mba_pub?uri=pagelink:osb.portal.public.non.navigable.topi
c&PUBLIC_CONTEXT=/mbaenglish/onesource/topics/startabusiness/RegisteringaBusiness/TopicRegister
OrRenewYourBusinessOnline&lang=en
This will register our business name for the next five years. It also allows us to use the name at financial
institutions as a proof of registration.
Form: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/bn-ne/rgstr/cmpltng/menu-eng.html
Cost: None
This is to register with the Canada Revenue Agency for GST/HST revenue and payroll.
VEHICLE LICENCE
Form: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/catalogue.htm
This needs to be performed by a TSSA certified gas technician level 2. The intention is to ensure no leaks
and the inspection must be done yearly. A report is needed from the Fuels Safety Branch of TSSA that
demonstrates that the truck meets the standards of propane storage, handling and utilisation code
(outlined in the Energy Act.) Research shows this certification and report should cost $50 by third party
propane companies like Canso Propane and CNG Conversions to then show City. The truck price includes
a propane inspection and licence.
The business will likely require insurance of its employees through the WSIB, as a registered restaurant.
This must be done within 10 days of hiring the first employee (including family and contract or
occasional workers.)
More information:
https://eservices.wsib.on.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_203_653_245_0_43/p/registerRestau
rantPart0.action
Location
Food truck laws are very specific as to where you are allowed to be vending from in Toronto. In order to
abide by the laws, permits are required for designated locations, as described in the previous legal
analysis. Crazy Crepes will instead be operating on private property because of these restrictions as
previously mentioned. We will operate at the Sony Centre for Performing Arts and the University of
Toronto for a total of five days per week as per our agreements made that are pending funding. Both of
these agreements are good for the next coming five years.
For students, tourists, and business people alike, Crazy Crepes is a great option for grabbing lunch or a
snack. People often do not have enough time to wait for meals in restaurants, when they have
competing schedules. Our food truck offers food cheaper and faster. At Crazy Crepes we try our best to
keep out location as close to our customers as possible while delivering quality products and legendary
service.
Target market:
Toronto’s multicultural population allows it to remain very diverse while catering to diverse needs.
Many ethnic groups live within Toronto and GTA area. There are some areas more culturally prominent
than others, but usually areas try to maintain a balance of a variety of different cultures. Toronto is also
a very popular tourist area bringing all different people to experience the city and all it provides. Many
people in the Toronto area live along the subway line or a short distance away from one. Our main
target market includes tourists, locals and students that live within the area. Our target market will vary
depending upon where we operate on that specific day, but those three groups encapsulate the people
we intend to reach throughout the year.
The University of Toronto has 65, 612 undergraduate students enrolled each year while the city of
Toronto at large has over 5 million residents. There are also on average 21 million tourists to Toronto
annually.
Crazy Crepes offers healthy and quick alternatives for consumers. We supply food without waiting times
like those in restaurants that you can enjoy as you explore the streets and shops of Toronto or at home
in our take away bags. Crazy Crepes caters to all cultures as our menu contains classic North American
favourites as well as Pad Thai and other unique dishes. Kids and adults can enjoy our food without guilt
as we make healthy, fresh food daily. Our food truck is suitable for those with dietary food restrictions.
Crazy Crepes caters to vegetarians, vegans and those sensitive to gluten.
Toronto Statistics:
The market for our business will fluctuate throughout the seasons as most people are more compelled
to purchase food outside in the warmer climates. The spring, summer and early fall will be our main
money making points throughout the year. We can expect business to be its highest in the summer
when people are roaming outdoors or grabbing a quick bite to eat for lunch.
Age 17-55
Males and Females under the age of 20:
Males 10.8% of population and Females 10.3% of population.
The Median age for Torontonians is: 39.2 years old
Baby boomers represent 18.9% of Toronto’s population
Seniors represent 14.4% of the entire population
Marital/family status Students: Single or dating Adults: Married, with kids or single and dating
Ethnicity Multicultural
Languages English, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Filipino, Indian, French and Korean.
Geography
Where do my customers live? Customers live around the area in local apartments and housing. (Along the subway line 10 -
40 minutes away) or on one of the many University of Toronto residences.
Cultural Interests
Reading Material Preferences Food magazines such as: Delicious, Bon Appetit, Food Network, Vegetarian, Vegan and
dessert magazines etc.
Food/dining preferences Various types of dining experience. Local food trucks or cafes within the down town district
or fast food and unique experiences.
Online Preferences Online food sites , Pinterest (food), punchfork.com, and dessert or healthy online websites
According to the North American Industry Classification system 2012, the Canadian food and mobile
service industry are primarily engaged in preparing and serving meals and snacks for immediate
consumption from motorized vehicles or non-motorized carts. Due to the increasing nature of this
service, our food truck will fill a distinct need in the market and result in a successful and thriving
business. (See Appendix F)
Currently, the food truck business has expanded an enormous amount. According to a study done, food
trucks accounted for 37% of the $1.4 billion dollars accumulated from fast food vending nationwide. This
means food truck popularity has increased by 15%. (See Appendix F) Some areas of Canada and the
states host Food Truck Festivals each year. People enjoy window shopping for mobile restaurants as it
allows them to choose what seems clean and fresh. Observation of pricing and meal quality are
displayed and understood more clearly as well. The smells might also play a role in people choosing
where they dine. When roaming around the streets looking for a good fast meal, the aroma of food
trucks is one of the first smells in the air. With their strict sanitary routines and constant health and
safety inspections, people are gravitating more to the food truck experience.
Another relevant aspect of the industry that will drive people to our food truck is the increasing interest
in a healthier lifestyle. According to a marketing analysis report from Agricultural Food Canada,
Canadians are interested in living healthier lives and, as a population, they are making some progress
toward that goal. Food and health related discussions have gained prominence, with a large focus on
obesity and between 2000 and 2007, per-capita health spending increased an average of 3.5%. The
Canadian populations is increasingly looking for convenience in their food choices however, they are
also becoming more concerned with authenticity, sustainability and quality (See Appendix F). Due to this
focus on choosing healthier food options and leading a healthy lifestyle, our food truck with thrive in
providing healthy, fresh and fast options to consumers. This will give potential customers an alternative
to some of the greasy and unhealthy street food that exists in Toronto.
At this time, the food truck business in Toronto is booming. The city has come a long way since the
hotdog /hamburger joints. Not only can you find the standard small barbeque grills on most street
corners, but you can now find poutine, seafood dishes, Greek and Mediterranean foods, wood oven
baked pizzas, smoked meat sandwiches, cupcakes, desserts and much more! Anything goes when it
comes to food trucks and these mobile restaurants are getting more creative with mixing ingredients
that only create talk around the streets.
With food truck businesses on the rise, Crazy Crepes will be in the core of a competitive
environment. Each food truck offers their own unique spin on classic dishes or recreates their own.
Crazy Crepes will need to establish a distinct brand to compete with the already existing food trucks on
the Toronto scene. Crazy Crepes will fall into several areas of competition, firstly with other brick and
mortar restaurants in the area as well as other existing and developing food trucks.
Crazy Crepes will find themselves in competition with various local restaurants in the downtown area.
Despite the mobile aspect to this unique restaurant, food and drink restaurants are also high
competition. Not all people enjoy eating food prepared in trucks and might prefer a sit down setting.
Depending on preferences this is understandable, but the common misconception that Food trucks are
not as sanitary as other food outlets will put a dent in sales. This common thought is against Crazy
Crepes and is a source of competition as it puts restaurants on a pedestal.
The general income in the Toronto district can range, but usually is quite high. In this specific area
students will choose what is affordable and within the area. Sometimes time doesn’t allow large
lunch/break periods. Most working adults will not have enough time to go to a sit down restaurant as
well so they choose a food truck within the area. There are many dessert food trucks that offer sweet
treats similar to Crazy Crepes. These include: Cupcake Diner, Sweetness Bakery, and Curbside Bliss
Cupcakes.
Another source of competition are the food services that are provided to the university students. Some
of the dining halls available are: New College Dining Hall, Howard Ferguson Dining Hall (University
College), Chestnut Tree (Chestnut Residence), Canada Room (St. Michael’s College), Burwash Dining Hall
(Victoria University). These five locations are accessible and closer for students who live on residence.
They can purchase yearly meal plans for the two semesters and enjoy a buffet style breakfast, lunch and
dinner. The University of Toronto also offers cafes, coffee shops and specialty restaurants for students.
In addition to restaurants, Crazy Crepes will face competition with other food trucks who also provide
unique options. Established food trucks in the downtown area include: Buster’s Sea Cove, Rome’ n
Chariot, Hightown Smoke, El Gastronomo Vagabundo, and Caplansky’s.
To fight all of these competition types, Crazy Crepes will advertise a clean, healthy, affordable, and
available service to all their customers. We will deliver the same great quality as restaurants as well as
deliver quantity and passion. As all food trucks have their own flare, our business will offer the best
Crepes in the city!
We believe that competition is natural and a positive thing for Crazy Crepes. Our competition will
prevent us from becoming too confident, will motivate us to be more creative, force us to get out of our
comfort zone (risk taking), and keep our prices reasonable. Our competition will drive us to work harder
to retain our customers by constantly improving our food and customer service. Moreover, crepes are
not a revolutionary idea, however we will continue to innovate the crepe. Our competition will help us
to develop better and more distinct products. Hopefully, once we have a huge customer following the
competition will push us to work harder in order to remain visible. Lastly, the competition will reinforce
our good prices, proving to customers that we are offering good value for their money.
We acknowledge that we are entering a business that is already widely established (restaurants, dessert
cafes and food trucks). To keep up with the competition we will incorporate the competitive response
cycle. This cycle is “a process of researching your competition that you can use to continually make sure
your food truck is meeting the needs of the customers you’re targeting (and, therefore, helping you
increase your profits.” The five steps of this cycle are:
Direct Competitors
Our research on the competition in the Greater Toronto Area gives us two strong reasons of why Crazy
Crepes is able to achieve success in Toronto as a food truck.
Therefore, we find that our most relevant competitors would be restaurants operating in Toronto. The
good news is that these restaurants have found success in their food service operations, so we know
that Toronto is positively responsive to the product.
Indirect Competitors:
Demetres
Just Desserts
Spin Emporium
It is still important for us to analyze the food trucks that do operate with somewhat similar sweet
offerings.
Each menu from popular dessert food trucks consists of a wide variety of delicious flavours and creative
combinations. Below you will find a description on the dessert food trucks somewhat alike to Crazy
Crepes.
Curbside Bliss
Curbside Bliss Cupcakes offers various cupcakes such as: Apple Pie, Banana Cream, Black Forest,
Blueberry, Champagne, Chocolate, peanut Butter, Coconut Dream, Cookies and Cream, Hazelnut, Latte,
Salted Caramel, S’mores, Strawberry, and Vanilla.
They also offer out “Man Cakes” for those who want a more masculine flavour. Some of these include:
“Beer Run” which mainly includes Guinness Beer and Candied Bacon on a chocolate cupcake, “Ball Park”
with vanilla bean sponge, banana butter cream and a pretzel, and “Hit the Road Jack” consisting of red
velvet and Jack Daniels.
Curbside Bliss cupcakes offer a wide variety of cupcake flavours for those looking for a sugar rush during
their day. Visit the food truck on the day of your birthday they provide you with a free cupcake on the
house! Known for their delectable desserts, Curbside Bliss is well known within the GTA area and is
loved by many. At the price of $2.75 Curbside Bliss offers out a single cupcake creation of your choice.
The food is popular and creative which are two main reasons why the business is successful. They offer
out frequent Customer Cards to those who purchase often allowing customers to earn a free cupcake
with a purchase.
Sweetness Bakery offers much more than the standard dessert food truck. This food truck goes the
distance when it comes to its profits! Sweetness Bakery state that is an item isn’t on the menu they
would be glad to make it for you! Pies, tarts, cookies, cake pops, squares and cheesecake! This tactic
keeps their competitive edge above all other trucks. This company also offers out cakes made especially
for you at their store location. With a store and food truck Sweetness Bakery brings in profits from two
different locations and continues to provide customers with the desired amount of sugar!
Cupcake Diner
Cupcake Diner includes cupcakes and cookies. Some of these include: Vanilla, Chocolate, Vanilla Bean
Latte, Chocolate Cherry, Pumpkin Spice, Vegan Chocolate, Candy Cane, Egg Nog, Maple Bacon, Skor,
Snickers, After 8, Banana Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Red Velvet and Cookie Dough. Cookie list follows:
Strawberry shortbread, triple Chocolate Chip, Rocky Road, Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
and White Chocolate Macadamia.
Cupcake Diner is the first mobile cupcake food truck! As they begin the trend of the dessert mobile
business, their name tends to speak louder than most. Cupcake Diner provides personal cupcakes as
well as catering services! Through catering at events this places them a cut above other companies as
they spread out and are known through different businesses.
Trends Evident
The three of these businesses have begun or currently are doing more than simply selling food within
their mobile restaurant, and are thus expanding their operations because of success from the market. As
mentioned earlier, catering, personalized cakes and desserts are only some of the ways these companies
have stretched beyond their standard food truck. These popular sweet dessert trucks appear to be
expanding and popular in demand. Some of the trucks have incorporated the popular “cake pops” into
their menu. At this time cake pops have become extremely popular and are at the top of many women’s
list to make. Working with current trends and offering unique ways that customers can get more for
their money has allowed these companies to expand and boom.
Providing a sugary snack during a normal working day can bring a smile to anyone’s face. These food
truck businesses are passionate about what they do and have placed their entire heart into the business.
As they all started with different ideas, each restaurant has brought their own unique products and
According to a study, food trends within this year will begin to slowly diverge into a healthier stream of
whole nutritious food. Many people are beginning to consider the effect their junk food intake has on
their bodies or are getting rid of processed foods from their daily lifestyle all together. Consumers are
becoming more aware of additives and preservatives within foods and the potential health risks they
can cause. Customers may question the ingredients used within the desserts and consider a healthier
alternative. With allergies and food sensitivities on the rise some customers may find them self-
restricted as to what they can and can’t eat within these mobile restaurants. Sweetness bakery already
caters to some allergies and sensitivities, but as for the other food trucks they may run into trouble in
that area.
Food truck competitors are distinguished through customer service, prices and their product/services.
Each company is always credited for their outstanding customer service. Customers enjoy coming back
to a happy environment where they are treated with respect. Food trucks that have respectable staff
who enjoy what they do will be noticed for that. In terms of profit, having a reasonable price is another
successful tactic for the competitive environment. Also, when a business delivers what they say they are
going to provide they will they earn trust from their customers.
Competitive Analysis
Criteria Cafe Crepe Crepes a Go Go Cupcake Diner
Type of Establishment Restaurant Restaurant Food Truck
(Food truck or
establishment)
Location Vancouver, Toronto and USA 750 Spadina Avenue, Mobile Restaurant
(Toronto Location – 246 Queen Toronto
Street West)
Menu Wide variety of foods from Wide variety of unique Cupcakes, Cookies and
customized crepes, sandwiches, flavours and dishes seasonal cookies/cupcakes
hot dogs, salads and soups
Price/Value $$ $ $$$
Efficiency Many options for sweet, Many options Various flavours and options
savoury
Target Demographic Torontonians within the area, Torontonians within the Torontonians living within
tourists and students area, tourists and students the area, tourists and
students
Type/style of service Sit down meals Sit down meals Dessert food/fast food
(food truck service
window, walk-in,
table-service)
We provide a unique spin on the traditional French crepe We are a new food truck company and are
Sweet AND savory crepes competing against those who have been
We cater to many cultures with our diverse menu established for years
We offer crepes that cater to different dietary restrictions Little advertising/marketing has been done
(gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian) No brand value
Use the freshest and finest ingredients Loyal customers might remain with the food
Food is made on demand trucks they love
Healthier than most fast food/food trucks Customers know where selected food trucks are
Our location is one of the best places to be situated in located and may disregard ours
Reasonable pricing (status quo pricing) Only accepts cash
Passion for food Owners will work the most and longest hours in
Low start-up cost compared to restaurant the first couple years
New Revel iPad POS system Workers do not know what is going on outside of
Hardworking, passionate, self-motivated and driven team the truck while working in it
Newly renovated food truck with compelling visual component Don’t have a permanent location
New kitchen and newest tools/materials Hard to keep repeat customers because the
All equipment are up to government standards and regulation business is mobile
Engaging display Can’t sell alcoholic beverages
Unique mash-up music Relatively inexperienced team
A food truck is more mobile than a cart or trailer Long-hours (less productive + less efficient
Crazy Crepes owns the vehicle (not leasing or renting) workers)
Custom kitchen set-up for crepes Location contracts are expensive
Certified mechanic + health inspection Limited funds are available
Two high profile location contracts Not a lot of workers in the first few years
Downtown core locations Healthy food means higher prices
Pride in putting forth innovative food Limited funds
Staff has experience within the food service industry Lack experience of competition
Staff has experience in dealing with financials and payroll Narrow/new product line
Advanced knowledge of social media trends Owners have little/no experience in
Sustainable endeavours + Recyclable & reusable owning/running a business
materials/packaging
New found truck culture since 2008 (only increasing)
Freedom to change menu as desired since it is an
independently owned company (differentiate products from
larger chains)
Valued and motivated employees, offers a good work
environment
Good relationship with suppliers
Emphasis on product and service quality
TV shows may be interested in our business (Eat Street) Our location may already have many food trucks
Partake in festival in North America that are known and loved by many
Franchise High competition with the expansion of the
Open a restaurant food truck business
Get more food trucks (Expand the business) Customers will go to other businesses that accept
Get an Interact/Credit Card payment system credit card/interact payments
There aren’t any crepe food trucks in Toronto or the GTA Bad weather (customers are less likely to go
Tweet locations and allow people to follow the truck outside to purchase food)
Partnering with aspiring DJs in the future Customers will be loyal to creperie restaurants
Sell cappuccinos/espresso/coffee that have permanent locations
The competitive response cycle (strength and opportunity) Hard to keep loyal customers are the location will
Hiring a pastry chef that has formal training in creating desserts vary
Collaborate with a local bar to start a dinner and dessert Municipal laws relating to play music (restrictions
package for loudness)
Reward social media followers Different health codes and food truck laws in
Canadians care more about ethical responsibility more than in different cities
other countries Location contracts do not guarantee sales
Eating out is an increasingly important part of Canadians’ daily Location contracts are binding for 5 years
activities and is growing in strength Changes in legislation or licensing requirements
Increasing health conscious attitude Preparing too much/too little food
Public awareness of obesity in Canadians Food cost increases
Word of mouth endorsements from customers Municipality is re-examining current legislation
Increased spending on advertising can attract new customers and may add further restrictions on food trucks
Relatively low cost of social media can attract the target Increasing gas prices
audience Bad weather
Multi-cultural atmosphere in Toronto encourage trying Truck breakage/repairs
food/beverages from different cultures Works can be overworked
To better the working conditions for workers as the company Competitor restaurants could open up a food
reaches profitability truck
63% of Canadians regard eating at a restaurant as a luxury (a Potential demographic changes
food truck is not as luxurious) Rising cost of dairy products
Vulnerability to recession
Rising cost of eco-friendliness
Endless renewal/updates of
technology/equipment
Crazy Crepres will prepare a crisis management program in their public relations management to
minimize any external threats. Also as Crazy Crepes gains experience and popularity, the company can
explore external opportunities. The biggest obstacle that Crazy Crepes must overcome is to remain open
for a full year in order to gain operational experience and a loyal customer base.
The SWOT analysis will be done every 6 months in order to stay competitive and to revaluate our
strengths and weaknesses and compare them with our competitors’.
Marketing Plan
Marketing will play a vital role in reaching our goals as a newly emerging business. It will help determine
whether our product can move from the introduction stage into the growth stage of the production life
cycle. By identifying our marketing goals, and including specific market mix, we can conduct a thorough
marketing analysis that will help Crazy Crepes emerge into the quickly expanding food truck industry.
Marketing goals:
To develop brand awareness of Crazy Crepes in the downtown Toronto area by establishing
relationships with local media to encourage frequent patronage and attract loyal customers
Product:
Crazy Crepes is a food truck that offers customers a unique spin on a classic French dessert. We have
developed an array of high-quality personally sized crepes with variety of different sweet and savory
toppings and flavours that are prepared and served quickly and ready for customers to enjoy. Crazy
Crepes offers customers a tasty healthy food option that is accessible and made with fresh and local
ingredients. Crazy Crepes redefines the meaning of fast food.
*****SAVORY CREPES*****
Green Eggs and Ham ($7.50) Crepe with Whip Cream ($2.50)
Freshly grated mozzarella cheese topped with sautéed
spinach, prosciutto and a perfectly cracked sunny side up egg
Eggetarian ($7.50)
Fresh Canadian grown eggs sauteed peppers, mushrooms and
onions with fresh wilted spinach and melted havarti cheese
Crazy Crepes will utilize a direct marketing channel and sell products straight to consumers using no
intermediaries. This direct channel distribution will be effective because our target market is
concentrated in a small area of downtown and as a result we will be able to reach them more
effectively. By eliminating intermediaries to distribute our products we will also save money in both
transportation and ingredients, which could be marked up if we outsourced these functions to other
providers. Since our business is a speciality outlet, we will utilize exclusive distribution to establish
ourselves as the single distributors of these types of products in our area.
One of the main advantages of operating a food truck rather than a physical space is that our truck will
have much lower overhead costs compared to restaurants. As well, although we plan to maintain our
location contacts at both The University of Toronto and the Sony Centre another advantage of this form
of operation is that we can change locations if one area does not generate enough business. This will
give us great flexibility and allow us to maximize the amount of paying customers.
Sight:
A concept’s visual effect encompasses more than just the graphics you wrap your truck in. Visic will be
designing the truck’s wrap and visual design because of her background in digital and graphic design.
Also, the food truck has exterior lights to accommodate shifts that go late into the night. The inside of
the truck will also be very well lit, not only to practice safe working habits, but to appeal to customers.
The lighting on the interior of the truck as well as the lighting inside the kitchen helps to achieve
different visual effects. Allowing our customers to see inside our clean kept and modern kitchen is an
important aspect for Crazy Crepes. Food trucks have a reputation for being dirty. We will try to change
this reputation by allowing our customers to look behind the scenes. Customers will be able to see how
the chefs are preparing their food on spot, creating a unique and engaging atmosphere.
Promotion:
Crazy Crepes will use a variety of promotion strategies to increase awareness about our brand in the
community. Upon opening we will utilize institutional advertising to promote our company as a whole
and establish our identity in order to maintain a favourable attitude about our service. However, once
our company is established we will utilize product advertising to promote the benefits of our specific
service to continue to draw loyal consumers to our brand. We will establish relationships with local
journalists to have feature articles about our business in the local papers. Through these tactics we will
utilize pull strategies to stimulate consumer demand to obtain our products.
To reach our target market we plan to use word of mouth advertising as our strongest selling point upon
starting our business. To further utilize word of mouth advertising we will attend several community
events and provide samples of our best products to help create brand awareness. These strategies will
help us build a social network around our brand, and track our customer’s interests and wants so we can
accurately cater to them specifically.
Social Media
Online and social media including Facebook and Twitter will play a huge role in the promotion of our
business. This is because it will be the main platform through which we will notify customers of our
location and special menu items. We will open a Facebook account that will showcase pictures of our
popular items and customers who have come to visit the truck. We will also use twitter on an ongoing
basis to develop a range of followers who we will be able to reach out to us for upcoming events.
Pitch to Media
Crazy Crepes will use several media relations tactics to gain fast and widespread awareness about our
business for little costs. Firstly, we will pitch our business to Food Network programs including ‘You
Gotta Eat Here’, and ‘The Great Food Truck Race’. This will increase exposure of our business and
develop awareness among people across Ontario as well as across Canada. We will also pitch our
business to BlogTO and other food related blogs to gain exposure among the foodie community.
Price
Crazy Crepes’ main price goal is to increase market share and maximize profit through retention of
customers and increased customer satisfaction. We plan to use a competitive pricing strategy where
prices will be set a little bit above competitor’s prices. When determining our pricing we have taken into
consideration our truck and maintenance costs, staffing costs, and most importantly our ingredient
costs. Due to our trucks added value from our premium ingredients, consistent freshness, uniqueness
and natural ingredients we believe that the prices set for our products are appropriate. However, more
importantly, we believe that customers will be willing to pay for this added value.
Manufacturing Plan
Truck Requirements:
Truck maintenance
Oil changes every 5,000 km
Fluid level checks on a regular basis
Rotate tires every 5,000 km
Regular tune-up
Crew upkeep (walk-around inspection of truck daily)
Supplies for breakdowns
Ask for an inspection by an exterminator
Check the refrigeration
Quality control
Keep the cooler shelves clean
Check the water temperature
Make an appointment for a health inspection when required
Generator maintenance
Equipment maintenance (accessible and clean)
Insurance ($7,500 / year)
BONDI Produce:
Contract with them enables them to bring us fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs every third day and allow
the possibility for daily delivery or pick-up. www.bondiproduce.com
Mr. Dairy:
Contract with Mr. Dairy enables them to deliver milk, cream, whip cream, chocolate milk, soy milk,
margarine, butter, olive oil, honey, eggs, cheese, beverages + juice + water for pop fridge on a weekly
basis. www.mrdairy.com
Costco:
Trips to Costco will be made on a weekly basis to purchase any materials and ingredients not available
from contract suppliers.
Process:
Customer orders the crepe desired and Worker 1 inputs the order in the POS system. Worker 1 then
charges the customer and takes their payment. Worker 2 reads the order on the Kitchen View iPad and
makes it. The crepe batter is already prepared and Worker 2 makes the crepe on the griddle instantly.
The toppings/fillings for the crepe are kept warm and are ready to use either in the steam table or in the
crepe preparation fridge. Once the crepe is ready, the fillings are rolled into the crepe. If the recipe calls
for it the crepe will be placed on a burner, and toppings will then be placed on the crepe. Worker 1 then
packages the crepe and gives it to the customer. Worker 2 cleans up the work area and prepares for the
next order. The process then repeats itself.
During peak hours a second cook will be considered to reduce waiting times.
The owners can keep track of the truck and its location through the Revel iPad POS’s real-time reporting
system. The reports are “instantly available and accessible from anywhere.” The system will help
manage and monitor the food truck’s staff productivity and provide visibility to track sales volume, in
helping Crazy Crepes become more effective and efficient. Additionally, it will help keep track of
inventory.
The small and light system is run without many cords, reducing the “IT burden” on the business “in both
time and money.” This POS system will save a lot of space in the food truck (where space itself is limited
to begin with). Additionally, a back office server to store data will not be necessary. A nice feature is that
software upgrades and maintenance will be automatically processed. The system offers a unique
security and compliance built right into the product, ensuring that the hardware, software and network
are all secure.
The system also has direct Twitter integration, helping Crazy Crepes meet any of its social media
objectives efficiently and seamlessly.
Another benefit of the Revel iPad POS system is that is not susceptible to power failure. Therefore all
information will be wirelessly backed-up. Also, if in the future Crazy Crepes would wish to accept debit,
credit, or gift card payments the system will accommodate this change.
Activity Time
Service 3 – 9 hr
Take-down 45 min
Prep food 4 hr
Total 17 hr
Exhaust Hood Price is based on approx. 6ft hood with one low 1 $3,700.00 $3,700.00
profile fan
If an 8ft hood is required, it will be made in 2 - 4ft
sections each with a fan. Add $1,200.
Stainless steel hood & shroud
Galvanized grease filters
Stainless steel grease tray
Roof mounted exhaust fan
Total $74,800.00
Left-over cash from each year will be retained and not divided by the partners for at least 5 years. This
will ensure that the company will not go bankrupt and will account for any unforeseen circumstances.
Since Crazy Crepes is operating under a partnership, the company will not be taxed. Each partner will be
taxed at their individual tax rates, which will not concern the business. The profit is to be retained by
Crazy Crepes and the partners will receive a salary as laid out in the Payroll. Partners will receive a 5%
raise per year, which can be renegotiated in Year 5 according to the success of the business.
Crazy Crepes has been awarded a grant of $25,000 from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation
(CYBF). This is from their start-up program that provides Cerritos, Peters and Jorstad with the support
needed to get the business off the ground. Please see Appendix L for more.
Outside
Owner funding Totals -
Item Cost of Item Contributed required? Check
Capital Assets
Food Truck (10%/a Depreciation) $74,800.00
Intangible Assets
Goodwill $2,000.00
Long-term liabilities
Notes payable (due ----) $0.00
Loans payable (due Year 8) if loan is acquired* $75,000.00
Total Long-Term $195,000.00
Owners' Equity
Investment $120,000.00
Retained earnings $0.00
Total Equity $120,000.00
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10
Owner #1 $40,000.00 $42,000.00 $44,100.00 $46,305.00 $48,620.25 $51,051.26 $53,603.83 $56,284.02 $59,098.22 $62,053.13
Owner #2 $40,000.00 $42,000.00 $44,100.00 $46,305.00 $48,620.25 $51,051.26 $53,603.83 $56,284.02 $59,098.22 $62,053.13
Full-Time #1 $38,000.00 $39,900.00 $41,895.00 $43,989.75 $46,189.24 $48,498.70 $50,923.63 $53,469.82
Full-Time #2 $38,000.00 $39,900.00 $41,895.00 $43,989.75 $46,189.24
$40,000.00 $42,000.00 $44,100.00
Part-Time #1 $20,000.00 $21,000.00 $22,050.00 $23,152.50 $24,310.13 $25,525.63 $26,801.91 $28,142.01 $29,549.11 $31,026.56
Part-Time #2 $10,000.00 $10,500.00 $11,025.00 $11,576.25 $12,155.06 $12,762.82 $13,400.96 $14,071.00 $14,774.55 $15,513.28
Part-Time #3 $10,000.00 $10,500.00 $11,025.00 $11,576.25 $12,155.06 $12,762.82 $13,400.96 $14,071.00 $14,774.55 $15,513.28
Part-Time #4 $10,000.00 $10,500.00 $11,025.00 $11,576.25
Total $120,000.00 $126,000.00 $170,300.00 $178,815.00 $187,755.75 $235,143.54 $246,900.71 $299,245.75 $314,208.04 $329,918.44
Item # Type of Crepe Per Case # in Case Production Cost Sale Price
Mushroom and
1 Gorgonzola $4.80 $8.00
2 Chicken Pesto $3.90 $9.00
3 Margarita $3.00 $5.00
4 Pad Thai $3.80 $9.00
5 Beet and Goat Cheese $3.50 $8.00
6 Green Eggs and Ham $3.50 $7.50
7 VaVa Vegan $4.80 $8.00
8 Eggetarian $3.90 $7.50
9 Apple Pie $3.60 $6.00
10 PB + J $3.00 $6.00
11 Chocolate Storm $3.40 $6.00
12 Plain Crepes $0.34 $2.00
13 Crepe with Whip Cream $0.60 $2.50
Drinks
1 Bottled Water $5.23 35 $0.15 $1.50
2 Pop $6.50 24 $0.27 $1.50
3 Snapple $19.64 24 $0.82 $2.49
4 Juice (Apple or Orange) $25.13 24 $1.05 $2.25
5 SanPellegrino Water $17.91 24 $0.75 $1.49
6 SanPellegrino Pop $18.28 24 $0.76 $1.49
7 Gatorade $17.34 24 $0.72 $1.99
8 Arizona (340 mL) $2.47 12 $0.21 $1.50
Slow (1 cook) 5.5 minutes 11 7 $9.07 $63.49 $190.47 $571.41 $3,428.46 $13,713.84
Reg. (1 cook) 5.5 minutes 11 9 $9.07 $81.63 $244.89 $734.67 $4,408.02 $17,632.08
Package Length # of guests Flat Rate Avg. Cost/ person Product Cost Profit
A 1 hour 25 $400.00 $4.25 $106.25 $293.75
B 1 hour 50 $600.00 $4.25 $212.50 $387.50
C 2 hour 25 $800.00 $6.00 $150.00 $650.00
*savoury+dessert
D 2 hour 50 $1,200.00 $6.00 $300.00 $900.00
*savoury+dessert
Income
Operations + Catering Cost Operations + Catering Revenue Operations + Catering
1 $235,462.32 $100,084.50 $135,377.82
2 $286,081.67 $119,017.80 $167,063.87
3 $341,593.92 $140,099.22 $201,494.70
4 $402,733.01 $163,650.98 $239,082.03
5 $470,342.96 $190,043.62 $280,299.33
6 $534,894.40 $217,012.67 $317,881.73
7 $608,003.56 $247,738.79 $360,264.77
8 $698,454.09 $284,707.42 $413,746.68
9 $800,222.21 $326,644.78 $473,577.43
10 $915,005.54 $374,296.19 $540,709.35
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10
5% Interest $75,000.00 $78,750.00 $82,687.50 $86,821.88 $91,162.96 $66,162.96 $43,221.11 $19,132.17 $0.00 $0.00
Payment $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $25,000.00 $25,000.00 $25,000.00 $19,132.17 $0.00 $0.00
Remaining $75,000.00 $78,750.00 $82,687.50 $86,821.88 $66,162.96 $41,162.96 $18,221.11 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Total Expenses $222,623.61 $174,675.00 $220,406.25 $230,417.19 $240,928.27 $294,871.92 $308,383.36 $362,595.80 $379,555.60 $397,413.13
Profit -$87,245.79 -$7,611.13 -$18,911.55 $8,664.84 $39,371.06 $23,009.81 $51,881.41 $51,150.88 $94,021.83 $143,296.22
Start-Up Funds $120,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Young International Grant $25,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Loan $75,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Retained Cash $0.00 $132,754.21 $125,143.08 $106,231.53 $114,896.37 $129,267.43 $127,277.24 $154,158.65 $186,177.36 $280,199.19
Loan Payback (5%
interest) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $25,000.00 $25,000.00 $25,000.00 $19,132.17 $0.00 $0.00
Carry Over Cash $132,754.21 $125,143.08 $106,231.53 $114,896.37 $129,267.43 $127,277.24 $154,158.65 $186,177.36 $280,199.19 $423,495.41
The second risk is insufficient cash flow. Crazy Crepes obtains its profit earnings through direct payment
and it is essential in continuing business production. This risk stems from the competition in the food
truck industry, strict law regulations and a small customer base. Crazy Crepes will use social media to its
advantage to create and maintain exposure in the growing and competing industry. To avoid these risks
Crazy Crepes will have to focus on its chosen niche increase as its appeals to consumers that crepes are
the preferred choice. It will have to deliver exceptional service and food to its consumers. The hope is to
appeal to more consumers and manage the clientele it
The third is a speculative risk, the chance of gaining profit or risking loss when buying the food truck’s
equipment and choice of location. There is a greater possibility that new equipment will have a long life-
time but there is still a risk it can be damage quickly. The choice of location have a probability for Crazy
Crepes to gain a substantial profit however, the niche of its product may not appeal to consumers as
hoped and there may not be a high flow of consumers. I believe to avoid any loss due to location Crazy
Crepes will have to maintain reports on the profitability of its chosen locations and to avoid damaged
equipment the business will have to invest in property and liability insurance to cover any loss.
Overall, Crazy Crepes must have internal control of its safety inspections, equipment maintenance and
proper driving guidelines of the food truck. As previously mentioned, it is important for Crazy Crepes to
buy insurance for its business but to keep in mind the rule of indemnity if a situation arises that the
insurance is needed to claim a loss.
This website outlines how to start a food truck. It outlines important information such as: how to
purchase your food truck, how to acquire a business license as well as noting the importance of getting a
health check safety, food handler certificate, and propane license.
"Best Food Trucks in America 2012." Fox News. FOX News Network, 23 Nov. 2012. Web. 01 Mar. 2013
Polland, Jennifer. "The 8 Best Food Trucks In New York City." Business Insider. N.p., n.d. Web. 01
Mar. 2013.
Deioma, Kayte. "Gourmet Food Trucks in Los Angeles: This Ain't No Roach Coach." About.com
Los Angeles Travel. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2013.
These articles outline existing food trucks that are located in New York, Los Angeles and other parts of
USA. These articles assisted with the decision factor of where the food truck would be held. After
research and delegation, we decided to keep within Canadian borders in a place we are all familiar with,
Toronto.
"How to Start a Food Truck in Toronto [Infographic]." Toronto Food Trucks. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar.
2013.
"Food Trucks - General Information." | Food Trucks. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2013.
"Food Carts Still Stymied by Red Tape." Thestar.com. N.p., 15 Mar. 2010. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2010/03/15/food_carts_still_stymied_by_red_tape.html>.
F. INFORMATION ON MARKET:
May 2010 The Canadian Consumer Behaviour, Attitudes and Perceptions Toward Food Products Market
Report: http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/statistics/food/canada_consumer_report_en.pdf
"Food Trucks Ride Cool Factor." - The Globe and Mail. N.p., 6 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.
<http://m.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-money/cash-flow/food-trucks-
ride-cool-factor/article558352/?service=mobile>.
http://www.utoronto.ca/about-uoft/quickfacts.htm
http://ueat.utoronto.ca/where-to-eat/locations/
Together from our research we learned about the obstacles and opportunities available from vending on
the property of University of Toronto and the Sony Centre for Performing Arts.
The Canadian Youth Business Foundation’s (CYBF) Start-up Program provides the support you need to
get your business off the ground. On top of coaching and resources to help you create a winning
business plan, CYBF also provides mentorship, financing and post-launch services to position you and
your business for long-term success.
http://www.cybf.ca/cybf_programs/start-up/