Food is one of the most lucrative and profitable businesses which push entrepreneurs who want to start a food truck business in Dubai. There’s a massive demand for affordable and decent quality food among the pretty sizable expat population as well as the millions of tourists who visit Dubai. By catering to this need, food trucks play a pretty huge role in the culinary landscape of Dubai. It comes as no surprise that foodpreneurs are looking to get a food truck business license in Dubai rather than starting a typical restaurant.
Having said that, setting up a food truck business in Dubai is not for the faint of heart. It needs a lot of hard effort, potentially long hours, and a passion for whipping up delicious food. Obtaining a food truck license is also a time-consuming process. Food trucks, like any other eatery in the Dubai, are held to the strictest cleanliness and safety standards.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can setup a food truck business in Dubai and the requirements to get food truck license.
Why Start a Food Truck Business in Dubai?
The F&B business in Dubai is becoming increasingly popular in the UAE and more so in Dubai. Among the other food and beverage business models available, the following factors contribute to the increased appeal of the food truck business model.
- It is less expensive to set up than other food enterprises since it has fewer infrastructural requirements.
- It caters to the massive demand for inexpensive yet hygienic food options.
- These food trucks are well-known for serving traditional cuisine from their respective countries that aren’t available in restaurants.
- Food trucks aren’t fixed to a particular location; they can seek out areas with higher demand.
- The authorities are also quite accommodating, allowing food trucks to park in front of crowded public locations.
Steps to Get a Food Truck License in Dubai
Understandably, Dubai has stringent criteria when it comes to the requirements to start a food truck in Dubai. As a result, obtaining a food truck license in Dubai might be a complicated process. To get your food truck trade license, you must first obtain permission from the DED (Department of Economic Development), RTA (Dubai Municipality, the Roads and Transport Authority), and the DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority). In fact, you might want to consider approaching a business setup consultant like Avyanco to help you get started with your food truck business setup process.
These are the steps to follow to get a food truck business license in Dubai:
1. Submit your Business Plan
The first step in setting up a food truck business is submitting your business plan to the Department of Economic Development. The plan must be detailed and well laid out. It should include your concept, budget, and action plan. This business plan is what will persuade authorities that you can successfully run your food business in a competitive market.
2. Get the HACCP Certification
The next step is to obtain a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point or HACCP Certificate. This is a certificate of health and safety. HACCP is classified into two categories. The first one gives his or her approval to the layout of your center kitchen. The second is the blueprint, which goes over the design of your food truck. These certificates ensure that your kitchen and food truck are totally safe for consumers and products.
3. Select an Appropriate Location
The next step is to select your intended location and get that approved. Although a food truck is a mobile business, this does not imply that you can freely roam anywhere in Dubai selling food. Permits are required for places where you intend to conduct business. Permits are available for both public and private sites. RTA issues the permit for public spaces. However, in the case of a private place, you will need a rental contract with the owner of that space (malls, etc.).
4. Select and Buy the Perfect Truck
You must now purchase a suitable truck based on your needs. You will need to obtain approval from the appropriate authorities for your truck. Your truck’s design must suit your kitchen, and it must be able to handle heat through sufficient ventilation.
5. Start a Food Truck Business in Dubai
After approval, DED will provide you a license, and you will be able to start operating your food truck business in Dubai!
Food Truck Business License Cost in Dubai?
The precise amount of capital needed to establish a food truck business in Dubai will be determined by a number of factors. The cost will be determined by your chosen location, the type of cuisine you desire to serve, and the layout and style of the truck. However, the general industry consensus is that it costs approximately AED 220,000 to pay license fees and establish your firm with a fully outfitted vehicle.
It is by no means a tiny sum of money, but it is significantly less than the cost of opening a regular restaurant. The good news is that while initial expenditures may be significant, ROI is usually immediate. Many food truck operators claim to have started making profits around six months into opening their food truck business in Dubai
How Avyanco Helps you Setup a Food Truck Business in Dubai?
All of the processes mentioned above, be it getting a food truck business license in Dubai, registration, and all the permits and approvals needed, make this a rather laborious undertaking. Therefore, it might be good to take advantage of an expert business setup consultant for this purpose. As one of the leading business setup consultants in Dubai, Avyanco will ensure that the entire procedure for obtaining a food truck license in Dubai is completed smoothly and quickly.
