Storm clean-up

Clean-up works following the recent severe storms are still underway. Due to the extent of the damage, recovery will take several months. Please exercise caution when visiting impacted areas. Thank you for your patience as crews work hard to restore these areas.

Close this announcement

Settlement Cove Lagoon closure

Please be advised that the main pool at Settlement Lagoon is now open to the public. However, the toddler pool remains closed. Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

Close this announcement

Master Your Food Business program

Two women and two men are facing towards the camera smiling. The women are half sat on high stools and the men are leant against a high bar. In the background there is a wall of spirits, liquor, stemmed glasses and cups. In the foreground there are dining tables and chairs pushed in.

Running a hospitality business can be challenging. Rising costs, staffing issues, and a lack of time can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to focus next. The Master Your Food Business program includes workshops and a 6-month mentorship. It aims to help local food businesses not only survive but thrive!

Key features of the program

This Master Your Food Business program was a key part of our $1 million Business Boost initiative. We delivered a program investing in the future of local food businesses.

The program was open to food business owners in the City of Moreton Bay who cater to dark kitchens or operate:

restaurants, including takeaway shops and food trucks
licensed venues
cafés or coffee shops (including mobile coffee vans).

Food business owners received advice to help overcome industry challenges. The program focused on:

increasing profits
improving team performance
building a thriving business.

The Master Your Food Business program is now complete. We thank our mentors from The Hospitality Company, Crunch Hospo and The Coffee Commune. They provided industry-led guidance to our participants who completed the program.

Food business survey

Food business owners can complete our survey. We want to learn more about the food sector in Moreton Bay, the pain points of owning a food business, and whether there's interest in similar programs.

Complete the survey

What past participants say

Stacey Martin from The Dayboro Drop

The program highlighted that knowing your numbers more and working on the business, not in the business, was a big wake-up call. The systemisation not only optimises efficiency but also makes the business more sellable has been a bit eye opener. James as a whole has been very inspiring. I will literally be implementing everything I have learnt in this program. As well as keeping key focuses to work on and taking it one step at a time.

Katrina De Hayr from Fish'n at Bells Beach

The program showed us that we need to be managing the business, not the actual shop! We now have the resources to assist us. It gave a clear plan for us in our business as to what to focus on first and in the next 12 months. We know that we are not alone in the hospitality business! Implementing these changes will reduce COGS, reduce operational wages percentage and have a measurable strategic plan.

Paul Wilkinson from The Latin Shack Café

Prior to joining the Master Your Food Business program, we were facing a steep uphill battle. Like many small cafés, we were getting deeper into debt, hit hard by a combination of rising costs. The program has helped us truly understand the importance of knowing our numbers. Already, we’re starting to see:

A 6% reduction in COGs through smarter buying and menu adjustments.

A modest but noticeable increase in loyal customers.

Most importantly, we’ve moved from a loss-making position to a break-even point, and we’re aiming for profitability within the next quarter. The biggest impact has been in finance, marketing, and leadership.

Case studies

Miss Sprinkles Gelato case study

"This program has been truly transformative. It’s incredibly valuable and I encourage Council to continue delivering the program for food business operators. It’s an opportunity not to be missed - but you must take the time to show up and do the work."

Barracks by Striker case study

"There were things that I could have been doing within my business, but it was far more important to work on the business and my own skills to create a better business. While it’s been challenging, it’s been an incredible journey."

The Black Cat Eatery case study

"We were so busy chasing our tails and trying to keep on top of everything. After the first workshop, we realised this program was a priority. We're aware of the industry trends, and we know what direction we need to be going in. We're now confident about the future because we're being proactive instead of reactive."

Was this page helpful? * (required)

Yes

How can we improve this page? * (required)

Type the characters you see in the image below * (Required)

Generate new imageRead aloud

Type the characters in the image