5 Food Tour Company Success Stories [2024]
The food tour business involves guiding travelers through a tour of food from various restaurants and cities. Food tours are a unique avenue for foodie travelers who want to explore the cities they are visiting. The good thing about starting a food tour business is you have different niches to choose from. Besides, you can concentrate on a particular location and define your work schedule.
Food tour businesses make money by introducing discerning customers to unique restaurants, vineyards, and breweries for a fee. Alternatively, the food tour company can earn commission from the restaurants they refer customers to, based on a pre-arrangement.
In this list, you'll find real-world food tour company success stories and very profitable examples of starting a food tour company that makes money.
1. Delicious Denver Food Tours ($900K/year)
Jessica Baumgart, the founder of Delicious Denver Food Tours, came up with the idea for her business after realizing her passion for food and travel while backpacking through 25 countries on a year-long trip around the world. With a background in marketing and communications, she began teaching cooking classes and eventually launched a food tour in Denver, which quickly gained popularity and now generates $20,000/month in revenue. Through relationship building with local restaurants and positive reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor, Baumgart has been able to attract and retain customers for her successful food tour business.
How much money it makes: $900K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 3
How Jessica Baumgart founded a successful food tour business in Denver, which broke even and started making a profit after just three months, generating $20,000/month in revenue from offering different food tour experiences.
2. A Chef's Tour ($600K/year)
Luke, the founder of A Chef's Tour, came up with the idea after realizing his passion for travel and food. He quit his job, flew to Bangkok, and immersed himself in the city's street food culture. After conducting thorough research and finding a local guide, he launched the first food tour and focused on providing exceptional customer service and generating positive reviews to attract and retain customers.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 2
A Chef's Tour, a niche travel business that creates and runs daily street food tours in 12 cities across Asia and beyond, saw revenue of $55,000 per month before Covid-19 forced them into hibernation, but they have since reopened and are rebuilding with plans to expand into new locations in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
3. Bienville Bites Food Tour ($300K/year)
Chris Andrews, the founder of Bienville Bites Food Tour, grew up with a strong passion for Mobile's rich history and local cuisine. This fascination was constantly nurtured by his curiosity about historical sites and local eateries. The spark for his business ignited after a friend's captivating tale about a food tour in Savannah, Georgia, which seamlessly blended local history with culinary adventures.
The thought of Mobile's untapped potential gnawed at him, especially since the city had a combination of deep history and vibrant food culture. Determined to bring a similar experience to Mobile, Chris scoured the internet for insights on starting a food tour and stumbled upon a Chicago-based training program called Food Tour Pros. He flew to Chicago to take their course, gaining crucial knowledge on how to start and run a successful food tour.
Armed with newfound skills and an unwavering belief in his dream, Chris began crafting his food tour, actively seeking feedback during initial tours with friends and family. Despite initial anxiety and a few challenges like unpredictable weather, he remained undeterred. Chris's journey is a testament to the importance of pursuing your passion, validating your idea, and maintaining perseverance through the early phases of creating a business.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
Discover how a former HVAC technician turned his passion for local history into Bienville Bites Food Tour, a thriving $300K/year business, leveraging $59-per-person tours, niche marketing strategies, and strong community partnerships.
4. Secret Food Tours ($120K/year)
Nico Jacquart and Oliver Levene, founders of Secret Food Tours, came up with the idea when they realized that many of their friends traveling to Paris or London would ask them for recommendations on where to eat. After testing the market with a quickly created website and selling their first ticket within hours, they knew they had a winning concept. Now, Secret Food Tours has launched over 80 tours in more than 50 cities worldwide and continues to experience 100% year-on-year growth.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 4
Serial entrepreneur Nico Jacquart shares how he and his partner validated and grew a global food tour company with tours in more than 50 cities worldwide, experiencing year on year growth of 100%.
5. Wander New Mexico Food Tours ($120K/year)
Joe Griffith, founder of Wander New Mexico Food Tours, came up with the idea for his business when he and his wife decided to leave their corporate jobs and move to Santa Fe. Recognizing the potential in the tourism market, Griffith initially planned to start a bike tour company but ultimately decided on a walking food tour due to its higher demand, lower risk, and his passion for finding and eating at great restaurants. Since launching in 2016, the business has experienced impressive growth, with over $30K/mo in sales during peak months and a 70% year-over-year growth rate.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Wander New Mexico Food Tours, founded by Joe Griffith, has grown 70% year over year since launching its first walking food tour in 2016; in peak months this past summer, the company did over $30K/mo in sales, and has gained the #1 tour ranking in Santa Fe on TripAdvisor as well as being named by USAToday as one of the “10 Must-Try Food Tours in North America.”
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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