Food Business Success Tips In the food business, there's a lot of prep work to be done before your business is ready to serve. For example, you've got equipment, food handlers permits, business licensing and insurance, food costs, as well as designing the perfect menus and product packaging. To help make running your business easier, we asked a few of our seasoned FLIP customers to share some of their challenges and food business success tips. This story is about one man's dream to backpack around the world and his innovative solution to the lack of variety for on-the-go meals. Greenbelly Meals: A Food Business Success Story Chris Cage, owner and founder of Greenbelly Meals, decided he was done with corporate America. He spent years working as an accou... Read more

According to the CDC, approximately 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness each year. Of those, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die. If one of your patrons becomes sick from food you serve and is injured, you could be found liable, which is why it is essential to carry food and beverage insurance. Types of Foodborne Illnesses Over 250 types of foodborne diseases exist. Most are infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are transmitted through food. Poisonings are another type of foodborne illness, caused by toxins or chemicals that contaminate the food. A full list of the types of foodborne illnesses can be found on the CDC website, here. Six Most Common Foodborne Illnesses As a food or beverage producer, you are at risk for a laws... Read more

One Man's dream of Jewish-Filipino Fusion Food Larry Osman of Bridgewater, New Jersey has spent the past 30 years working for Nabisco Kraft Foods in information technology. Since his recent retirement, he has stowed away his distinguished computer science degree from Rutgers and embarked on his newest venture—Schlumpia. Schlumpia "I had a wonderful and fulfilling career in IT. I worked for Nabisco Kraft Foods for 30 years, and I asked for an early retirement package because I wanted to do something different. That was a year and a half ago," said Osman. Osman spent his time in college with a friend, who inspired him to create the Filipino-Jewish blended cuisine. "My product is Filipino spring rolls, lumpia, but instead of traditional fillings, I fill them with Jewish i... Read more

People swarm to flea markets for deals on unique items like food businesses flock to FLIP to meet the flea market insurance requirements. What seems like an extra expense and hassle, flea market insurance is a bargain after you compare the costs of legal fees and damages when settling a liability claim. Starting at just $299 annually, flea market insurance from FLIP is such a great bargain! Below are a few reasons why you need flea market insurance. It Can Protect Your Bottom Line Costs from liability claims or other damages can be extremely expensive. Several customers have been grateful to have their coverage through FLIP. Here are some recent claim examples: A windstorm damaged the claimants display and cooking equipment. FLIP paid $6,028 to help our client restore the d... Read more

Sweltering summer days can be a challenge for food vendors and hot dog cart owners. According to OSHA, thousands of workers in the United States got sick from exposure to heat on the job, and more than 60 workers died in 2011 alone. As a food vendor or hot dog cart owner, it is crucial to learn how to protect yourself from the heat. This is particularly true if ambient heat from your cooking station increases the temperatures you are exposed to. To beat the heat you need these three essential things: Water - Drink at minimum 4 cups of water every hour. It's best to drink a small amount of water every 15 minutes. Rest - Your core temperature needs at least 15 minutes to start dropping. Take breaks to help your body recover. Shade - It's best to find an air-conditioned room,... Read more