Thanks for the advice
I was not exactly clear on sysco's involvement. I'm having him help me plan a one week sample menu. I'm really just mining him for info because he has five accounts with caterers that do schools in the area. I've catered events, parties etc, but never a school. There were a few things that I needed to know. I've dealt with sysco for years, and I know how they like to reel you in. The menu that I serve will not be dependent on any single vendor. (BTW I've had several sysco salespeople drop their price when quoted a competitors price, etc....It can be done. When they won't come down I don't order)
I've thought about it and realized that my cafe is just too small to stage it from. I can't let go of any equipment from the cafe. So not matter how you look at it, I'd have to build or lease another kitchen.(I own the cafe completely, but there is no room to add on) I just can't see tying myself up with a 2 to 3 grand a month payment in equipment and space leases. I could take out a loan or get into my retirement,but uh......no. As I said before I'm debt free and I built my cafe that way. It seems like too much to invest in one contract that may only last one year.
This school is even more desperate than I had thought. I spoke to them on Sat(my wife works there) Every catering outfit in town is booked up for their institutional work.
I'm just going to tell him that I can only contract the labor, van & delivery equipment. They will have to put a kitchen together, or pay me to do it. There is no room on campus, so it will have to be away from the school. It can(and should I think) belong to them.
The bottom line is, I'm not going to do anything that could possibly hurt my cafe or retirement. Anyways, thanks again for the advice. And if you have any advice that I could maybe even pass along to the school, to get these kids fed I'd appreciate it