You Want To Sell Your Food Truck Business: Now What?

Selling your food truck business is one of the most important things you’ll ever do, because unlike all the other business decisions you’ve made over the years, you’ll do this only once. You get a single chance to put a price tag on it, and when you sign the sales documents, it’s over. Today we’ll discuss what to do once you’ve decided you want to sell your food truck.

So You Want To Sell Your Food Truck: Now What?

Recognize that you may be ready to sell your food truck

If your food truck has been a success, you’ve probably had to pour most of your time, energy, and money into it. You may see your truck as an extension of yourself, and imagining life without it may be nearly impossible. On the other hand, your food truck business may have been only marginally successful and something you can’t wait to get rid of. Or perhaps you entered the industry with the idea that it would be a short-term opportunity that could culminate in bigger things.

Whatever your situation, here are a few indicators that it may be time to sell your food truck:

It’s not fun anymore. Burnout is a very real issue for food truck owners and an entirely legitimate reason to sell.
You aren’t willing to invest in future growth. You may be comfortable with the current size and profitability of your food truck and have no desire to make the capital investment necessary to take it to the next level.
Your management skills are over matched. It’s not uncommon for mobile food vendors to build their business to a certain point and then realize they lack the skills required to go further.

Although these are just some of the reasons food truck owners use to determine whether they’re ready to sell their business. Use these indicators to modify your current business model. Instead of selling, you may decide to change your role or bring in staff to fill the needs of the business to grow.

Set your food truck’s sales price

Selling a business is both art and science. This shows the most in a business valuation. If you’re considering selling your food truck business, knowing how much it’s worth is important. Too many owners have no idea, and while every seller wants to achieve maximum value for their business. Setting an asking price that’s too high can signal to buyers that you may not be serious about selling.

Get Your Books In Order

The first step is getting your books in order. Not being able to provide accurate financial statements in a timely manner can cause a deal to unravel. Be sure to have the following documents on hand before you actively start selling your business.

Last three years’ profit-and-loss statements (or as many years as you’ve been opened if less than three).
Last three years’ balance sheets.
Provide last three years’ full tax returns.
List of equipment. Estimate the value of the equipment you own. Believe it or not, your truck, stoves, grills, and refrigerators are highly valuable. Look up the price for these items from equipment re-sellers that sell the same brands and estimate their current market value by determining their age and condition.
List of inventories.

Be ready to furnish other documentation. They may include insurance policies, employment agreements, supplier contracts, trademarked or copyrighted recipes used, equipment leases, and bank statements. Prospective buyers want to know how much money they can make from their investment.

Valuing Your Business

The value of your food truck business is based on its net income as well as its assets and liabilities. A food truck can bring in a lot of revenue without being very profitable. Although daily, weekly, monthly, and annual revenue of your food truck play a critical element in determining the overall worth of your business, you also have other factors to consider.

Food trucks are different than most other businesses, which is why determining fair market value is more complex. Being fair or neutral as the owner can be difficult when it comes to valuing the reputation of your food truck. This is why obtaining a business evaluation from a professional is so critical. Because a financial analyst isn’t vested in your company, they’ll be able to provide a realistic valuation that’s free from emotional attachments.

Due to the short length of the mobile food industry’s existence, your best evaluations will probably come from analysts who have experience in evaluating restaurant businesses.

Use a business broker to sell your food truck?

You’re an expert at running your food truck business, not selling it. In most cases a good broker can make up for his fee by increasing the value of your sales price. Even though you think you’ll be able to sell your business yourself, you’re better off hiring a broker who will handle the tasks involved. These include preparing documents, marketing, showing your business to potential buyers, and negotiating the deal. So where can you find these professionals?

Through referrals
From legal and financial professionals
At your local chamber of commerce

After you’ve hired a broker, don’t make the mistake of disengaging from the selling process. Although your broker will work hard to market your business, no one has more motivation to sell than you do.

If you plan on selling your truck online, check out this article we wrote specifically for you.

The Final Step

Now it’s time to sell your food truck. But where? Simple. Sell it with us at Food Trucks For Sale.

Do you have any additional tips for food truck sellers? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section, our food truck forum or social media. Facebook | Twitter