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Here are ten places to start finding and testing your ideas for a food business.

1 Ask your local deli or farm shop what they would like to see on their shelves.

2 Social media – get on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube and ask people what they’re interested in. Upload photos and videos of different food ideas you’ve had and see which get the warmest response.

3 The media: TV, magazines and newspapers are a good indication of current food trends. Listen to The Food Programme on BBC Radio 4, and check out great food bloggers.

4 How can you improve upon existing products? Think in terms of flavour and nutrition. Both are big selling points.

5 Attend food networking events, go to food shows, festivals, farmers’ markets. Get to know local producers and feed off their enthusiasm.

6 Discover new ingredients in speciality shops and delis.

7 Make a list of everyday food and drink and think about how you could improve on it. Do the same for your favourite meals – both home-cooked and from restaurants.

8 Explore the science of nutrition in a short course.

9 Sign up for advanced-level cookery lessons.

10 Ask family and friends. (And experiment on family and friends!)

Networking group More to Life Than Shoes has three research tips for budding foodie entrepreneurs beginning to explore the possibilities out there:

“1. Get skilled up

“Learn as many new and useful skills as possible. Go on courses – computing, bookkeeping, food safety. Get qualified. Volunteer for a charity or community group in your sector to gain contacts and skills.

“2. Embrace the side project

“Use time on the train, during lunch, on the bus. Learn as much as you can. Read cookbooks, cookery and lifestyle magazines. Question friends, family, people on farmers’ market stalls.

“3. Break it down

“If you have a job, don’t immediately resign. Once you know what you want to do, break it down into smaller steps and take them one at a time. These aren’t scary things when you start out small, and they’ll make things happen.”

 More to Life Than Shoes | www.moretolifethanshoes.com

“You’ll need to look after yourself. Catering requires a certain level of fitness to handle the amount of physical work involved: from transporting heavy items to standing on your feet cooking and serving at a dinner or behind a market stall in the cold and rain for hours.”

– Henrietta Green of FoodLovers Britain (www.foodloversbritain.com)