Opening a grocery store is a real business for us. Vegetable business - where to start

Selling vegetables and fruits is a business characterized by constant demand for goods and high profitability. Even during a crisis, people find money for food, trying not to skimp on vitamins. In addition, opening such a business is much easier than opening a whole one.

When opening even a small point selling vegetables and fruits, you will need documentation:

• conclusion of the state sanitary and epidemiological inspection service (up to 5,000 rubles) on the premises;
• contract for maintenance of store equipment.

Assortment and seasonality

First, decide whether you will open a fruit and vegetable store or just a small one, maybe even a tent. The range of goods will depend on this. The main thing is to offer customers the most popular products.

If space or equipment allows, a vegetable business should have the widest possible range. In addition, the assortment depends on whether you will sell imported vegetables and fruits, as well as on seasonality:

1. Winter. The demand for imported products is not too great, but fruits, especially tangerines, will generate revenue;
2. Spring. These are mostly greenhouse products or imported ones: fruits - banana, kiwi, mango, coconuts; vegetables - cabbage, beets, onions, potatoes, carrots. In spring, the cost increases by an average of 60%;
3. Summer. A time of a very large assortment of goods (especially the second half of summer). You can sell almost all vegetables, a lot of fruits (strawberries, apples, pears, melons, watermelons, plums, etc.);
4. Autumn. This is the time of ripening for all vegetables, some fruits such as grapes and oranges.

Learn a little information about different products and varieties so that you can advise customers, as well as know storage rules, harvest times, during which you can purchase goods at a low cost.

Retail premises and equipment

Necessary premises

Experts report that selling fruit as a business is more profitable if you have several small retail outlets (up to 5 pieces). You can supplement them with a wholesale warehouse. Although there will still be less hassle with opening a store.

Choose a location in places where there is a constant flow of people, but it does not have to be a bazaar. Room area – up to 60 sq.m., of which about 20 sq.m. m. allocate for storage (temperature in summer - up to 8 ° C, in winter - not lower than 0 ° C), utility room. At first, you can use a regular, cool garage. If you are not yet sure whether you will be able to conduct this business, opt for a tent (20 sq.m. is enough)

To open a stall with vegetables and fruits, you will need a vehicle to deliver the products.

Equipment

One of the advantages of this business is an inexpensive trade tent.

Perhaps the most expensive purchase will be a car, without which it is impossible to run a fruit and vegetables business. At the initial stage, the same gazelle can be a point of sale at the bazaar, and after saving money, buy a tent, and then a store. Perhaps you will even open a subsidiary, for example.

Staff

When implementing a vegetable business plan, pay special attention to personnel selection:

• 2 salespeople (salary + percentage of sales);
• food sorting worker;
• loader;
• driver for transportation;
• visiting accountant.

Suppliers

We recommend purchasing from 2-3 suppliers. If sales are good, you will have to purchase goods for at least 10,000 rubles. in a day. Select the product carefully, it should always be fresh. Look for suppliers in the nearest villages: the goods will be fresh at a much lower cost than in wholesalers (markets, bases), but be sure to ask for documents to check the products.

Still, you will have to deal with wholesalers - buy exotic fruits and vegetables from them. Don't forget to draw up a sales contract.

Long-term cooperation with suppliers is the key to a successful business. This indicates acceptable quality and prices, and also eliminates the delay of goods.

Risks and benefits

The risks include:

• rotting of goods can reach 15%, but do not rush to throw everything away, you can still try to sell some products at a discount;
• drying of goods;
• dishonest sellers who can cheat not only you, but also buyers;
• non-compliance with all sanitary standards, both goods and premises, sellers, cars; the slightest violation will entail a fine.

The fruit business is an excellent direction in the field of healthy nutrition, which has more and more adherents every year.

Finance

Include financial calculations in your business plan.

Small retail outlet:

• revenue per day – 6,500 – 20,500 rubles;
• monthly revenue – about 52,000 rubles;
• salesperson's salary – 7% of revenue;
• markup on goods – 50%;
• write-off of damaged goods – 15%;
• rent of a retail space – 1,500 rubles;
• taxes – 2,500 rub.

The starting investment is about 100,000 rubles.

Costs for a small store:

• rent – ​​13,000 rubles;
• repairs - about 700,000 rubles;
• purchase of equipment – ​​250,000 rubles;
• purchase of goods – 160,000 rubles;
• markup – 40 – 250% depending on the type of product.

Business payback is 6 months.

Video: How to properly store fruits and vegetables

Business ideas for profitable stores

The fresh meat business is always on top. Meat is an essential product; besides, there are a lot of people who like to savor fresh meat. Profitability – 30%.

In our country there are many lovers of gardening and vegetable gardens. Every year they become more and more picky, so provide them with a wide selection of seeds.

is a retail outlet with minimal investment and great potential. A small range of products can provide a stable income.

With proper organization, a business based on the sale of vegetables and fruits will be stable. The demand for food is always constant because people need to replenish their vitality through nutrition. Even in times of crisis, everyone finds money for food and strives not to skimp on vitamins, since it is on these factors that a person’s health and the availability of energy, so necessary to ensure a normal level of life, depend. The advantage of this type of business is that opening a small store does not involve the complexity of obtaining permits, obtaining expensive leases and large-scale financial investments.

Vegetable and fruit business

When planning entrepreneurial activity in the vegetable and fruit direction, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with its nuances, which may have an impact on the effectiveness of the functioning of the outlet. When opening it, you need to strive to earn a positive reputation in the eyes of potential clients. To attract them, you should first think through and correctly formulate the assortment range. You won’t be able to earn much by offering several items of domestic products. Its range needs to be expanded to include greens, mushrooms, dried fruits and exotic imported fruits.

The productivity of a business directly depends on the location of the retail outlet and the design of the storefront. It is best to locate a store or stall close to residential areas, in areas with high traffic, but at a distance from competitors.

Seasonal demand and formation of assortment range

The business of selling fruits and vegetables is seasonal.

During the holidays, people buy imported fruits such as bananas, tangerines, oranges and kiwis. In winter, apples and the entire pre-holiday assortment are popular. In the summer, seasonal fruits and berries should be placed on the display case, not forgetting to arrange them in an appetizing way using trays and plastic forms. Strawberries, grapes, currants, raspberries, watermelons and melons will be popular. Vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, beets, onions and garlic are in demand at any time of the year, so the entrepreneur needs to make sure that they are constantly present in the product range.

Business planning

In spring, the cost of goods always increases by 60 percent. At this time, consumers prefer to buy fruits, juices, dried fruits, herbs and the first vegetables necessary to provide the body with vitamins. In the fall, you can count on wholesale purchases from customers for storage in the cellar, so you should include an option such as wholesale in your trading style.

What knowledge will be needed

An entrepreneur must have information about the harvest time of each vegetable and fruit in order to purchase them at a low cost.

When dealing with the question of how to open a vegetable store from scratch, you should study the characteristics of the products, their varieties and storage rules. Such knowledge will allow you to give recommendations to buyers who doubt their choice. Additional information to consumers will help increase the rating of the outlet, since it is always pleasant to communicate with a sociable and competent person who is ready to help with advice.

Suppliers

When drawing up a business plan for a vegetable store, you should include a section on finding a supplier. You should not plan to cooperate with farms, since they offer a limited range of products, the price of which, most likely, will not be loyal, due to the purchase of an insufficient batch of goods, in their opinion. It is recommended to purchase products at wholesale stores, because there you can purchase a wide range at a favorable price, since wholesale prices begin to apply after purchasing several tens of kilograms.

There is always a demand for food because people want to eat regardless of the economic situation in the country. Consequently, a business built on food trading will invariably generate income.

True, and competition in this area is quite high. But you can always find your niche, choose the most popular and at the same time not very common range of products among competitors.

What is the advantage of a vegetable kiosk

Selling vegetables and fruits is a very good choice. Small vegetable shops and kiosks are not very common, They tend to attract more buyers than vegetable departments in hypermarkets, because the kiosk receives products of a much smaller volume, which means they are fresher.

In addition, a stall or small store can sell products from local producers, and lately customers have tended to trust them more. And the owner of a vegetable stall can contact the manufacturer directly, bypassing wholesale warehouses and bases. This not only ensures quality, but also reduces costs.

Please note that this article will not discuss the amount of starting capital. The fact that it is necessary is already clear.

It also makes no sense to calculate costs at various stages of implementing a business plan. Firstly, they differ in different regions, and in the provinces and in the capital they are generally incomparable. Secondly, today’s life is such that data on the cost of a particular service or equipment becomes outdated already in the process of writing an article.

In addition to the inevitable costs, there are several problematic issues in the process of organizing trade in fresh vegetables and fruits.

Choosing a room and location

As for the premises, there are three options:

• a small but full-fledged store, with a utility room, warehouse space, sales area, etc.;
• a small kiosk in which goods are displayed in a display window where the seller is located and the buyer is on the street;
• A fairly large stall or pavilion in which there is a retail space, and the buyer can examine the product in detail.

Each of these options has its own disadvantages and advantages, but if we are talking about a stall, then, of course, the third option is preferable. It is more convenient for both the seller and the buyer. But the kiosk has an undeniable advantage- it can be installed in the most convenient place.

Main Factor, which should be taken into account when choosing a location is the density of human flow. To place a kiosk, you need to choose a busy place where there will not be a shortage of customers. It may be, for example, located near a metro stop or among high-rise buildings in a residential area. In the first case, a large flow of people is guaranteed, in the second - regular customers.

Solving organizational issues

1. In order to do so, first of all, it is necessary to register an individual entrepreneur or LLC (limited liability company).
2. Registering a cash register with the local tax authority.
3. Obtaining permission from the fire service and sanitary inspection.
4. Once all the documents have been collected, you should obtain official confirmation of the permit from the state trade commission.

Kiosk equipment

The equipment of any grocery outlet includes a number of necessary things:

• cash machine;
• scales;
• refrigerator, and, if necessary, a refrigerator;
• showcase;
• counter.

A purchased or rented kiosk must not only meet sanitary requirements, but also look aesthetically pleasing and attractive to customers.

Care should also be taken to ensure that customers are not inconvenienced. Therefore, if trade is carried out from a window, it is necessary to arrange the area around the kiosk itself.

Goods and products

One of the most important tasks at this stage is the selection of suppliers. Vegetables and fruits are perishable goods, and their quality and attractiveness determine how successful trading will be.

Therefore, it is necessary to select the most reliable suppliers as soon as possible. At first, this can be difficult to do, and failures are inevitable. But gradually, unscrupulous suppliers will be eliminated, and productive business relationships will be established with those who supply quality goods.

Experts advise Be sure to be interested in the origin of vegetables and fruits, the conditions in which they were grown, and even taste them yourself.

The variety of goods is also of great importance; experts advise diversifying locally produced products with exotic fruits and vegetables. It would not hurt to establish trade in frozen vegetables and vegetable mixtures, which are quite popular among buyers, especially in winter.

In order to open and equip a vegetable kiosk, of course, considerable financial expenses, time and effort will be required. But judging by the reviews and statements of marketers, a business such as selling fresh vegetables brings in a stable income.

Fruits and vegetables will never lose popularity. After all, they contain so many vitamins, and not a single dish of the modern consumer is complete without vegetables. Fruits have always been considered a decoration for the holiday table. In winter they are especially valued due to their high vitamin content. There has always been and will always be a high demand for these products. But to start a business in this direction, you need to learn some important points. The main thing is that fruits and vegetables spoil quickly, and also in the sales market, a novice businessman will face a large number of competitors, so you need to be prepared for some difficulties.

Prospects for the development of the vegetable business

The first thing a new entrepreneur in any field faces is competition. Many people can't stand this. There are plenty of competitors in the sale of fruits and vegetables. There are supermarkets, small shops, and vegetable market stalls. But this is not a reason to stop. Supermarkets do not always sell fresh and high-quality vegetables; the market is overflowing with products without certificates. If you seriously decide to get into this business, then a competent business plan will lead you to success.

We need to figure out why people visit supermarkets. Many are not satisfied with the quality of the product, many with the assortment. It is worth noting that what drives people to the supermarket is the lack of an alternative. Many microdistricts of the city are simply deprived of vegetable shops and shops, so customers have no choice but to go to the nearest supermarket and be content with what is offered there.

Experienced entrepreneurs can confidently say that selling fruits and vegetables is quite a profitable business. Even the most ordinary vegetable shop can bring in good income. The main thing is to choose its location wisely and select an assortment of goods that corresponds to demand.

There are several options for trading fruits and vegetables:

• Trading stall specializing in the sale of fruits and vegetables;
• Vegetable shop;
• Wholesale of vegetables and fruits, delivery to customers.

The type of activity may depend on several factors: the funds available to the beginning businessman, competition in the area, demand for the product offered.

How to choose a type of activity:

• Wholesale base. Its opening is possible only if you have one or more cargo vehicles, as well as having the necessary connections and an established customer base;
• Shop or stall. The best option for a beginner. You can open a store if the entrepreneur has his own premises for the store or has the opportunity to rent it;
• Counter. This is an option for those who do not have large funds. In this case, it is better to start with several types of fruits or vegetables, and as the business develops and income increases, the range can be expanded.

But don't forget about the rules. Any trade must be permitted by certain authorities, the product must have all the necessary licenses, and the entrepreneur must always have the entire package of documents. Otherwise, such an enterprise will be closed and the owner will be fined.

Wholesale of fruits and vegetables

Starting a business with wholesale trade is not the most profitable solution. To do this, you need to rent several premises that will serve as warehouses for large quantities of goods:

• purchase equipment that will allow you to store products that quickly deteriorate;
• complete all necessary documents;
• Ensure timely delivery of orders to customers.

All this requires quite large investments. But in addition to money, you will also need extensive connections to establish a client base. If there are few customers, the goods will deteriorate, and this will cause quite a lot of damage.

If you decide to do wholesale, then it’s better to start with potatoes. This is not only the most popular product, but also a product that can be stored for a long time and not spoil. While exotic fruits and vegetables are rarely stored and require special storage equipment. In addition, potatoes do not require as many permits and certificates as, for example, pineapple.

An entrepreneur who decides to open a grocery store faces three main problems:

1. Room. It needs to be purchased or rented, and it is necessary to obtain the right to trade in this or that product in this premises;
2. Have funds, the minimum amount of which should not be less than 500 thousand rubles;
3. Conclude agreements with wholesalers for the supply of products.

The total area of ​​the premises for a grocery store must be at least 60 square meters. m., where 30 sq. m. is allocated for retail space, and 30 for a warehouse.

The store’s assortment should not be limited to those goods that are available at the nearest vegetable warehouse. The list of suppliers needs to be expanded, choosing those goods that are not very common in your area and goods for which the demand is highest.

In many cities, trading in street stalls is common. These are trade counters that constantly change their location. This kind of trade is good in the warm season. People are willing to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, and the seller is comfortable being on the street. In winter, vegetables and fruits freeze, buyers are not happy with frozen goods, and the seller seriously risks his health.

Some entrepreneurs manage to earn so much money during the summer that they can afford to close their street shop in winter. But such trade is extremely unstable and does not bring constant income.

You can start your own business with this type of trading. Thus, you can get acquainted with the demand, earn some capital, which you can then spend on developing a larger business. It’s better to start with the most unpretentious vegetables: carrots, potatoes, apples. Gradually the range can be expanded.

Many large companies now started with such street shops.

Business plan for opening a store

• Decor

First of all, you need to register yourself as an individual entrepreneur. You need to write an application for simplified taxation to the tax office. In addition, a number of documents are required, namely:

1. SES permission;
2. Permission from the State Supervision Authority;
3. Electrical surveillance permit;
4. Permission from the state trade inspectorate to carry out trade.

Before opening a store, you need to find out which products are most popular among consumers, what is the demand for vegetables and fruits in a given area or region. It is also necessary to find out whether the future store has competitors, their main line of trade and pricing policy. Prepare and equip the premises, acquire transport and hire staff.

• Room

The premises for the sale of fruits and vegetables must correspond to its direction. It should be light, dry, maintain optimal temperature, and be well ventilated. In addition to the sales area, the store should have several more utility rooms:

1. For sorting vegetables;
2. For sorting fruits;
3. Warehouse with all necessary equipment;
4. Utility room.

It is better to locate your store in a place where more people live, but fewer stores have been built. It makes no sense to open a grocery store near a supermarket or across the street from a competing store.

• Supplies

Vegetable bases are usually involved in deliveries. Contracts are concluded with them for the supply of fruits and vegetables. Depending on the content of the contract, the base delivers products directly to the store at a certain frequency, usually once a week. The quantity of deliveries can be agreed upon immediately, or you can specify the quantity of goods needed before each delivery. The second option is much more profitable, since each time the sale of certain fruits and vegetables proceeds differently.

Experienced entrepreneurs negotiate with bases that they can return some of the damaged goods to them. This allows you to save a little.

One supply option is to purchase directly from farms. But these must be verified farms with all the necessary certificates and certificates for their products. If these documents are available, the entrepreneur completely relieves himself of responsibility for the quality of the goods.

In both cases, it all depends on the prices and the goods that suppliers offer. It is better to conclude an agreement with them for several years at once. It's profitable. After all, if prices rise, then many contracts indicate that the entrepreneur will purchase goods only at a certain price.

It is better to go to the base yourself to select the goods.

• Transport

Transport is one of the main points when opening this business. When dealing with fruits and vegetables, you need to understand that these are products that do not last long. Therefore, you should not buy tons of them. It is better if you transport goods often, but in small quantities. It's a hassle, but your store counter will always have the freshest fruits and vegetables. This fact will certainly attract buyers.

The delivery of goods must be carefully considered. Some products are bought more often and in larger quantities, for example, carrots, potatoes, apples, and some less often and in smaller quantities, for example, kiwi. Many products are in seasonal demand, such as tangerines and pineapples. There is a group of fruits and vegetables “for everyone”; such products are bought extremely rarely or are not in demand at all in a certain region.

• Risk

There is always risk in business, especially for beginners. It is also present in the sale of fruits and vegetables:

1. Shrinkage of goods;
2. Shaking products;
3. Rotting can reach up to 15%;

When transporting canned food, glass jars may break, which leads to damage to the product and your losses.

• Personnel and equipment

The staff in the store must have:

1. One implementer;
2. One worker who could unload goods, sort fruits and vegetables;
3. Driver; to save money, the entrepreneur himself can work as a driver.

Depending on the growth of the business, the staff must also be replenished.

The equipment must be of high quality and always in good working order:

1. Showcases for the sales area;
2. Racks and counters for displaying goods;
3. Baskets;
4. Refrigerated chambers for storing “capricious” goods;
5. Showcase with refrigerator for frozen products;
6. Scales.

For a store to be competitive, its assortment should not be worse than in other stores. A good store has in its assortment from 35 to 65 different products.

What should be:

1. Fresh vegetables: potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, eggplants, etc.;
2. Fresh fruits: oranges, apples, bananas, kiwi, etc.;
3. Dried fruits: prunes, dried apricots, etc.;
4. Frozen vegetables and fruits;
5. Exotic fruits: mango, avocado, pineapple, etc.;
6. Canned vegetables and fruits;
7. Juices;
8. Water.

Much depends on how advantageously the product is located. Buyers are attracted by the beautiful design of the display case, fresh and beautiful fruits and vegetables, and bright colors in the front rows.

• Benefit

Of course, trading fruits and vegetables is a profitable business. The demand for them never falls. The only negative is seasonality. In summer, the demand for fruits and vegetables decreases. This is due to the fact that many have their own dachas, where in the summer they are content with homemade vitamins. This must be foreseen and for this period you need to protect yourself from significant losses. It is best to reduce the number of products supplied and, if possible, reduce the price.

• Expenses

The daily revenue of a street shop can range from 6 thousand rubles to 21 thousand rubles. Which is about 55 thousand rubles per month. From this money you can immediately deduct 7%, which will go to the seller’s salary. The average markup on a product is 50% of its wholesale cost. It makes no sense to mark it up more, since prices in the city are approximately the same, buyers will immediately notice the difference. Damaged goods are approximately 15% of all available goods, which is also counted towards expenses. A retail space needs to be rented, which costs another 1.5 thousand rubles. And one more type of expense that cannot be avoided is taxes, about 2.5 thousand rubles.

Based on these calculations, we can conclude that to open a vegetable shop, an entrepreneur must have at least 100 thousand rubles.

Shop

Renting the premises will cost 13 - 15 thousand rubles, depending on the area. Repairs are the most expensive part, from 500 to 700 thousand rubles. Purchase and installation of necessary equipment - 250 thousand rubles. The product will cost 150 - 200 thousand rubles. The markup in this case depends on the product and can range from 40 to 250%. Such a business will pay off after just 6 months of operation.

Not all fruits and vegetables keep well in the refrigerator. For example, bananas in the refrigerator quickly become covered with black spots, and cucumbers become damp. Therefore, it is better to store these products at room temperature in separate containers. When stored this way, they can last for several days without losing their shape.

All other fruits and vegetables tolerate refrigeration well. But at the same time, you need to observe the temperature regime, which should not go beyond +8 to +13 degrees.

Greens should not be stored in the refrigerator unopened. It needs to be wrapped in cotton cloth and then wrapped in foil or polyethylene. In this form, greens can be stored for quite a long time.

Potatoes and watermelon do not require refrigeration. These products take up a lot of space and do well in a cool, dark room.

The berries do not last long, depending on their tenderness. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc. Can stay in the refrigerator for no more than a day. Stronger cherries, for example, will last about three days.

You can’t put onions and potatoes next to each other, as this will lead to rapid spoilage.

• Tomato;
• Cucumber;
• Onion garlic;
• Orange;
• Tangerines;
• Lemons.

As you can see, starting a business selling fruits and vegetables is not so difficult. A store with such a direction will never be left without customers. Of course, this business has its downsides, but with a wisely drawn up business plan, none of this matters. In this business, you need to study the market, demand, and prices well. It is important to consider the specifics of the product. Fruits and vegetables spoil quickly, which means that in order to avoid serious losses, you need to purchase goods in minimal quantities. It’s better to go to the base one more time than to throw away kilograms of goods.

It is important to store fruits and vegetables correctly. Improper storage or proximity also quickly leads to damage. All these points must be taken into account.

Beginners are not recommended to start with large purchases. It’s worth starting with several types of fruits and vegetables, and as your business develops, you can expand the range. You should not buy exotic fruits and vegetables; such goods are in demand during the holidays, but on ordinary days there is a demand for the usual potatoes and carrots.