Content
Microgreens as a business is an interesting idea that is suitable for anyone, regardless of age, gender and knowledge of the topic. There are many varieties suitable for sale. If you have enough desire, you can open an entire factory in which salad, legumes, cereals and even wild crops will find a place.
Is it profitable to grow microgreens for sale?
To open your own business, you need premises and equipment. Maintenance is reduced to simple activities that take three hours a day maximum. Business can be combined with work or other activities.
There are still few competitors in the microgreens market; large enterprises are afraid to try new things, while startups live off of it
Harvesting is done daily. Therefore, you can sell microgreens every day. The growing process is simple; education as an agronomist is encouraged, but not required.
Profitability of a microgreens business
The hardest part will be starting a microgreens business, not keeping it afloat. The cost is no more than 10%. From one farm per 50 sq. m receive about 325 units. goods, which is equal to 2 thousand dollars monthly.
Who is it suitable for?
There are not many specialists in this industry, but they exist. Experts believe that business is suitable for anyone with enough time. It may be especially attractive for those who work in areas with deferred compensation - for programmers, designers, accountants.
The result of the activity is constantly changing, microgreens are growing, profits are increasing
Who else is this business suitable for:
- Supporters of healthy lifestyle. No more worrying about where your microgreens came from or how they were grown. The owner himself controls this process, can promote it to others as an environmentally friendly product and eat it himself.
- Entrepreneurs. Microgreens as a business is a new trend, the prospects of which are already being judged by entrepreneurs. The interest of legal entities is caused by minimal maintenance and a small territory for rent.
- Restaurateurs, catering owners. There are many interested people among restaurateurs. The presence of microgreens on the shelves of establishments is a guarantee of the quality, taste and beauty of dishes for visitors.
- "Former businessmen." This group includes people who have had a bitter experience, but have not decided to end their entrepreneurial activity.
- Young entrepreneurs. With a starting capital of 15 thousand rubles. and a free garage you can already start working.
Advantages and disadvantages of business
Opening a microgreens business has a number of features. Advantages:
- Simple technology. To create your own mini-factory, you do not need knowledge of agricultural technology. There are, of course, subtleties in the activity, but the farmer learns about them in the process. When the project begins to develop, the entrepreneur will be able to hire staff to spend time without thinking about business.
- Entry threshold. The founders of many large companies began by developing small businesses. Microgreens are just such a project. It can be grown outdoors or indoors. To grow, you need seeds, water and trays. If the idea cannot be realized, the entrepreneur will leave with minimal losses.
- Low demands on external factors. Varieties of microgreens are unpretentious. Most ripen within a week, after which the growing cycle is repeated. To achieve results, you need two things - water and lighting.
- Constant demand. In Russia, the microgreens business is still undeveloped. In the northern regions, people eat greens in the summer, but in winter they appear only on the shelves - and then in such a form that you don’t want to buy them. So there is always a demand for microgreens, especially in the north.
Despite its low prevalence, the cultivation of microgreens is gradually gaining momentum
The microgreens business also has disadvantages:
- Short implementation period. Since the product is edible, there is a certain shelf life. For microgreens it is two weeks.An entrepreneur needs to quickly find a buyer or attract the interest of regular customers.
- Competition. Competition in the sales field is increasing from year to year. In cities where there are already several locations, it's probably not worth trying to open a business.
- Requirements for storage and transportation. It is possible to increase the shelf life of the herb by lowering the temperature. You may notice that in stores microgreens are in refrigerators. Having a large factory, it is worth thinking about purchasing refrigeration units.
What you need to grow microgreens for sale
If a businessman plans to open a farm in an urban environment, he will need:
- additional lighting;
- trays;
- seeds;
- sunlight;
- automatic watering system;
- priming.
Materials can be purchased individually or the entire set can be ordered from a supplier. Installation does not cause problems - just install the trays, lay the soil, sow the seeds and connect the automatic watering system. In autumn and winter, microgreens need to be supplemented with light.
Growing microgreens at home for sale
Starting a business comes down to simple steps. This includes market analysis, preparation of working space, installation of shelving, purchase of equipment, planting and marketing of products.
Market analysis
First of all, you need to identify the number of competitors in the IVF niche, whether they are private farmers or large-scale enterprises. They also study the sales market - this is where the goods will go. One retail outlet can purchase 10-20 units of goods.
If there are more than 100 cafes in the city, the menu of which includes microgreens, you will need to produce 1-2 thousand units per week
Preparing the premises
The farm must maintain a constant temperature, which means heating is needed. Irrigation and sewer systems are also necessary. In enclosed spaces, ventilation can be ensured by installing simple fans.
The area is divided into zones. One is left with light, the other is removed (for germination). Lamps are chosen according to other people's recommendations for a particular variety.
Installation of shelving
You can fit several pallets on one shelf, and microgreens themselves are not tall. Metal racks are usually used. The substrate can be different - hydroponics (flooded, flow-through), coconut soil. The rack is selected based on the growing method.
Purchase of seeds and equipment
It’s not difficult to grow microgreens yourself at home for sale. It is enough to have suitable seeds and equipment. Farmers are advised to buy material from Poland. You can try all CIS countries for purchase and compare the results.
Planting seeds
Microgreens come in different varieties, so planting is done in accordance with the conditions the plant needs. In most cases, planting material is soaked, dried for a while, and then laid out in containers.
Sorrel and radishes grow in three days, cilantro and fennel in four days.
The next step is to plant the treated seeds in a substrate or hydroponics.They are left under a lamp to speed up development. In a week the material will be ready for sale.
Sales of finished products
The main clients are snack bars, hotels and restaurants. Some of the products can be sold to stores. Each buyer requires an individual approach.
It is possible to develop a client base only through advertising: visiting stores and cafes to present your own offer, sending out messages on social networks, making cold calls.
Conclusion
Microgreens as a business is a growing industry with more and more competitors every year. This is especially true for megacities. Therefore, before opening your own farm, you need to carefully study the market.
Reviews from owners about growing microgreens as a business
