Health is the real wealth, is fast becoming cliché. People are fast realizing how important it is to stay healthy, and the role of healthy feeding in all of these. However, one thing poses a bit challenge. Locating and buying fresh fruits for consumption is both time-consuming and energy draining. And in these times of intense hustle, there appears to be no time left to do that.
In Nigeria today, you can create a business out of anything. People are constantly looking for ways to make their lives easier, and are willing to pay an entrepreneur who does it for them. If you can start a fresh fruit supply business, there are customers out there that would be glad to pay for the service. Indeed, this business is in high demand especially in busy, commercial cities.
Keep in mind that there are two ways to approach this business, with some capital and with zero capital. If you have zero capital, you can market your packages first and then source for the fruits after you get the buyers. If you have some capital, you can get the fruits you know to be in high demand and then market them out. Each of these models has its technicalities. Here is how to start a fresh fruit supply business.
Research & Market Survey
A survey is necessary for practically every business you can think of, but it is even more necessary for a fruit supply business. You will be dealing with perishable items, and it is important to establish market demands before you start so that your fruits don’t get spoilt before you get buyers. Find out the fruits that mostly in demand.
As you decide what fruit to add to your catalogue, find out their shelf life as well. On average, most fruits should not stay beyond 3 days. Some fruits are more perishable than others. Some have a longer shelf life. You can decide to buy some fruits to stock, and leave others until there is a demand for them.
Get reliable sources and suppliers
In every location, there are markets you can go to and get fresh fruits in bulk. Remember that you are looking for one who will not disappoint you, a supplier that will always have fresh and good fruits to supply you. In the process, you can now also look at the measurements and the costs for each. For instance, you can ask the price of half basket or mangoes or oranges, or the price of a dozen pawpaw.
Some commonly sought-after fruits include Oranges, Pawpaw, Watermelon, Pineapple, Banana, Mango, Apple, Carrots, Cucumber, Garden eggs, Guava, Grapes etc. Do not ignore the fruits in season at the time.
Decide on your capital
The amount of capital you have will determine your approach to this business. If you have really low capital, you will probably just operate from your home instead of spending any part of it on renting a physical store. There are online fruit stores and you can set up one if you do not have sufficient capital to own a store. You will be able to decide, based on your capital, whether you want to operate an on-demand-model or whether to pre-purchase the items.
Choose a business name
Whether you decide to get a physical store or an online store, you will need a business identity for yourself. Choose a nice and unique business name to use. If you are going to run it as an online business, this is the name you will use for your handles. So, do a name search and be sure no other business is using the name of your choice. You can keep tweaking till you get something that rolls nicely on your tongue. You can also ask a second opinion from friends.
Decide on the Packages
For marketing and packaging purposes, you should predetermine in what packages you want to sell your fruits. Are you going to sell in hampers/baskets? How many fruits will be contained in each hamper? Are you going to have fruit lunch packs with 3 fruits for like N1,000? Are you going to have weekly packages with sufficient fruits to sustain a family for one week? For marketing purposes, you can name each package uniquely so that the customers can identify and place orders with ease.
Don’t just snap a market full of fruits to sell online. You need to design unique packs and hampers that they will be willing to buy. You can even come up with subscription packages where people can pay a certain amount to be supplied fruit packs 3 times a week, or maybe 4 times in a month. Get creative and make your offering attractive.
Get the equipment and materials you need
If you are going into this business, you may need some materials such as disposable packs, customized bags and packages, a fridge (if you need to store), fruit bags, baskets and hampers etc.
Set up your store and start selling
Having gone through the other stages, this is really just the final step where you finally step into the market with your goods. You set up your physical store and start selling. Or you set your online store and start selling.
If you are going to be selling primarily online, then you should read up the post on how to set up your product catalogue with Whatsapp business. You should also set up your appearance on other handles where your target market are. If you have any difficulty deciding which social media to use, then read up on which social media will work best for your business.
Buy directly from wholesalers or large markets in your state to get best prices, and avoid buying over-ripened fruits. Packaging and creativity will help you to attract different buyers. Don’t buy in large quantities at the beginning. Instead take the time to observe what the customers seems to like. Remember not to pack spoilt fruits with fresh ones, and try to sell off the ripe products first.
You may also require a mini-fridge or freezer to keep certain fruits cool. Ensure quick and fast delivery. Keep your online handles buzzing with information on the health benefits of the fruits, how they could help weight loss, fitness, and even for managing certain ailments.
Depending on your capacity, you can start small with N20,000. You can even start with zero capital, but this will place huge strain on you. This business does not require a huge capital or special skills, but you will need a lot of patience, and aggressive marketing to put your business out there for all to see and buy from you. You need to have a quick and good turnover to avoid running at a loss.
The fruit business doesn’t require a huge capital or any special skills to start, but you will need a lot of patience to get the business off the ground.