How to open a vegetable stall: a simple plan for a small business. Selling vegetables and fruits (business plan) How to start a business delivering exotic fruits

The fruit and vegetable market is quite dynamic, especially in the segment of imported goods. Competition here is almost always high, and in order to create a confident business, a novice entrepreneur will have to put in a lot of effort. The starting stage is quite difficult; establishing relationships with profitable and reliable suppliers of goods, organizing logistics and attracting regular customers is not easy, but if you achieve the first victories, the next steps are not so difficult.

Pros and cons of vegetable business

Selling vegetables and fruits is a promising direction. But it will be quite difficult for a beginner, especially with a lack of investment, to occupy his niche in the market. Firstly, fierce competition has formed in almost every city, and secondly, in order to successfully launch a business, you must immediately establish contacts with reliable suppliers, find regular customers and be able to achieve high-quality logistics of goods. But if a novice entrepreneur manages to overcome difficulties at the initial stage, it is quite possible to expand a small vegetable business relatively quickly, thereby increasing the amount of net profit several times over.

The advantages of the idea of starting your own business selling vegetables include high demand for goods (even out of season), relatively small investments for opening a retail outlet or small store, and good profitability. Among the disadvantages, experienced entrepreneurs note the difficulties associated with finding reliable wholesale suppliers who will agree to an acceptable price, organizing a business (it is necessary to find, deliver and distribute the goods on time, and prevent damage to the products), the need for a warehouse, as well as fairly high competition. But with the desire and careful preparation for creating your own business, consulting with experienced entrepreneurs and experts, most serious problems can be avoided. Without a competent start, it is simply impossible to occupy your niche in the segment of sales of vegetables and fruits, as well as achieve real profit. These rules are relevant for all market players, as in the case of organizing sales of tea, etc.

Possible formats for conducting business

Selling vegetables as a business can be organized in several formats. The choice depends on the available investments, the experience of the entrepreneur (if you don’t have it, you shouldn’t start with the most complex and costly), the peculiarities of the economic situation in the region and the needs of potential clients.

The most popular formats for running a fruit and vegetable business:

In a tent. This is one of the most affordable formats that does not require significant investment. You will need to register your entrepreneurial activity, find investments for the purchase of a minimum set of equipment (tent, counter, scales, containers, etc.), as well as the first batches of goods. To attract regular customers and accelerate the growth of your business, you need to ensure a good range and quality of products. If you focus on seasonal positions, you will be able to significantly increase your turnover.
From the car. The advantage of this format of work is its mobility. An entrepreneur can change several localization points per day, taking into account the traffic flow of the retail location and other factors (but do not forget about the punishment for violating the rules of non-stationary trade). In order to fully work and develop the prospect of expanding the business, it is necessary to immediately issue permits, without hoping for a lucky break. By trading from a car, an entrepreneur saves on renting a retail space, warehouse and the number of staff.
In the pavilion. As a rule, in this case, space is allocated in warehouses, which can completely solve the problem of storing products. An entrepreneur will need to pay for a retail space and pay a certain amount for renting space in a warehouse, but at the same time, he gets the opportunity to work in a place with excellent traffic, and also find regular customers faster, although the level of competition is becoming tougher. It is important to remember the conditions for proper storage of vegetables and fruits, to export to the pavilion such a volume of products that can be sold, avoiding spoilage and losses as much as possible.
Opening a specialty store. The ideal format for working in the fruit and vegetable sales segment is to open a specialized store of vegetables and fruits. But at the same time, several serious obstacles arise, especially for a new entrepreneur. This means the need for significant investment and work experience, otherwise it will be very difficult to organize the business correctly. The procedure for obtaining permits is also not easy, but if you obtain all the permits, properly organize logistics and storage of goods, find a reliable and profitable supplier, providing customers with a high level of services at an affordable price, a vegetable store can become a successful start of a big business.

Sale of vegetables and fruits business

To make the sale of vegetables and fruits a successful project, you need to independently understand the essence of the work, practical nuances, think through the marketing and merchandising of your business, as in the case of sturgeon breeding. Experienced entrepreneurs working in this market segment advise newcomers not to rely solely on the honesty of employees and the competence of managers. As practice shows, it is very difficult to find professionals to work in this profile, especially when there is a lack of investment. For a successful start and dynamic development, you will need to strictly control each stage yourself.

Business registration

Trade in vegetables and fruits as a business can only be started after registration of entrepreneurial activity. To do this, you need to contact the tax service and write a corresponding application, correctly indicating OKVED, provide a package of documents, or launch the procedure through the State Services reference and information portal. Then we pay the state duty, its amount is 800 rubles. (if you register through State Services, you can get a 30% discount). There are alternative ways of registration - through a legal representative, by mail and at the MFC. If all conditions are met, the entrepreneur’s status is approved within 3 days, and he receives a Certificate of State Registration of an individual as an individual entrepreneur. In some cases, it is necessary to obtain permits from the SES, Rospotrebnadzor and Gospozhnadzor. When organizing work, it is important to comply with the Sanitary Rules for the sale of food products in small retail enterprises.

Advice: it is necessary to remember that before the start of actual work, the individual entrepreneur must submit a “Notice of Commencement of Activities” to the territorial department of Rospotrebnadzor. The form of the document is specified in Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 16, 2009 No. 584. This will confirm the fact of compliance with trade rules and sanitary rules for the sale of food products.

Selecting a sales location

It is necessary to choose a place of sale based on the format of work. In any case, it must have good cross-country ability and be convenient for the buyer (the chances that he will deliberately go an unusual route to buy vegetables or fruits are very low). With proper preparation, you can organize a good business either in a tent or in a specialized store. It is important to take into account the specifics of working at the chosen place - when trading in a pavilion or kiosk at the market, it is necessary to win the loyalty of the administration and win in the competition; in a tent - to ensure proper storage of products, find reliable suppliers and organize logistics well.

Selection of premises

The room parameters must correspond to the work profile. Most often, they are looking for an option with an area of up to 60 m², of which about 20 are allocated for storage, where it is necessary to ensure the appropriate temperature (up to about +8 in the summer and not lower than 0 in the winter). With small investments, entrepreneurs organize trade using garages and utility rooms as warehouses. But since in this case it will not be possible to maintain the temperature regime, it will not be possible to store large volumes of products.

Equipment purchase

Many businessmen who have organized a business selling vegetables and fruits work with a minimum of equipment - counters, containers, scales, a cash register, vehicles for bringing goods. But to develop your business, create high-quality service and attract regular customers, it is necessary to expand the list of equipment. In order to properly store products and not purchase small volumes for every day, the entrepreneur needs to purchase cooling chambers and, if possible and in accordance with the work format, a special display case.

Recruiting staff

Experienced entrepreneurs talk about the problem of personnel selection as one of the most important, especially for a newcomer to this field. With limited investments, they advise involving only relatives, close acquaintances and friends who can be trusted. This will reduce the risk of theft and customer fraud. If there are investments, the issue of personnel selection still needs to be approached very carefully. It is recommended to increase salaries thanks to additional percentages of sales volume. To organize high-quality work, you will need a salesperson, a driver, a loader, and, if financially possible, an accountant. But if necessary and for small business volumes, the owner can combine all these positions in one person.

Conducting an advertising campaign

To successfully start a business selling vegetables and fruits, a large advertising campaign is not necessary (if you do not plan to open a network of retail outlets). Many manage to quickly win the loyalty of regular customers thanks to skillful marketing, high quality products and streamlined logistics. But still, high-quality advertising will never be superfluous, and a novice entrepreneur needs to competently present his services, immediately pointing out competitive advantages. The following elements can be used:

bright sign;
billboard;
constriction;
poster;
advertising posts on social networks.

If you have the funds, it won’t hurt to place videos on local radio, organize promotions and create a discount system. The use of certain elements of advertising depends on the format of the work and the purpose of its behavior (dissemination of information about the service, attracting customers, creating a competitive advantage, etc.). In the process of business expansion, it will be possible to place banner and text advertising on specialized websites and organize mailings to email addresses. But the latter methods are more appropriate for finding wholesale buyers, sponsors and business partners.

Selling vegetables and fruits - business plan

A business plan is necessary both for opening a small retail outlet on the market and in the case of creating a specialized store. Thanks to it, an entrepreneur will be able to pre-plan the stages of development of his business, approximately outlining their time frame, calculate costs, and identify and minimize risks. It is not necessary to order the creation of a document from a specialist if you plan to open a relatively small retail outlet - after reading the relevant literature and expert comments, the entrepreneur will be able to draw up a financial plan on his own. We recommend including the following sections:

summary (goals, sales market, target audience, brief description of business development strategy, main risks, need for investment, payback period);
description of the service, assortment;
analysis of the situation on the regional market, if necessary - across the country;
main and potential competitors;
equipment;
financial plan (taxation system, calculation of tax amounts, insurance contributions to extra-budgetary funds, expenses - cost of production, wages of personnel, rental of premises, purchase of equipment, advertising costs, transportation costs, etc., as well as the expected volume of net profit, revenue, payback period).

FAQ

Let's look at frequently asked questions on the topic.

Where can I get products for business?

The most popular suppliers of products for beginners and experienced entrepreneurs who decide to build a business in the sale of vegetables and fruits are the owners of wholesale warehouses. Sometimes it is more profitable to find one or more farmers who can supply vegetables in the required volume and assortment or repurchase goods. The choice of supplier largely depends on the situation on the regional market, the level of competition, the number of wholesale bases and their pricing policy, as well as the logistics system. Growing products on private plots (personal subsidiary plots) and selling them is considered the most profitable option, but greenhouses for growing vegetables require significant investments and knowledge of technology.

Do I need permits for fruits and vegetables?

You do not need a special permit to trade vegetables and fruits. The entrepreneur will need to register his activities, and if the work format requires this, obtain the appropriate permits from Rospotrebnadzor, SES and state fire supervision authorities. But the seller must have at least copies of documents confirming the quality and safety of the products, and in the case of selling tropical fruits - papers indicating the passage of phytosanitary control. If trading activities are carried out on the market, and the goods are grown independently or supplied by greenhouse farmers, then it is necessary to obtain a conclusion from the state veterinary and sanitary examination laboratory at the place of production.

What vegetables and fruits are worth trading?

A good assortment is one of the most important keys to successful trade and business growth. But some types of products are in greatest demand, and if you organize their quick deliveries and monitor quality, you can quickly achieve the desired profitability. The best selling vegetables are potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cabbage. Buyers also often look for oranges, bananas, apples, grapes, kiwis, and pomegranates. Rarely do they buy exotic fruits, such as passion fruit, guava, carom, etc. (it is worth remembering the embargo on food products, including vegetables and fruits imported from some countries). The choice of assortment in each specific case depends on the needs of the target audience, the format of work and the investment of the entrepreneur.

Pros and cons of vegetable business

Possible formats for conducting business

The most popular formats for running a fruit and vegetable business:

In a tent. This is one of the most affordable formats that does not require significant investment. You will need to register your entrepreneurial activity, find investments for the purchase of a minimum set of equipment (tent, counter, scales, containers, etc.), as well as the first batches of goods. To attract regular customers and accelerate the growth of your business, you need to ensure a good range and quality of products. If you focus on seasonal positions, you will be able to significantly increase your turnover.
From the car. The advantage of this format of work is its mobility. An entrepreneur can change several localization points per day, taking into account the traffic flow of the retail location and other factors (but do not forget about the punishment for violating the rules of non-stationary trade). In order to fully work and develop the prospect of expanding the business, it is necessary to immediately issue permits, without hoping for a lucky break. By trading from a car, an entrepreneur saves on renting a retail space, warehouse and the number of staff.
In the pavilion. As a rule, in this case, space is allocated in warehouses, which can completely solve the problem of storing products. An entrepreneur will need to pay for a retail space and pay a certain amount for renting space in a warehouse, but at the same time, he gets the opportunity to work in a place with excellent traffic, and also find regular customers faster, although the level of competition is becoming tougher. It is important to remember the conditions for proper storage of vegetables and fruits, to export to the pavilion such a volume of products that can be sold, avoiding spoilage and losses as much as possible.
Opening a specialty store. The ideal format for working in the fruit and vegetable sales segment is to open a specialized store of vegetables and fruits. But at the same time, several serious obstacles arise, especially for a new entrepreneur. This means the need for significant investment and work experience, otherwise it will be very difficult to organize the business correctly. The procedure for obtaining permits is also not easy, but if you obtain all the permits, properly organize logistics and storage of goods, find a reliable and profitable supplier, providing customers with a high level of services at an affordable price, a vegetable store can become a successful start of a big business.

Sale of vegetables and fruits business

To make the sale of vegetables and fruits a successful project, you need to independently understand the essence of the work, practical nuances, think through the marketing of your business, as in the case. Experienced entrepreneurs working in this market segment advise newcomers not to rely solely on the honesty of employees and the competence of managers. As practice shows, it is very difficult to find professionals to work in this profile, especially when there is a lack of investment. For a successful start and dynamic development, you will need to strictly control each stage yourself.

Business registration

Advice: it is necessary to remember that before the start of actual work, the individual entrepreneur must submit a “Notice of Commencement of Activities” to the territorial department of Rospotrebnadzor. The form of the document is specified in Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 16, 2009 No. 584. This will confirm the fact of compliance with trade rules and sanitary rules for the sale of food products.

Selecting a sales location

Selection of premises

The room parameters must correspond to the work profile. Most often, they look for an option with an area of up to 60 m², of which about 20 are allocated for storage, where it is necessary to ensure the appropriate temperature (up to about +8 in the summer and not lower than 0 in the winter). With small investments, entrepreneurs organize trade using garages and utility rooms as warehouses. But since in this case it will not be possible to maintain the temperature regime, it will not be possible to store large volumes of products.

Equipment purchase

Recruiting staff

Conducting an advertising campaign

bright sign;
billboard;
constriction;
poster;
advertising posts on social networks.

Selling vegetables and fruits - business plan

A business plan is necessary both for opening a small retail outlet on the market and in the case of creating a specialized store. Thanks to it, an entrepreneur will be able to pre-plan the stages of development of his business, approximately outlining their time frame, calculate costs, and identify and minimize risks. It is not necessary to order the creation of a document from a specialist if you plan to open a relatively small retail outlet - the entrepreneur, after familiarizing himself with the relevant literature and comments from experts, will be able to. We recommend including the following sections:

summary (goals, sales market, target audience, brief description of business development strategy, main risks, need for investment, payback period);
description of the service, assortment;
analysis of the situation on the regional market, if necessary - across the country;
main and potential competitors;
equipment;
financial plan (taxation system, calculation of tax amounts, insurance contributions to extra-budgetary funds, expenses - cost of production, wages of personnel, rental of premises, purchase of equipment, advertising costs, transportation costs, etc., as well as the expected volume of net profit, revenue, payback period).

FAQ

Let's look at frequently asked questions on the topic.

Where can I get products for business?

The most popular suppliers of products for beginners and experienced entrepreneurs who decide to build a business in the sale of vegetables and fruits are the owners of wholesale warehouses. Sometimes it is more profitable to find one or more farmers who can supply vegetables in the required volume and assortment or repurchase goods. The choice of supplier largely depends on the situation on the regional market, the level of competition, the number of wholesale bases and their pricing policy, as well as the logistics system. Growing products on (personal subsidiary plot) and selling them is considered the most profitable option, but requires significant investments and knowledge of technology.

Do I need permits for fruits and vegetables?

What vegetables and fruits are worth trading?

A good assortment is one of the most important keys to successful trade and business growth. But some types of products are in greatest demand, and if you organize their quick deliveries and monitor quality, you can quickly achieve the desired profitability. Vegetables include potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cabbage. Buyers also often look for oranges, bananas, apples, grapes, kiwis, and pomegranates. Rarely do they buy exotic fruits, such as passion fruit, guava, carom, etc. (it is worth remembering about food products, including vegetables and fruits, imported from some countries). The choice of assortment in each specific case depends on the needs of the target audience, the format of work and the investment of the entrepreneur.

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Trade in vegetables and fruits is one of the most profitable segments in the market. You can successfully launch your business either with thousands of investments or by opening a small kiosk in the market. High-quality preparation and a competent business plan will help to avoid many problems and minimize risks even at the starting stage.

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A vegetable business is an attractive opportunity to make money, because you always want to eat.

Many entrepreneurs understand this when they want to open their own store. This is one of the options for successfully implementing a business idea, but you should be aware of some of the nuances of running this business.

To implement the idea, you need to rent, it all depends on your financial capabilities. The most successful thing is to open a point in some residential area. It’s good if there is a busy highway nearby or a metro station.

If there is a connection to a certain place, you need to open a pavilion or store. All this will require additional financial investments. Obtaining permits will also take time, but you will have your own warehouse, which is considered a big advantage.

Where vegetables and fruits are stored, there must be a certain temperature - in summer +8, in winter - not lower than 0.

A retail area of 20-30 meters is enough to start a business. If you live in a private house, you can open a trade from your backyard. And if the house is located near the highway, this is the best option.

Documentation

To open a business, documents are required. For:

tax
fire inspection

The tax office must obtain a permit to conduct trading activities; a permit to operate the premises is also required.

Of course, you will definitely need refrigerators, shelving, display cases, and tables.

How to organize a business?

You can open several points at once. You will need a wholesale warehouse. If you open several points, your costs will decrease.

by increasing the volume of purchases
costs at each point will be reduced to a minimum
you can monitor the operation of points, optimize the trading process

What will you need?

Several sellers, from 2 per point
Loader
Transport, at least Gazelle
Place for trade

What to sell?

Everyone needs the most popular vegetables. Potatoes, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, a variety of citrus fruits. Once you are sure that trade is going well, you can diversify your product range.

Suppliers

There are a lot of them on the fruit and vegetable market; they work in wholesale markets, vegetable depots, where you can find producers. Then you can conclude agreements with rural producers.

If you estimate the business plan of the point, you get:

From each outlet you can get at least 1000-2000 dollars, maybe higher. There is seasonality in business.

Salesperson salary – 7-10% of revenue
The price of the product is 50% higher than on the market
Roller shutter rental – from $100 per month
If the trading margin is 50% and the average daily revenue is $500,
The result is monthly revenue: 500 X 30 = $15,000 per month from one point.

Fuel – $400
Loader – $300
Rent – 100 dollars
Product write-off – $40
Taxes – $800
The salesperson's salary is $400.

It turns out 15,000 - 2040 = 12,960 from each outlet per month.

Calculation, of course. Approximate. Unforeseen expenses also arise.

What do you need to know?

You will have to learn more about your products, varieties, and methods of growing products. There are other nuances of doing business. At the beginning of autumn, many villagers are ready to sell goods at favorable prices in order to get rid of the harvest. And then prices start to rise. It is necessary to take into account that 10-15% of the goods spoil. Without special equipment, more damage occurs.

A spoiled product can be sold at a significant discount. Near almost every point there is a tray with discounted goods.

Staff

It is very important to have experienced salespeople at the point of sale. Salaries should be based on the principle: salary + percentage of sales. Theft must be taken into account if the store offers goods for open trade. The issue is resolved with the help of surveillance cameras. It is best to hire a security guard, they will come in handy in any case - sometimes there are cases of hooliganism and theft.

Extra charge

The markup may vary depending on the season. Therefore, if you can buy the main product in the fall, it will be better. It is quite possible to preserve products until spring, and you will be able to mark up up to 200% on goods. During the season, your markups will be about 30-40%.

Payback comes quickly. If it’s a store, then you can recoup your investment in 7-8 months, and if it’s a stall on the market, in a couple of days. At the beginning of your business, you need to do many operations yourself: trade, unload goods, sign contracts with suppliers. Then you can hire an assistant and be responsible for the process of organizing trade yourself. To do this, start their own business.

What's most important?

The main thing is to find honest and conscientious sellers, which is very difficult, as practice shows.

Create a product range that will result in minimal product losses.

Watch also a video about how to properly store fruits and vegetables

You can start a business selling fruits and vegetables by opening a small stall in the market, or, for example, in a residential area. The success of the business is almost guaranteed, since food products are among the most popular goods in retail trade.

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Services

The vegetable stall service includes:

retail sales of various fruits;
individual sale of assorted vegetables;
accepting an order for the supply of certain products in the required volume;
assistance to customers when choosing a product;
consulting clients;
packaging of purchased vegetables/fruits;
home delivery of products;
sale of goods on credit;
temporary storage of purchased products.

Forms of doing business

A business selling vegetables and fruits at retail can be organized in the following ways:

Format	Description
Selling from a car	Main features: Freight transport is required (however, this increases the amount of initial capital); a sales permit is required; difficulties with selling goods during the cold season; most often seasonal fruits/vegetables are sold (for example, cabbage, watermelons, potatoes, etc.); there are no costs for renting retail space; suitable for product manufacturers; sales are carried out at fairs, in residential areas, near markets, along roads, etc.
Trade in a kiosk/tent at the market	Main features: a large flow of potential buyers; there is the possibility of forming a permanent client base; high competition; it is necessary to think over the assortment (to attract consumers); the quality of goods and service must be at the highest level.
Street sale in a tent	Main features: the presence of several racks; small assortment; you need a car for transporting/storing products or renting a warehouse near a retail outlet; Permission from the city administration is required to sell fruits/vegetables on the street.
Sales of goods in the trade pavilion	Main features: the entrepreneur has at his disposal a counter for which rent is paid; there is no problem with storing goods, since the stalls are quite spacious; large flow of clients; presence of competitors in the neighborhood.
Shop	Main features: high costs of renting premises; significant costs for the purchase of a diverse and extensive range; it is necessary to purchase a large number of units of commercial equipment and other equipment; It is important to sell a good quality product and ensure that a high level of service is maintained.

A profitable business selling fruits and vegetables can be either at the market or in a pavilion, or on the street.

The choice of one option or another depends on:

material capabilities of a businessman;
level of competition in the local market;
who the entrepreneur is - a reseller or a manufacturer of products;
having your own vehicle (truck or car);
personal preferences;
availability of space for storing goods;
cost of rent, etc.

Along with retail trade, many businessmen are focusing on organizing a large vegetable warehouse. Its clients will primarily be entrepreneurs. The wholesale business format requires serious investment and experience in this area of operation. Therefore, it is recommended for a beginner to start a business with a small shop.

Relevance

In modern operating conditions, the demand for the vegetable business is due to the following factors:

High demand. Vegetables and fruits are products that are consumed by almost all people without exception. They are products of daily demand. The main range of fruits/vegetables is available to a large number of consumers.
No license required. To use data, you do not need to obtain special permissions from government agencies. Sanitary control documents can be issued in a laboratory at the market or taken from suppliers.
Low starting investment. To open a vegetable stall, you do not need to buy expensive transport and commercial equipment, or create a wide range of products.
High profitability and profitability, as well as quick payback. By selling seasonal goods in both winter and summer, you can count on high profits.
Minimal marketing expenses. To organize the sale of vegetables and fruits, there is no need to work on recognition.
There is no need to maintain a large warehouse of products. This is due to the fact that vegetables and fruits have a short shelf life and are not purchased for future use.

Market description and analysis

The main features of the Russian market for the sale of fresh vegetables and fruits:

Leading regions in the sales of vegetable products: Moscow (18% of market capacity), Moscow region (5%), St. Petersburg (5%).
According to Rosstat, annually there are 97.8 kg of plant food per capita (excluding potatoes). Monthly consumption of vegetables by one Russian: Bashkiria - 3 kg, Tyumen region - 3.4 kg, Krasnodar region - 4 kg, St. Petersburg - 6 kg. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, in Russia one person eats 124.2 kg of vegetable dishes per year. For comparison, for example, in the USA this figure is 122.9 kg, and in China – 321.5 kg.
Prices for vegetables and fruits sold in the northern regions are higher than in the southern ones. Also, in warm regions their cost is 20-30% lower than in the country as a whole.
Fees for individual products vary significantly throughout the year. For example, sellers ask for 70 rubles per kilogram of fresh cucumbers in summer, and 200 in winter. This trend can be seen even in the southern regions of the country.
The volume of domestic products on store shelves is increasing.
According to sociological research, 85% of Muscovites buy vegetables/fruits one or more times a week.
Leaders in selling vegetables: potatoes, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, carrots.
Leaders in fruit sales: apples, oranges, strawberries, tangerines.
Muscovites most often buy plant products in department stores and supermarkets (71% of consumers), as well as in markets (10%).

Photo gallery

Share of buyers and frequency of purchases of vegetables/fruits in Moscow Change in the cost of fresh vegetables by region during the year, rub./kg Regions with maximum vegetable sales volumes Vegetable consumption by region (based on data for the second quarter of 2012) Consumption per capita by regions of Russia Share of fresh vegetable buyers (as of June) Share of fresh fruit buyers (as of June) Places for Muscovites to buy fruits and vegetables

The target audience

Description of vegetable (fruit) stall consumers:

Sign	Characteristic
Floor	Men and women (most often the fairer sex makes purchases)
Age	From 20 to 60 years
Social status	Average and below average
Nationality	Doesn't matter
Place of residence	Near the retail outlet
Interests, hobbies	Maintain a healthy lifestyle and play sports
Characteristic types	For example: housewife; moms/dads; student; middle manager.

Competitive advantages

The strengths of a small vegetable/fruit stall should be:

good location (away from direct competitors and close to a large number of customers);
thoughtful product range (taking into account the needs of the local market);
high-quality and friendly service;
sale of fresh and ripe vegetables and fruits;
advising clients regarding the positions of the presented product range;
correct placement of goods on the display window;
neat display of the counter;
competent pricing policy.

Advertising campaign

Since the assortment of the vegetable stall is familiar to the target audience, it does not need advertising. To form your own extensive customer base, it is important to monitor the quality of service and products sold. An entrepreneur must listen to the wishes of consumers and try to bring his service and range to the ideal. Thus, positive information about the store will be spread in the area where the outlet is located, which will attract new customers.

Step-by-step instructions for opening a vegetable kiosk

Successfully opening a stall selling vegetables and fruits requires sequential implementation of the following points:

Studying the characteristics of entrepreneurial activity in the selected market segment. Including analysis of supply and demand, familiarity with the nuances of trading activities, competitors’ pricing policies, etc.
Compiling an assortment of goods for sale (taking into account seasonality). Consideration of the rules for their storage, determination of approximate harvest dates.
Search for potential product suppliers.
Calculation of a business plan from scratch.
Registration of individual entrepreneurs.
Determining the location of the kiosk (on the street, in a pavilion or in the market).
Search and hiring of seller/s.
Purchase of equipment and the first batch of goods.
Obtaining a trade permit (if you plan to organize a stall on the street).

Range

When creating a list of products for sale, an entrepreneur needs to take into account the following nuances:

Demand. The assortment should take into account the needs of potential buyers in the area where the store will be located.
Richness/diversity. This will allow each client to find what he is looking for.
Interest. The presented products should attract the attention of the target audience.
Seasonality. During the cold season, classic goods (for example, potatoes, beets, apples or tangerines) are in great demand. And in warm weather - berries, such as cherries, raspberries, strawberries, etc., as well as watermelons, melons, apricots, peaches, etc.

Basic range

Product groups	Sample list
Roots	potato; carrot; beet; bulb onions; garlic; celery; radishes, etc.
Vegetables (except root vegetables)	cucumbers; Bulgarian pepper; White cabbage; Chinese cabbage; zucchini; pumpkin; eggplants, etc.
Fruits sold all year round	apples; pears; oranges; grapefruits; kiwi; bananas; pineapples; grape; avocado; coconuts, etc.
Seasonal fruits	berries (cherries, sweet cherries, strawberries, etc.); tangerines; persimmon; peaches; nectarines; apricots; melons; watermelons, etc.
Exotic fruits	rambutan; carambola; mango; kumquat; passion fruit; papaya; pomelo; figs, etc.
Greens/herbs	salad; parsley; cilantro; dill; green onions; rosemary; thyme; basil, etc.
Dried fruits	dried apricots; raisin; prunes; figs; bananas; candied fruits, etc.
Nuts	walnuts; almond; cedar; cashew, etc.

Documentation

The process of registering a small trading business in the field of fruit/vegetable sales involves the following nuances:

The best organizational form is individual entrepreneurship. Compared to alternative options, creating an individual entrepreneur will save money during the registration of a company and simplify the process of preparing the necessary papers. It is easier to open and run such a business than an LLC.
OKVED – 47.21 “Retail sale of fruits/vegetables in specialized stores.”
The optimal system for paying taxes is the simplified tax system or UTII.
After completing the registration of an individual entrepreneur, the company must register with funds and statistical authorities.

To sell vegetables and fruits, the following documents are required:

certificate of an individual entrepreneur;
permission from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station;
conclusion from the Fire Service;
consent of local authorities (in the situation of placing a kiosk on the street);
certificates for products sold.

Location and premises

Options for choosing a location for placing a retail outlet for selling fruits/vegetables in a stall format:

high traffic volume of potential buyers;
location near stalls where goods are sold, the consumers of which are the required target audience (for example, a bakery, butcher shop, confectionery, etc.);
distance from shops, kiosks, counters and other places where similar products are sold;
good approach to the shop;
Availability of car parking nearby.

The optimal stall area is 8-10 square meters. m.

To obtain maximum profit, an entrepreneur needs to organize several retail outlets in different areas of the city.

Practice shows that if it is not possible to store goods at the place of direct sale, then even a small business will need a warehouse.

In this case, fruits and vegetables can be stored in:

utility room of your own house/apartment (for example, basement, storage room or balcony);
garage (with or without heating);
truck;
rented premises near a retail outlet.

Equipment and inventory

List of equipment for a street vegetable stall:

Name	Approximate prices, rub.
Kiosk	40 000
Cash machine	18 500
Scales	6 500
Cart	3 000
Display shelves	10 000
Counter	3 000
Shelving	5 000
Chairs	2 000
Truck (used)	400 000
Equipment: knives, containers, boxes, buckets	5 000
Air conditioner	20 000
cooling chamber	15 000
Other equipment, inventory	12 000
Total:	540 000

Photo gallery

Cargo gazelle – 400,000 rubles Libra – 6,500 rubles Kiosk – 40,000 rubles Cash register – 18,500 rubles

Staff

In order for the stall to operate seven days a week, you will need to hire two sales consultants. You can save money on the wages of a loader, driver and accountant due to the fact that the entrepreneur himself will take over their functions.

Basic requirements for job seekers in the vegetable department:

knowledge of the range of goods and the features of their sale;
Experience in the retail sector is preferred;
communication skills;
goodwill;
attentiveness;
courtesy to the client;
cultural speech;
neat appearance;
no criminal record;
availability of a medical record.

Suppliers

Product suppliers can be:

domestic and foreign agricultural producers;
wholesale fruit and vegetable warehouses;
resellers (private intermediaries between farmers and sellers).

In addition, an entrepreneur can sell products grown on his farm. In this case, it will be more profitable to combine the sale of your own vegetables and fruits with goods purchased externally. For example, if bananas do not grow in Russia, then they should be purchased from private intermediaries or at wholesale centers.

Key criteria for selecting reliable suppliers:

low prices (discounts);
good quality of products (there are documents for the entire range of products sold);
availability of goods in the required quantity;
providing quality assurance;
optimal delivery times;
the ability to place an order for the supply of certain types of goods;
a wide range of;
good reputation.

The video talks about how to choose the right supplier of vegetables and fruits for your own retail outlet. Filmed by the channel: “Mikhail Balandin”.

Financial plan

Financial planning of a business project for a stall selling vegetables and fruits was carried out on the basis of the following data:

Index	Meaning
Business format	Small outdoor free-standing kiosk
Location	Russia, a city with a population of one million in the Central Federal District, a residential area
Organizational form of business	Individual entrepreneurship
Stall	Area – 8 sq. m. (there is an opportunity to store goods in the premises of the outlet)
Specialization	Universal (selling a classic set of products)
Availability of own production	No
Suppliers	Wholesale city base and regional greenhouse industry
Staff	Two sellers
Operating mode	Seven days a week, from 10.00 to 19.00
Functions performed by the manager	Some responsibilities: Accounting; generation of tax and other reporting; submission of documents on the company’s activities to the relevant government agencies; selection and purchase of goods; loading and unloading of products and their transportation; removal and disposal of spoiled fruits/vegetables.
The target audience	Description: men and women living in a residential area; average age – 30-45 years; income level is average.
Marketing	A bright sign and several thematic posters are required to decorate the kiosk

How much does it cost to open?

Capital investments in your own business:

Expenditures	Approximate prices, rub.
Registration of individual entrepreneurship	5 000
Preparation of documents and registration of permits	20 000
Purchase of fixed assets and inventory	540 000
Rent of land for a stall (for three months)	90 000
Setting up a kiosk	10 000
Marketing costs	20 000
Salary with accruals (for two months)	85 000
Purchase of goods	100 000
Other costs	10 000
Total	880 000

Regular expenses

Every month, to maintain the business, the entrepreneur will make the following expenses:

Expenditures	Approximate prices, rub.
Rent per place	30 000
Communal expenses	5 000
Renewal of product range	100 000
Salary (with tax deductions)	42 000
Advertising	3 000
Depreciation	2 000
Fare	5 000
Write-off of damaged goods	5 000
other expenses	3 000
Total	195 000

Income

The calculation of performance indicators for a vegetable stall business idea is based on the following data:

Main financial indicators of the project:

Parameter	Meaning
Average monthly revenue in the first year	RUB 315,000
Average monthly revenue in the second year	RUB 378,000
Annual revenue for the first year of operation	RUR 3,780,000
Annual revenue for the second year of operation	RUR 4,536,000
Average monthly profit in the first year	120,000 rub.
Average monthly profit in the second year	163,000 rub.
Annual profit for the first year of operation	RUB 1,440,000
Annual profit for the second year of operation	RUB 1,956,000
Business profitability in the first year	38%
Business profitability in the second year	43%

Calendar plan

Calendar schedule for the implementation of the main activities of the vegetable stall business plan:

Stages	1 month	2 month	3 month	4 month
Collection of information about market functioning	+
Studying business features	+
Formation of a detailed business project from scratch	+
Collection of documents for registration of individual entrepreneurship	+
Legal registration of the activities of a vegetable shop	+
Finding a place to place a stall	+
Obtaining permission to locate a kiosk in the selected area (including drawing up a lease agreement)		+
Equipment selection		+
Purchase of equipment		+
Carrying out work on the repair of the stall, its design and installation of commercial equipment		+
Search for suppliers/partners	+	+	+
Hiring workers		+	+
Supply of fruits and vegetables to fill store windows			+
Obtaining permits from supervisory services			+
Kiosk opening				+

Risks and payback

The main risks of a vegetable shop business project:

Risk	Characteristic	Probability
Losses from product spoilage (for example, loss of presentation, taste, rotting, withering, etc.)	To prevent this risk it is important: buy quality goods (not ripe and rotten); transport products carefully; correctly organize storage conditions (for example, temperature conditions, commodity proximity, air humidity, etc.); sell goods with low quality characteristics at a reduced price; properly care for vegetables/fruits (for example, remove rotten fruits so as not to infect neighboring ones); buy products from trusted suppliers.	High
Big competition	Main competitors: convenience stores or chain retail outlets that have a vegetable/fruit department; hypermarkets; food markets. In order to achieve success, an entrepreneur must take care of developing the competitive advantages of his mini-trading enterprise.	High
High costs of maintaining a stall in winter	Since a free-standing kiosk must be heated during the cold season to maintain the desired temperature, this leads to increased overhead costs.	High
Increase in purchasing prices	An increase in the cost of goods may be caused by: shortage of certain products; bad harvest; increased manufacturer costs (for example, diesel and electricity); introducing restrictions on imported goods, etc. To maintain a customer base, an entrepreneur must adjust the assortment of his store and try to find new suppliers.	High
Seasonality	It is important to offer seasonal products to the buyer. If, for example, in winter there are no fresh strawberries and cherries, but there are tangerines and persimmons, then they can diversify the range of products.	Average

The payback period for a small business selling vegetables and fruits will be 9-12 months.

Trading vegetables and fruits is a fairly common business. With the right approach to business, a vegetable stall can bring good income. There is an average level of competition in this market segment.

Start-up capital

When thinking about how to open a vegetable stall, calculate future expenses. The amount of investment may vary depending on the size of the locality. To open a vegetable stall in the regional center you will need approximately 500 thousand rubles. This amount includes the following expenses:

for opening and legalizing an enterprise, obtaining certificates from various government bodies - about 10 thousand rubles;
for renting a stall – from 40 thousand rubles;
for the purchase of equipment: slides, refrigerated display case, scales, cash register - 50 thousand rubles;
for equipment maintenance – 2 thousand rubles per month.

To start, you can buy used counters and slides. Partial refusal of hired labor will help you save money. Take on the responsibilities of a buyer or seller. Additional staff can be recruited after the promotion of the outlet. This way you will get to know the market from the inside, study your competitors, and feel all the nuances of your own business.

Decor

Select the form of doing business: individual entrepreneur or LLC. An individual entrepreneur opens faster; maintaining documentation does not require special knowledge. Fines for violations for individual entrepreneurs are less than for LLCs. But there is also greater responsibility: in case of failure, you will be personally responsible for all debts and fines of your enterprise. Opening an LLC is a more expensive and time-consuming process. You will need an accountant to keep records. However, the presence of an authorized capital in an LLC guarantees the inviolability of your personal savings. In the event of bankruptcy, funds from the authorized capital will be spent to satisfy the claims of creditors.

After registering your business activity, you will have to obtain permission to open a retail outlet. The easiest way would be to open a stall in the market. If you want to set up a kiosk near a stop or metro station, you will have to obtain permission from the building and architectural department. You will also need opinions from inspection commissions of sanitary, fire, and trade services. Be prepared for all sorts of bureaucratic tricks. Study the laws so that representatives of various structures do not take you by surprise.

Choosing a location and premises

Before opening a vegetable stall, draw up a business plan. Calculate how many visitors per day you will need to serve in order for your expenses to pay off. Then go outside, stand near the future retail outlet and count the people passing by. If the number of passers-by significantly exceeds the number of your potential buyers, feel free to open a stall in this place.

Options for placing a retail outlet:

near the metro or stop. To attract the attention of passers-by, work on outdoor advertising;
in a residential area. The stall will be open for regular customers living in the neighborhood.

Don't forget about transport links. Vegetables will need to be delivered to the kiosk somehow, right? It will be good if you manage to rent a warehouse located near the kiosk. In this case, you can purchase vegetables in large quantities and deliver them to the kiosk as needed. We are talking about shelf-stable vegetables. Perishable fruits will have to be purchased in small quantities. Conditions for storing products with a short shelf life can only be provided within the walls of special warehouse complexes.

Build a kiosk according to a good architectural design. No matter how much you want to save money, don’t discount your point of sale design.

The design can be ordered from freelancers. It’s very inexpensive, sometimes you can get it for just 500 rubles. It is best to use a specialized platform, for example, “I will perform”, where the process of interaction with performers will be simple and safe.

Modern buyers are accustomed to large counters, glass display cases, and good lighting. The purchasing process should be comfortable. Take care of the asphalt near the kiosk, equip a low stand for bags, and customer interest in your outlet will grow before your eyes.

Minimum equipment:

racks for goods,
counter,
chair,
cash machine,
scales,
small safe.

Work with suppliers and assortment

Try to find good suppliers. Make every effort to do this. Of course, you won’t be able to separate the “wheat from the chaff” right away. Therefore, purchase goods in small quantities. Over time, you will understand which partner is better to deal with. The ideal option is one permanent supplier who fully supplies your business with its products.

The following factors are important:

reputation of the supplier in your city,
origin of the goods,
taste qualities of fruits and vegetables,
availability of certificates of conformity.

Your main competitors will be points in markets and vegetable departments of supermarkets. Therefore, you must offer something different from the competition. Your vegetable stall will differ from a market outlet in terms of service and tidiness. The main advantage over supermarkets is the domestic origin of the products.

Offer your customers local tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, and pears. Find a dealer who specializes in the supply of berries and fruits from the southern regions. Complete the assortment with out-of-season bananas, oranges, and lemons. Add some exotic fruits. Offer your customers dried fruits, herbs, and juices. Place a small freezer with frozen fruit in your stall.

Staff

Is it worth opening a vegetable stall if you cannot personally control the process? No, it's not worth it. Vegetables and fruits are a business that you need to constantly keep in your hands. Once again, we strongly recommend saving on staff. Occupy at least one of the positions at your company. If you don’t want to trade, hire a seller and supply the goods yourself.

Experienced entrepreneurs advise personally handling deliveries. Some wholesalers offer goods with delivery. This option is not suitable for you. Having personally arrived at the wholesale warehouse, you can choose the product to your liking. In addition, delivery costs are often included in the price of the product. And they don’t just lay it down, but greatly increase it.

It will be good if at first you can personally control the trading process. The issue of control becomes especially relevant when the business goes beyond the family. Trading loves counting. No one will give you guarantees of the honesty of the hired seller. Therefore, try to be present at the point as often as possible. From time to time, trade on your own, replacing the seller at the stall. You may learn a lot about your employee from talkative customers.

Conduct re-registration periodically. Don’t skimp on your salary, otherwise no amount of inventory will help you. A person who earns little will still steal from you or “borrow” money from the cash register until payday. The optimal remuneration option is rate and percentage. This form of payment encourages the seller to work.

Profitability

The minimum markup on your product will be 30%, the maximum – about 250%. When setting the price, do not forget that vegetables and fruits tend to spoil. According to experts, about 10–20% of produce spoils at a vegetable stall. This product can be sold at a 50-60% discount before it becomes obsolete. Finally, spoiled products will have to be thrown away. It is estimated that the payback period for a stall ranges from 2 to 6 months, depending on the season. In winter, fruits and vegetables are in high demand, so investments pay off faster. After promotion, the business will bring in about 50–100 thousand rubles monthly.