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You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as pea shoots.
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Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young has over 25 years of experience in business in various roles, including bank management, marketing management, and business education.
Published on February 25, 2022
Updated on December 23, 2022
Investment range
$1,830 - $4,600
Revenue potential
$36,000 - $145,000 p.a.
Time to build
1 – 3 months
Profit potential
$30,000 - $130,000 p.a.
Industry trend
Growing
Commitment
Flexible
You might not have heard of them, but microgreens are booming! Edible seedlings of herbs and vegetables have seen a surge in popularity in recent years due to their strong flavor and many health benefits.
Globally, the microgreens industry is expected to expand by more than half in the coming years, which means now is the perfect time to start your own microgreens business, help people live healthier lives and grab a shoot of this growing market. You could even grow them in your home if you have the space, then sell them directly to grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, juice bars and the like.
But first, you will need to know how to launch and run a business. Luckily, reading this step-by-step guide is all the studying required to get to work growing some green for your wallet.
Starting a microgreens business has pros and cons to consider before deciding if it’s right for you.
Trends in the microgreens industry include:
Challenges in the microgreens industry include:
Startup costs for a microgreens business range from $1,800 to $4,500. The largest expense is for a website to market your business. Other expenses include seeds, trays, and equipment. If you need to brush up on your indoor gardening skills, you can take a microgreens course on Udemy for less than $20.
You’ll need a handful of items to successfully launch your microgreens business, including:
Start-up Costs | Ballpark Range | Average |
---|---|---|
Setting up a business name and corporation | $150 - $200 | $175 |
Business licenses and permits | $100 - $300 | $200 |
Insurance | $100-$300 | $200 |
Business cards and brochures | $200 - $300 | $250 |
Website setup | $1,000 - $3,000 | $2,000 |
Seeds | $80 - $100 | $90 |
Trays, growing mats | $100 - $200 | $150 |
Grow lights | $100 - $200 | $150 |
Total | $1,830 - $4,600 | $3,215 |
You should make about $20 per tray of microgreens, so your revenue will depend on how many trays you can fit in your space. Most microgreens grow in 2-3 weeks, so you should be able to average 1.5 grows per tray per month. Your profit margin will be about 90%.
In your first year or two, if you can sell 150 trays per month, you’ll bring in $36,000 in annual revenue. This would mean more than $30,000 in profit, assuming that 90% margin. As your business gains traction, you may be able to build a small greenhouse and sales could climb to 600 trays per month. With annual revenue of approaching $145,000, you’d make a tidy profit of $130,000.
There are a few barriers to entry for a microgreens business. Your biggest challenges will be:
Now that you know what’s involved in starting a microgreens business, it’s a good idea to hone your concept in preparation to enter a competitive market.
Research microgreens businesses online and in your area to examine their products, price points, and customer reviews. You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing a business that sells pea shoots.
You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as pea shoots.
This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away.
You’ll need to determine which microgreens to grow and sell. Your best bet might be to go to local restaurants, particularly high-end restaurants, to ask what microgreens they use, and which they might be looking for. You could also go to high-end grocery stores.
Prices for microgreens average $2 per ounce, and each microgreen tray should produce about 10 ounces, for a total of $20. Your ongoing costs will be limited to seeds and supplies, so you should aim for a profit margin of 90%.
Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.
Your target market will be mainly high-end restaurants and grocery stores. You can find their owners and managers on LinkedIn, and find the businesses on Google or Yelp. You could also set up a farmer’s market stand to sell direct to consumers.
If you have adequate space, you can probably always run your business from home, and perhaps even build a small greenhouse in your backyard. If you don’t have space, you could rent a growing space. Find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist, Crexi, and Instant Offices.
When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:
Your business name is your business identity, so choose one that encapsulates your objectives, services, and mission in just a few words. You probably want a name that’s short and easy to remember, since much of your business, and your initial business in particular, will come from word-of-mouth referrals.
Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:
Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these.
Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that sets your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.
Every business needs a plan. This will function as a guidebook to take your startup through the launch process and maintain focus on your key goals. A business plan also enables potential partners and investors to better understand your company and its vision:
If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist at Fiverr to create a top-notch business plan for you.
Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.
Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business!
Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you’re planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to microgreens businesses.
If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state.
Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your microgreens business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely.
Here are the main options:
We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using ZenBusiness’s online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization, and answer any questions you might have.
The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN.
Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.
The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist, and taxes can be filed online.
It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you’re completing them correctly.
Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:
Bank and SBA loans are probably the best option, other than friends and family, for funding a microgreens business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept.
Starting a microgreens business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.
Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits.
You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more.
You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package. They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.
This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.
If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.
Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account.
Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your microgreens business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.
Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account.
Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.
Here are some types of insurance to consider:
As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business.
Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.
You may want to use industry-specific software, such as Fancom, Hectre, or Si, to manage your growing, harvesting, billing, and costs.
Some of your business will come from the casual online visitors, but you should still invest in digital marketing! Getting the word out is especially important for new businesses, as it’ll boost customer and brand awareness.
Once your website is up and running, link it to your social media accounts and vice versa. Social media is a great tool for promoting your business because you can create engaging posts that advertise your products:
Take advantage of your website, social media presence and real-life activities to increase awareness of your offerings and build your brand. Some suggestions include:
Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism. They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google.
You can create your own website using services like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.
Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that sets it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your microgreens business meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire.
Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your microgreens business could be:
You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a microgreens business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been in microgreens for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections.
The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in microgreens. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership.
You will probably never need any employees unless you want to hire a salesperson to visit restaurants and grocery stores for you.
Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed, Glassdoor, or ZipRecruiter. Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent.
Microgreens are booming and you can get in on the action, help people live healthier lives and make a good living with your very own microgreens business. It’s easy, low-cost, and requires minimal labor. Now that you’ve done your business homework, it’s time to get your seeds and supplies and start walking down the garden path of entrepreneurial success.
You can start a microgreens business for less than $2,000. The largest expense is for a website, which you need to be able to market your business online. The seeds and equipment that you need only cost a few hundred dollars.
It costs very little to grow microgreens, and you can sell them for about $20 per tray. How much you can make will just depend on how much space you have to grow.
You may need various business licenses and permits at the state and local levels. Check with your local governments for requirements or visit MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance page.
Microgreens sell for about $2 per ounce, and each tray should produce about 10 ounces, so you’ll probably get about $20 per tray. If you grow unusual microgreens that are more rare, you may be able to sell them for a little more.
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