Investment in fruit juice business can be rewarding, as many people refer to it as ‘money spinner, any day’. It is one of the lucrative businesses that one can start with little money and make it big with proper planning and good marketing.
The interesting part of starting the business is that, its start-up can come in various ways, according to your pocket. You do not need to break your neck looking for cash here and there. With little capital on a small scale, you are good to go, and the opportunity of earning profit is high.
Fruit juices, especially the fresh ones, are sold at high prices, especially in high-profile places like shopping malls, five-star hotels, restaurants, and multiplexes, among others. It is a financially rewarding business with a high demand because of its great taste and health benefits. Both the young and the old love fruit.
WHAT YOU NEED
According to the Chief Executive Officer, Bloomie Fruities and Smoothies’ Refreshments, Mrs. Latifat Adeosun, fruit juice business is the easiest and fastest business to start with little capital, and make huge profit.
“To start a business like this, it requires little capital and it is necessary to learn about the process of producing and preserving the juice. It is also important to have a store where you do your production,” she says.
Adeosun adds that location is very important for the growth of the business.
“When looking for a place to start your business, you may have to consider your nearness to raw materials, as well as nearness to target markets, which are the two factors that will go a long way in ensuring that your business runs smoothly.”
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Fruit is the major requirement needed for the business. There are various fruits available to choose from and make juices. It is always advisable to buy in bulk from a wholesale fruit market and get fresh ones.
“To keep the taste fresh and nice, especially when keeping the product for a long time, sweeteners or sugar can be added. Other requirements are water, a tank for washing the fruit, an extractor, boiler, a tank for blending, a filling machine, and a filter press,” she explains.
On supply, Adeosun says, “I supply some churches and mosques every Sunday because they serve their ministers fresh fruit juices, while some people order personally for their own consumption on a regular basis. Also, some of my customers that have events like wedding, birthday and others get supplies from me.
“For events, we charge per litre. A litre can serve three people. The organiser decides how many litres he or she wants. We do not mix the juice with water. The number of servers we take will depend on how large the party is and how much we charge.”
On preservation, the fruit juice seller said it is important to get the preservatives that will not affect the product and cause harm to the consumer.
“If you are doing fruit juice that is freshly made and is meant for consumption immediately, you may not need to use preservatives. But in a situation where you make large quantity of the product and need to keep them for a long time before they are consumed or you plan to export them, you will need to add preservatives to keep them in good condition,” she explains.
The challenges she had on preservation is the bad state of power supply in the country.
“Power supply has been a major challenge in the business, that is why I have factored in the cost of power supply into the business plan; buying diesel has increased the cost of production,” she regrets.
STORAGE AND PACKAGING
Adeosun also says, “You will need to get a good place to properly store your products. A warehouse or a store will be needed for storing. Packaging can be taken care of by hiring a firm to supply you with the containers for packaging and branding your fruit juice after production. This will ensure that they are in good order when they get to the consumer.”
She, however, advises that before starting the business, one should make sure that a feasibility study is done, to find out more about the business, including the cost involved.
She explains that the business has a lot of potential that are widely untapped, and has a lot of demand too.
“Before you even proceed, make sure you get the necessary licence to operate, and register your company at the Corporate Affairs Commission,” she says.
