Business spices reviews. What will be required for implementation? Where is the best place to open a store

Just think: only 3-4 decades ago, for most people in our country, all only 2 main seasonings were available - salt and pepper. How much different ways to improve the taste of your dish exists now? Several hundred! It is almost impossible to fit everything on the shelves of an ordinary supermarket. Meanwhile, the demand for such goods is quite considerable, and the existing supply in retail often fail to satisfy the customer. Therefore, I decided today to talk about how to open a spice and seasoning store.

Stores with a narrow focus on the sale of goods, in recent times began to enjoy great popularity: coffee shops, fish shops, liquor stores, etc., including shops of spices and seasonings. The advantages of such formats are obvious:

A lot smaller financial "injections" at the start of a business, in comparison with typical projects.
Expandability trade line of goods.
Staff reduction by attracting only 1-2 specialists of the chosen specialization.

Business brief analysis:
Business setup costs:200,000-1,000,000 rubles
Relevant for cities with population:from 100 thousand people
Industry situation:the supply market is not saturated
Complexity of business organization: 2/5
Payback: 1.5-2 years

It is much easier for a highly specialized store to compete with huge supermarkets and hypermarkets, in which you can find literally everything from a sewing needle to a refrigerator. Moreover, many analysts argue that in the near future, a highly specialized format of retail outlets will remain the only one who can work without fear of "going bust".

Why is the demand for spices and condiments growing?

Before moving on to the "technical" side of the question, you need to find out whether the demand for seasonings and spices is growing, what factors does it depend on, and is there any future for this business?

The development of international relations, the opportunity to make tourist trips around the world, the emergence of the Internet - all this contributes to a kind of blurring of borders between peoples. Now you can easily learn the customs and traditions of other countries, including getting to know their cuisines. Who would not like to cook something special for the household - from the recipe of the East or the West, to boast of their culinary skills? And perhaps this is often only by adding seasonings or spices to the food that grow precisely in that point of the globe.

There are hundreds, thousands of dishes in which one or another seasoning and spices, or mixtures thereof, are used. At the same time, dozens of different culinary schools and courses that teach the art of cooking. The conclusion suggests itself: the prospects for this business are excellent, and over time, the market for seasonings and spices promises only to develop.

This is interesting: it is believed that men cook better than women because they have more developed receptors for the taste of food. This is why most of the celebrity chefs are male.

What condiments and spices to trade?

The range of herbs and spices is so wide that it is simply impossible to list it in one article. In addition, certain spices can go well with a single dish. And absolutely not go to another. Therefore, when selling my product, I recommend giving advice to buyers. Better yet, print a small brochure that provides information on the combination of dishes and spices, like the table I suggest you read.

Well, and, of course, you should devote some time to a personal acquaintance with different kinds seasonings and spices - read special literature, "rummage" on the Internet. There are seasonings that can reduce the feeling of hunger, or, on the contrary - to kindle it; contributing to weight loss, increasing potency, with medicinal properties - such subtleties any spice dealer should know by heart.

The assortment of your store may not be limited only to seasonings and spices in the form in which most of the buyers represent it - a bulk product. This category also includes various sauces, ketchups, nuts, vegetable oils, vinegars, etc. So even in a narrow niche of products, there is room for development.

Where is the best place to open a store

The format of the area on which you organize your trade depends on your initial capital. This can be either a free-standing building or a removable pavilion in a shopping center, or a simple tray or stand on which product samples will be placed (this option is considered by many business experts to be the most preferable). The important thing is that seasonings and spices themselves are not an independent dish, but only an addition to them.

Therefore, the location of the outlet should be just near such shops or in supermarkets that sell just the "main" products - semi-finished products, meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc. It is this factor that must be taken into account when choosing the location of your store.

Most seasonings and spices are small free-flowing goods, which, when they are kept in humid air for a long time, lose not only their taste, but also their presentation. Therefore, one more point to which you should pay attention is cleanliness, dryness, and ventilation of the room, especially if the goods are displayed on the showcase not in a hermetically sealed container.

Shop decoration

The first thing a customer encounters when deciding to enter a store or not is its name. How to come up with an attractive name for your store can be found in this.

The interior design of the “spice shop” should correspond to the “spirit” of the product being sold. Hewn shelves made of natural dark wood, wrought iron elements, rough fabric should give the impression of the exoticism of those countries from which the goods were brought.

If the sale will be carried out from a tray or from a stand - also use in the design natural wood... This will subconsciously tell the buyer about the naturalness of the product. There will also be soft oriental music playing from the loudspeakers on the territory of the store.

All seasonings and spices are best divided into groups:

By countries of the world where they come from: India, China, Turkey, Italy, etc.
By food categories for which they are intended: for meat, for fish, for fruits, etc.

How exactly to divide is up to you. Each container with seasoning must be signed and have a description of its qualities.

Another nuance is the container in which the goods will be displayed on the showcase. There are only 2 options here:

Trays... The advantages of such containers are in a spectacular presentation to customers, the disadvantages are the lack of tightness of the container, due to which the taste of the product will be lost. In addition, the mixed aroma of a dozen spices, which is not always pleasant, is unlikely to please the neighbors in the trade and certainly will not attract buyers.
Tightly closed glass jars... This is perhaps the best option... The effect of serving seasonings to the buyer is not lost, and the drawbacks inherent in the trays are solved by the sealed lid.

The sale of seasonings and spices can be carried out both in packaged form - in bags of 3, 5, 10, and more grams, and "by weight". Of course, this will require an accurate electronic scale.

Where to get goods for sale

As always, the issue of supplies is the most painful one for aspiring entrepreneurs. Although, with the development of tourism, it is no longer as acute as several years ago. To begin with, I advise you to familiarize yourself with the price list of wholesale suppliers in our country, then do the same in other countries.

Still, most of all the various plants from which seasonings and spices are prepared grow in the East. In our current conditions of sanctions imposed on Russia by Europe, this even plays into the hands of the described project - we are now “friends” with the East.

There are no restrictions on the import of such goods into the country, so you can order direct deliveries from abroad, as an opportunity - with tourists, or go for them yourself. For example, a friend of mine who has an online store selling weight loss products regularly travels to India for his goods once every six months. At the same time, I manage to relax.

How to advertise yourself

except traditional methods advertising in the media, you can use the system of discounts that apply when buying from a certain amount. For example, when purchasing goods for 500 rubles, the buyer has the right to a discount of 3%, for 1000 rubles - 5%, etc.

Well, if your outlet is located in a large shopping center, advertising issues will disappear by themselves, and you will be in plain sight anyway.

Online store of spices and seasonings

Another option for business development is online trading. In remote regions and in cities with a population of less than 100 thousand people, opening a spice and seasoning store is unlikely to be profitable. Nevertheless, there is a periodic demand for such products. It is unprofitable to travel somewhere specifically for seasonings, so people prefer to order seasonings and spices from an online store.

If you have any questions about the publication, you can ask them in the comments, or contact me using the form - (There are no votes yet, leave it first)

Investments: from 300,000 rubles

Payback: from 6 months

Opening a store that specializes in the sale of any one type of product may seem like an unnecessary risk. We live in an era of huge supermarkets, on the shelves of which even a picky customer can find anything. However, this is not at all the case. An example of this are thriving tea shops, coffee shops, and points of sale for elite and rare types of spices and condiments. Cuisines of various exotic countries are in fashion every now and then. And this means an increase in demand for rare spices, which are often not available in the assortment of ordinary stores.

This article describes how to start building a business such as a spice shop, how much initial investment needs to be spent, as well as the anticipated risks and features.

Business concept

Potential buyers of spices and seasonings are both restaurants and cafes, and ordinary citizens who are fond of cooking or simply want to diversify their menu. Perhaps not all types of seasonings will be in the same demand, however, when opening such a business, you should carefully consider the assortment so that each buyer can find everything he needs.

Spices are expensive and used in small quantities. It will be sold literally in grams, which means that large areas for storing and selling products will not be required.

This requires knowledge and the ability to tell customers how, for what and in what quantity this or that seasoning is used.

What will be required for implementation?

One of the most advantageous options for the location of the point of sale will be a small kiosk or pavilion in a supermarket. Buying regular household products, potential clients rather, they will pay attention to spices as a by-product.

It is important to think over the design of the retail space. The sign and interior should be attractive at first glance and give a clear idea of what type of product you are offering.

You can systematize spices by country of origin. Thus, a series of Indian, Chinese, Italian spices will appear in the store. Undoubtedly, ready-made seasoning mixtures suitable for certain dishes will be in demand.

Spices are usually sold by weight. Packages from 10 grams are the most common option. However, providing customers with the opportunity to purchase a minimum amount (from 1 gram) per sample will help increase loyalty, and customers will definitely return. For weighing minimum volumes accurate scales will be required.

As packaging, you can use small bags of different sizes, sticker labels containing not only the name, but also short instructions on the use of seasoning.

It is best to use tight-fitting clear glass jars to store the product on sale. In addition to convenience and safety, rows of such jars with multi-colored filling will look aesthetically pleasing on the shelves and will organically fit into the interior of the store. It is not recommended to store spices open (in trays or pallets). In this case, the product will quickly deteriorate.

Regular customers will be pleased to receive a discount card. Spices are a necessary but expensive commodity. Therefore, it is worth considering a loyalty program. As a rule, a discount card is issued when purchasing goods for a certain amount. For example, from 1000 rubles. Various bonuses, promotions and sales will also help to attract new customers and keep regular ones. This will also be facilitated by its own website, as well as advertisements distributed through restaurants and cooking classes.

One of the most important tasks at the stage of business planning is finding suppliers of quality products. When buying small batches, it is beneficial to use the services of domestic wholesalers who have the necessary certificates.

For the official conduct of business, you will need to register your activities, that is, open an individual entrepreneur.

Serve buyers on initial stage maybe the entrepreneur himself. However, in the case of business expansion and the formation of a chain of stores, it will be necessary to think about expanding the staff. When selecting personnel, it is best to opt for candidates who already have experience in trading and are ready to short term examine product information. When choosing a product such as spices, competent advice from the seller is very important.

Step-by-step startup instructions

The main stages of the store launch will be:

Market analysis, potential buyers, identification of competitors, search for suppliers.
Drawing up a business plan and seeking funding.
Registration of individual entrepreneurs.
Search and rental of suitable premises.
Purchase shop equipment(showcases, scales, cash machine, packaging, container for storage, etc.).
Purchase of goods for sale.
Hiring staff.
Organization of advertising and promotion.

Financial calculations

Start-up capital

Despite its small scale, given view business will still require financial investments. For each entrepreneur, their amount will differ depending on the city in which the enterprise is opened, what area the premises will be chosen for the store, on the assortment, as well as on the selected types of advertising and promotion. For a general idea of the financial costs associated with starting your own spice business, we present the average figures.

To purchase the first batch of goods, an entrepreneur will need approximately 80 thousand rubles. Business registration, rent retail space, the purchase of the necessary commercial equipment will cost at least 100 thousand rubles. You should also take into account the costs of purchasing containers for storage and packaging, the production of signs, advertising materials, a website and other costs.

The total amount of start-up capital required to open a spice shop will be about 300 thousand rubles.

Monthly expenses

With the opening of the store, there are constant monthly expenses. Their amount will depend on the scale of the business and a number of other factors, such as the location of the outlet, the number of personnel, etc.

Monthly cost items will include:

rent retail space and utility bills - 25,000;
staff salary - 40,000;
advertising expenses - 10,000.

Total - 55,000 rubles.

How much can you earn?

One small spice store may well bring in 50 thousand rubles of monthly net profit.

Payback period

With stable sales, the business will pay off within 6 months.

Business features

The organization of a spice shop, for all its simplicity, has a number of features. You should study the rules for storing products in order to avoid damage to expensive goods. Not all packaging will be safe. When forming an assortment, one should take into account which spices can potentially find application and which will not be in demand. This will help to save money and not buy obviously slow-moving goods. And of course, the entrepreneur must understand his product himself. It may take some time to study the necessary information, but the results will not be long in coming.

Outcome

Selling spices is a fairly profitable and uncomplicated type of business. Such products are always in demand, the demand for them practically does not change during the year. Attachments required to open own store are relatively small, and the required knowledge is minimal and can be easily acquired.

At one time, spices and spices were considered such an expensive and rare luxury that they were used for payment or exchange. Of course, today their value is not so high. However, the spice business can be really profitable. Therefore, many novice businessmen are interested in questions about what documents are required to open a retail outlet, as well as what are the specifics of such sales.

Is the spice business profitable?

A few decades ago, the range of spices in the hostess's kitchen was reduced to salt and pepper. Today, in the countries of the post-Soviet space, the amount of knowledge about spices has increased significantly. They are used almost everywhere.

Indeed, in big and small cities, sushi bars and other establishments offering oriental cuisine are constantly opening. In addition, a variety of culinary programs and shows are broadcast on TV, revealing all the secrets of the famous chefs of Eastern, Mediterranean and European cuisine.

And if the inhabitants of some countries cannot imagine their daily table without spices, then in our country their popularity is just beginning to grow. This is why a spice business can be truly profitable. According to research, its profitability is 100%. You just need to have a small start-up capital and the right approach to creating and developing your own business.

What documents are required to open a store?

Of course, if you are going to open a spice and seasoning store, then you are primarily interested in the package of official documents.

First you need to register in tax office... You can register as individual entrepreneur or create a society with limited liability(this is beneficial if you are going to cooperate with large firms, open new points of sale, or if you are not the only owner of the store).

A sales license is not required in this case. On the other hand, to start trading, you will need permission from the sanitary and epidemiological station (checking the premises and storage conditions of products).

Where to rent a room?

Of course, the location of your business has great importance... Spices and condiments are what people usually buy with food. therefore the best option store location - this is a mall or supermarket where customers can drop by on the way.

In addition, you can rent premises near the same supermarkets or shopping centers... It will be beneficial to open a shop in the market or near a large grocery store.

Spice and condiment store: how to arrange?

If you have already rented a room, then you are probably interested in the question of how to arrange it. Do not forget that tasty food is usually associated with coziness, so do your best to create a calm, relaxing atmosphere for your customers. And since most people associate spicy smells with the East, a little of the appropriate flavor can be added to the design.

Create optimal lighting, decorate the walls with pictures of spices and plants, place several pots of plants in the room. You can arrange several stands, posting information on the most popular spices, grouping them by country, or describing the dishes in the preparation of which they are used.

Do not forget about the shelves and racks, which you will definitely need in order to display your goods. It's no secret that on eastern markets spices are sold in open trays. Of course, you can place several of these trays so that buyers can better see or smell future purchases. But these spices will quickly fade away.

The bulk of the goods should be stored in hermetically sealed glass jars or plastic containers - this increases the shelf life to almost two years. You can buy optional equipment e.g. for grinding peppercorns, etc.

In most cases, spices are sold in plastic bags of 5-10 grams - this is a standard serving. But you can also encourage customers to buy a smaller amount, especially if they have never used a condiment like this. This will help build a trusting and warm relationship with your customers. But do not forget that in this case you will need an ultra-precise scales.

Where to get the product and how to sell it?

In fact, in your city or area, most likely, there is a wholesale supplier of spices - buying from such companies is convenient, since they have excellent trade relations with the producing countries and have documents confirming the quality of goods. By the way, some spices can be grown on their own - this does not require a lot of space, even ordinary pots for ornamental plants will do. Of course, it will take much longer.

If you are interested in the question of how to open a spice and seasoning store, then you should know that the profit will depend primarily on how much customers will like your store. You and all operating personnel (if any) should be aware of own product everything: in which country it is grown, for the preparation of which dishes it is used, how to store it correctly, etc. And you should willingly share this information with clients.

By the way, if we are talking about dishes, then you can hire a person who will personally make various mixtures of spices. If a famous chef talks about some mysterious secret of cooking, then in most cases he means a unique combination of spices.

Try to provide a similar advantage to your customers. Create several versatile mixes for different types of meat, desserts, fish, salads, etc. You can also offer the service of creating a unique combination for an individual order.

The documentary filmmaker Elizaveta Fedoseyeva began mixing spices in the kitchen, and in 2016 she sold spices for 20 million rubles. Her new projects are the export of "amber honey" to China, and mustard to India.

Founder of the Sphere spice production company Elizaveta Fedoseeva

All her family works in the company of Elizaveta Fedoseeva "Sphere". Elizabeth's father plays the role of a technologist, a medical mother advises on the effects of spices on the body, and her husband is responsible for packaging design and product promotion. In the village of Staroye Poddubye in the Gatchinsky District of the Leningrad Region, Elizabeth created a full-cycle spice production - from growing herbs to packaging. A dozen local residents work on the spice plantation. Part of the raw materials Elizabeth buys directly from foreign suppliers, but, for example, mustard, on the contrary, she is going to export to India. Large-scale deliveries to China of products with the addition of amber extract are also being prepared.

Spice market

According to the latest data from the Step by Step marketing agency, the volume of the spice market in Russia in 2014 amounted to 159 billion rubles, during the year it grew by 1% in monetary terms. Today on domestic market there are about 150 manufacturers. Most of them deal only with the packaging of imported raw materials. According to Euroresearch & Consulting, Russia annually imports over 100 thousand tons of herbs and spices. The main suppliers are China, India and Uzbekistan. The market is not consolidated. According to Aidigo marketers, three companies are in the lead: the Russian Proxima with the Pripravych trademark, the American McCormick & Company (Kamis brand) and the Austrian Kotányi, each of them accounting for 10%. Aidigo estimates its share at 5%.

Production and distribution

Elizaveta Fedoseyeva is a director by education, in the mid-2000s she worked in a documentary film studio. At the same time, she was seriously fond of cooking. She loved to mix different spices to get new tastes: Elizabeth claims that this passion was inherited from her French ancestors who moved to Russia in ancient times. I prepared some of the seasonings myself: I collected herbs in the forests and bought them at the markets, dried them and grinded them. The guests liked the dishes; along with the recipes, they often took with them bags of spices mixed by Elizabeth.

Unexpectedly, word of mouth started to work, acquaintances of acquaintances - the owners of small St. Petersburg cafes and restaurants - began to turn for spices. “After a while, complete strangers began to call, asking for our spices in kilograms. And we realized that this could be a real business, ”recalls Fedoseyeva.

This is how the Sphere company appeared in 2006. The business model was simple: the entrepreneur bought spices from wholesalers, mixed them according to her recipe in her own kitchen, and resold them. Production volumes reached 50 kg per week and monthly brought about 120 thousand rubles. profit with a margin of 15-30%.

When orders from restaurateurs reached more than 500 kg per month, it became clear that it was necessary to expand. But finding suitable premises was not easy. As soon as the family rented the premises and made repairs, the property owners asked to move out without giving any reason. After three moves, Elizabeth decided that she needed to buy a room. The family supported the idea, in 2007 they sold for 14 million rubles. a four-room apartment in the center of St. Petersburg and moved to the village of Staraye Poddubye in the Gatchinsky district of the Leningrad region - 73 km from St. Petersburg. There was enough money to buy a house, 2 hectares of land and industrial premises a former mushroom farm with an area of 1000 sq. m.

The production premises required repair, there was no equipment either, so the family had to take consumer loans at 20-25% per annum. In total, it took about 5 million rubles to organize the production, which the family borrowed from banks. The next two years, the entrepreneur spent all the profits on paying off debts. Finding money was time consuming and distracting from production. According to Elizabeth, this was the most difficult time in the history of her company. “What do women dream about? About a fur coat, for example. And I kept dreaming about automated lines. It was such happiness, I was so happy about our first filling machine, ”recalls Fedoseyeva.

An entrepreneur usually develops a recipe for a new mixture in about three months. (Photo: Ekaterina Kuzmina / RBC)

The entrepreneur understood that you cannot create a large-scale business on cooperation only with restaurateurs, she was looking for opportunities to go retail. In 2008, the government of the Leningrad region arranged a meeting of local entrepreneurs with buyers of retail chains. According to Fedoseyeva, all manufacturers were given only one badge, without which they were not allowed to attend the meeting. Farmers cursed and lined up for the right to spend 5-10 minutes in a company with buyers. When the pass fell into the hands of Elizabeth, she literally ran into the hall, handed out all her business cards and product samples.

The entrepreneur's impulse was appreciated by representatives of the Spar retail chain. For almost half a year, they tested spices, agreed on an agreement on the production of spices under their trademark, and approved labels. As a result, Fedoseyeva's company began to produce eight seasonings for the retail chain: sea salt, salad dressings, chicken, etc.

Only after this contract, Elizabeth left her job.

Spicy farm

The production of spices is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. According to Fedoseyeva, it is impossible to quickly come up with a new mixture - some spices are hot, others are spicy, you need to understand the taste, and also take into account the time of harvest. An entrepreneur usually develops a recipe for a new mixture in about three months.

Sphere spices are based on Russian herbs. On 2 hectares of land, the company grows about 40% of the required raw materials. These are oregano, parsley, dill, cilantro, marjoram, basil and other plants. The herbs are harvested by hand, then dried and ground. The company buys the remaining raw materials from Russian manufacturers and foreign suppliers. Russian herbs are supplied by 25 farmers. About 30% of raw materials, for example different types pepper, purchased abroad. At first, Fedoseyeva cooperated with resellers, but when the demand for raw materials increased to containers of 20 tons, she agreed on direct deliveries from India, China and Vietnam. According to the entrepreneur, this helps to reduce costs and monitor the quality of raw materials.

But export is also possible - Indian partners, according to Fedoseeva, plan to buy mustard and coriander from her. She recently received an application for the supply of 20 tons of products per month. “At the last BRICS exhibition, which took place in India, its stand was incredibly popular,” says Maria Shcherbatkina, co-chair of the Opora Rossii committee for the development of women’s entrepreneurship. “This is very unusual and funny, because it would seem that India is the main supplier of spices for the whole world. But the Indians themselves consume spices that they do not grow, ”explains Fedoseyeva.

Elizabeth's new projects - export of "amber honey" to China, and mustard - to India (Photo: Ekaterina Kuzmina / RBC)

10-15 fellow villagers and residents of neighboring villages constantly work in the production. The harvest is harvested by hand, but some of the processes are automated: seven machines help to pack spices and apply labels. About 40 types of spice packs are produced, as well as fresh herbs for sale. Production volume - 10-25 thousand packs per month.

Brand recipe

The sale of spices in 2016 brought Fedoseeva 20 million rubles. revenue, net profit amounted to 6 million rubles. A third of the revenue comes from a contract with Spar, a third - retail sales and a third are restaurants. “Spar is good at guaranteeing bulk orders, but they also dictate their prices. It is 15-20% more profitable to produce under your own brand, ”says the entrepreneur.

The first spices were sold under the name Smaki. However, due to the consonance with the Smak brand (it was invented and registered by the singer Andrei Makarevich, who hosted a TV program with that name) trade mark registration failed. However, the first buyers were mainly restaurants, they practically did not pay attention to the brand.

In 2014, Fedoseeva decided to enter the b2c market. Because of the dollar jump retail chains became more attentive to the proposals of Russian manufacturers, import substitution began. Fedoseeva also changed the line: for example, she released "Peppers Lux", where one of the types of foreign pepper was replaced by domestic mustard. In appearance and taste, the mixture practically did not change, while the cost of the product decreased.

To understand marketing and branding, Elizaveta entered the business acceleration program from the government of the Leningrad Region: for six months, the entrepreneur attended lectures and master classes by invited experts. “Elizabeth is such a charming person that, looking at her, I want to go and open my own business. These are the people we need, ”recalls Olga Shakhova, head of department at the Leningrad Regional Center for Entrepreneurship Support.

In 2015 Fedoseeva registered a new trademark - Divia. The name and logo were invented together with her husband. “When a person in a supermarket comes to a shelf with spices, he doesn't understand what's what. Therefore, he grabs an understandable black pepper and leaves. We thought for a long time how to explain that spices have a gradation, that they can be varied, to create new interesting tastes, ”says Fedoseyeva. As a result, we came up with a new line of spices. Usually spices are sold either separately - rosemary, basil, parsley, etc., or for individual dishes - pilaf, meat, fish, etc. Fedoseyeva proposed her own "scale of taste" - a gradation of nine sets of spices with increasing pungency from "Tender" to "Spicy". Salt with Divia spices costs 120 rubles, peppers - 200 rubles. Prices are slightly higher than the market average.

The decision is controversial. A “scale of taste” can work on the Internet in a very narrow segment of Ayurvedic practitioners, where an idea is more often sold than a product. In retail, success is unlikely, since the line does not fit into the logic of the store shelf, "says Alexey Izmailov, Development Director wholesale supplier spices and herbs "Willow".

Indeed, now Divia is sold mainly in farm stores... “The products are very unusual - salt is combined with spices, and people are interested in it, sales are growing. I myself use it with pleasure. I think we will cooperate for a long time, ”says Lada Akulinina, head of the purchasing department of the Fruktovaya Lavka chain of five stores.

For restaurants Fedoseeva has developed the Divia Grand line. According to Ksenia Vasilevich, purchasing manager of one of the largest suppliers of East-West restaurants, Ksenia Vasilevich, premium establishments such as Pushkin, Turandot, Graf Orlov and others also buy Divia products.

Amber additive

Once Elizabeth remembered that she was filming a documentary about amber. Its extract contains succinic acid and trace elements that help the body cope with stress and stress. “Amber is mainly used in the treatment of thyroid disorders. It also has antiseptic properties, ”says Yulia Doronina, a specialist at the Amberhall amber factory.

Fedoseeva decided to try to release products with amber extract. It is difficult to consume it in its pure form due to its specific coniferous taste. Experience with spices suggested that the extract could be mixed with other products. As a result, she created amber water and cream honey with amber extract.

Products with amber have another advantage: the Chinese consider amber to be an "imperial stone" and attribute mystical properties to it. About 50 tons of amber worth about $ 100 million are officially imported to the PRC annually, the main supplier is Russia. And besides, more and more Chinese as tourists travel to our country, and in particular to St. Petersburg.

The entrepreneur took part in an exhibition in St. Petersburg at the Russian-Chinese center. The trial batch was literally swept off the shelves. “How surprised we were when the Chinese surrounded us from all sides, immediately ate all our honey, drank all the water,” recalls Fedoseyeva. “I knew about the interest in amber, but I didn’t expect it to be so trendy”.

After this incident, the specialists of the Russian Export Center invited the entrepreneur to take part in the first food exhibition of Russian products in China. At it, visitors demanded to sell even those exhibits that were not intended for sale, and buyers lined up. Now all the forces of the company are directed to the production of amber products.

Fedoseyeva believes that this will help Sphere to reach a new level of sales. She prepares documents for deliveries to China. Agreeing contracts and final prices will take another three months, and it is planned to ship the first 60 tons of amber products to Chinese wholesalers.

Ivan Sidorok, founder of the Mabius Culinary Startup Center, believes in the success of amber products: “There is only one criterion - a sufficient number of people need a product and they are willing to pay money.”

With the thought that in relation to his stomach, a person is by no means a master, according to most people. We love to pamper ourselves with delicious, healthy, and more recently, exotic food.

The craving for unusual foods has been driven by the resurgent fashion for spices.

Turmeric and cardamom, ginger and curry, asafoetida and fennel - these names are now not only "heard", but also as flavoring additives - in the kitchen of any gourmet. The simplest dish, skillfully seasoned with exquisite spices, turns into a culinary masterpiece and makes the salivary glands work hard.

In ancient times in Asia and the Middle East, extravagant spices were prized almost as much as gold and pearls. Now their price is "slightly less", but economists claim that the "spice" business is 100% profitable. The same experts estimated the market potential at $ 150 million. What is not a reason to open your own store selling spices and seasonings?

Spice shop: search and decoration of premises

Since spices with spices are an accompanying product, it is most reasonable to place their sale next to other products. The best place is a rented pavilion in a supermarket or supermarket. For a start, you can limit yourself to a corner of 12-15m² (especially if the budget is small). A moderate imagination will help to tastefully decorate a standard stand, make an attractive signboard with an intriguing name and an original logo.

Features of the assortment of the store of spices and seasonings

In order to make it convenient for the buyer to navigate in spicy products, divide the assortment range according to any thematic or functional characteristics. It is most logical to distribute by country: India, China, Italy, Brazil, Egypt, Syria ... There are a lot of countries involved in the cultivation and export of spices, and no one knows for sure the number of types of spices.

Small volumes (and you will start with them) are more profitable to purchase from domestic wholesalers. And do not forget to ask them for accompanying product certificates.

Spices can be sold by weight or packed in packages of 10, 15, 20, 50 grams. For accelerated PR, it is advisable to purchase ultra-precise scales and offer minimum portions from 1 gram. As a test, this will be enough for many. But if you like the product, the buyer will return to you for a larger portion.

Take care of colorful packaging with a clear name and clear instructions for use. To do this, order batches of stickers, labels, each of which will eventually cost no more than 50 kopecks.

Prepare spices and mixtures in advance and store (as well as spices) in an airtight glass container. Keeping open will dissipate the uniqueness of the aromas. There is a mixing of odors, dust ingress, moisture absorption, and the presentation is lost. And the administration of the tenant may not like such an "ensemble of incense", which may negatively affect further relations.

Work with the client

Building a clientele is a psychological procedure. You can lure a buyer with sincere service, showing customer care, attractive promotions, affordable prices. Since your product is predominantly expensive, the promotion is large, do not skimp on issuing discount cards for the most active and generous consumers. Buying products for 500 rubles or more, the client will be pleased to receive the right to a further long-term discount in the amount of, say, 3-5%. You will not become poorer from this, but you will "tie" the buyer to yourself. Moreover, he will bring friends and acquaintances with him.

A "control shot" to win the client's heart will be a small birthday present in the form of a favorite seasoning or a culinary collection (you will learn about the required date from the questionnaire filled in by the buyer when receiving a discount).

Do not forget to pamper ordinary customers with bonus programs, free tastings, and holiday discounts. All this, in the end, will result in their transition from the category of periodic clients to regular ones.

To expand the "special business", do not neglect advertising in the form of leaflets and booklets. Your own website helps a lot, besides contact information stuffed with a catalog of products with a description of seasonings and spices, recipes for their manufacture and use.