SELLING RAW PEANUTS
This hobby business would suit someone who’s already not working a full week.
If you’re ever worked in an office or factory, you will be familiar with Honesty Snacks – the mini stand of low value chocolates with an adjacent honesty box for your money.
And even more profitable hobby business (so I’m told) is to package up raw peanuts and sell – as snack foods - in factories.
SNACKFOOD
Whilst roasted and salted peanuts are the most popular as snackfood, unsalted is growing in popularity.
Peanuts are a great, healthy snack on the run - nature's "health food in a nutshell".
And the great advantage of green peanuts they are sold in their raw state. So this eliminates the process of roasting or salting.
STARTUP COSTS
Every business – even a hobby business – incurs some start-up costs.
For this venture you will need to purchase peanuts, a quantity of clear polyester bags, and point-of-purchase merchandisers to hold your stock.
But you won’t have to buy a set of scales. You will be able to use your kitchen scales to weigh the measures.
And you will probably need to be approved by your local food licensing bureau.
All up – we suggest that you allow $1000.
OPERATIONS
You don’t need much equipment to get started, and raw peanuts are easy to source.
You’ll need to pack 60 grams into clear cellophane bags and arrange a fixed schedule to refill your display (and collect your money).
PRICING
Pricing might be tricky – but try to sell at four times the cost of the ingredients. The rationale is one quarter for the raw materials, one quarter for wastage, one quarter for overheads, and one quarter for profit.
If customers baulk at your price, just say “unless I make a profit, I can’t provide the service”.
Most of your customers won’t have anything to compare your prices against. So provided your price appears reasonable, and is priced in easy coin denominations e.g. $2.50 so that no change is required.
MARKETING
You will need to approach the factory manager and get his consent to place your peanut stand.
An essential part of your marketing pitch will be to assure the factory manager that if things go wrong – and something will definitely happen – that he carries no responsibility. And if he tells you to take your displays and go, just go gracefully. There are always other opportunities in the next street.
Labels: hobbies, home based business, micro business, profitable hobby, retirement, work from home |
