How to Start Local Foodstuff Supply Business (2023)

Foodstuff is in high demand now, as consumers struggle to find ways of spending less and getting more foodstuffs. Starting foodstuff supply business can be a lucrative way to earn highly needed daily income in a recession.

Foodstuff supply doesn’t require high capital to Start. It’s also very easy to build strong customer base, especially from close friends, relatives, colleagues at work and online fiends.

You can also make your foodstuff supply business irresistible by offering only hard to find foodstuffs that consumers crave for but hardly find where they live. If you are already a farming some food items, you can also use this model to start selling it directly to consumers in bulk purchase model.

How Foodstuff Supply Business Model Work

For most people, they buy foodstuff in small quantity where ever they want to make a pot of soup or prepare their usual family dishes. But the prevailing economic situation demands otherwise. Consumers want to buy on bulk to save high cost of buying small quantities.

So, some vendors started forming WhatsApp groups and promoting their foodstuff supply business to sell to customers in group buy model. Some group buy would take customers money in advantage to purchase the foodstuff, which it shared according to each customers contribution.

While another model that’s gaining online popularity is the direct bulk sale model to consumers when they want it. While the group buy is good, some customers may not need foodstuff or have money to buy when it’s being advertised.

All that is solved when seller offers foodstuff to customers when ever they can afford to buy – just like they do when they go to the market but in bulk and at a reduced cost.

Tips to Start Foodstuff Supply Business

Starting this Foodstuff supply business be the simplest startup you maybe venturing into. Although, I will still advise that you write down a simple business plan to help guide your ideas.

Furthermore, you will be needing capital. If you are opting for group buy foodstuff supply business model, you may not need any startup capital. But you will need a lot of goodwill from customers who already know and trust you.

See a list of things you should plan for:

Startup capital to help you procure Foodstuff in large quantity
Decide the kind of foodstuff to supply
Create a WhatsApp group or Facebook profile page
Get images of foodstuffs you will be selling
Define your target market realistically
Make logistics arrangement for home deliveries

Note: your Foodstuff supply business will be as good as your customer group.

List of Foodstuffs to Start Selling

I recommend that you pick your foodstuffs carefully. Don’t try to sell every foodstuff out there. Pick what your target market would buy regularly. Another way to pick your foodstuffs is to pick what you can offer at a better discount than market price.

Here are lists of just few of the foodstuffs to give you an idea of what to start supplying:

Palm oil
Garri
Dried fish
Tomatoes
Frozen fish
Fresh fish
Stockfish
Pepper
Onions
Crayfish
Life or frozen chicken
Yam
Coco yam
Beans

Note: this list is endless. There are so many local foodstuffs one can sell. In fact, the best sellers are not those common foodstuffs but the hard to find ones.

Target Customers for Your Foodstuff Supply Business

You don’t go far to find your customers, but you have to know who to sell to and target those customers. In a group buy, it’s easier to group those you know have average to high monthly income.

These people already buy foodstuffs every time. Your work is to give them discounted bulk offers and they will buy from you. If you do it well, they will start planning with you.

However, to avoid price challenges, you must be honest with your prices. Remember that these customers also go to the market. They will compare your prices and what they are getting. Only sell foodstuffs you are sure you can get better deals than market prices.

How to Promote Your Foodstuff Supply Business

In order to make your Foodstuff supply business work, marketing it regularly is important. While it’s good to promote your Foodstuff supply business, you have to utilize free marketing opportunities. Using paid advertising can equally impact on the cost of your foodstuff.

You have to realize that the first group of customers to patronize you are your close friends and office colleagues. Here are two best ways to promote your foodstuff supply business:

Promote using WhatsApp status
And with Facebook stories

Any other free promotional option is equally good. But these two are most common for the business and works best as well.

Conclusion

You cannot ignore certain truths about Foodstuff supply business model. It’s mostly based on trust. You have to build trust with your customers. And one of the ways to do that is using interactive platforms like Facebook profile page and WhatsApp groups.

Moreover, quality and good measurement is another way to enhance that trust. If your customers observe they are getting better deals from you, they will not only repeatedly buy from you, they will also refer their friends to you.

A farmer can start selling its farm produce using the same foodstuff supply model. Another big way to start earning money from foodstuff business is to Start an online foodstuff store. You will need eCommerce experience to make this work.