The aroma of food drives anyone to the source from where it emanates. The food business is considered to be one of the most profitable industries irrespective of the wastage that occurs, the labour problems and more. You don’t have to have a fancy cash reserve to set up this type of business. The world has embraced fast food as well as healthy food, and you can provide a fine blend of both or cash in on either of the two. The location makes a big difference to the business. Setting up shop in a commercial neighbourhood, no matter how small the size, is sure to assure you more than a regular inflow of income. Most office goers like to sip a cup of tea every 2-3 hours, grab a small bite and then return to their work station. This has become the norm in most offices. Setting up a small cafeteria on the premises of an academic institution like a college or university is another interesting and economically feasible idea. The regular formalities of licenses and permissions will have to be fulfilled, but these can be started with little capital. If you have the resources or are willing to take a loan, a small restaurant can also help you earn a lot of income. The assortment of snacks is endless, from crisps to the Indian burger (vada-pav). Many enterprising women have also taken to set up small-sized premises to sell homemade food, which is much favoured by several individuals.
Did you know? Yewle Tea House, founded by Navnath Yewle, has an approximate turnover of ₹12 lakhs every month?
Food Business Ideas in India (From Low-Cost To Big-Budget)
In a country of 140 crores and with people having diverse taste buds, the food industry is considered to be one of the most profitable businesses in India. You can find exclusive ‘food lanes’ with various cuisine and snacks sold on both sides of the lane in many cities. These are in close proximity to commercial neighbourhoods. From breakfast to lunch and evening snacks, you can also find some units concentrating on the sale of a variety of fruits and fruit juices. Some are focused only on tea, coffee and other beverages. Despite many stalls having similar menu cards, each unit takes home its share of earnings every single day. This proves the cash-generating nature of the food business. This is common not only in India but across the world. Let us explore some of the most interesting and profitable business ideas in India. The permissions are almost uniform for all types of food businesses. The most important of these is registration with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), a No-objection certificate from the fire department, a vehicle license from the RTO, and a trading license from the municipal authorities. Other licenses include a pollution clearance certificate from the Board of pollution control in that state.
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List of Food Business Ideas in India
Tea-house
Tea is a favourite beverage of almost every Indian. Depending on the neighbourhood you live in, you can start a little ‘tea-house’ service by providing different varieties of tea in the mornings (for office goers) and in the evenings as well. A little research to understand the preferences will prepare you well to cater to the diverse needs of the residents. You can be innovative and start your own menu. This could include cardamom, milk, lemon, masala, green, and even the Arabic variety of tea which has a lot of spices. This is one of the most lucrative food business ideas because you can complement it with a few cookies which can be baked by you if baking is another speciality of yours. The only investment would be quality ingredients, glasses/clay mugs and a delivery support staff. The approximate cost can vary between ₹50 thousand and ₹1.5 lakhs.
Cookery Classes
Cooking and delivering is a demanding and responsible business. However, when you have the skills, you should make the most of them. Teaching various kinds of cuisine is equally challenging. You can start cooking classes online as well as offline. If you choose to do it offline, you can organise courses during the week and special weekend classes for working professionals. This requires a negligible investment as students prefer to bring their own ingredients so that they can take the delicacy home. Your only investment would be in cooking gas, utensils, and perhaps oil, at times. You can organise online classes on weekends, in the mornings when people prefer a homemade breakfast. Your teaching menu can include breakfast snacks, lunch, evening snacks, and delicious dinners. The investment could range from ₹1-2 lakhs.
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Rice Bowls
Surprisingly several individuals love to binge on different varieties of rice, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian. The options are innumerable. If you are adept at rice cuisine, this makes for one of the most rewarding small food business ideas. Some of the preferred choices include vegetarian pulao, fruit pulao, jeera rice, mutton and chicken biryani, Hyderabad masala biryani, sweet rice, coconut rice, and dal rice – the options are endless, and the investments are minimal. A few utensils and perhaps a pair of helping hands should help you meet your orders with panache. The investments can be as low as ₹2-3 lakhs only. You need to be adept at cooking the different varieties to satiate their taste buds.
Home-made Chocolates
Nothing beats a mouthful of homemade chocolates, right? Chocolates are a perennial favourite with everyone across age groups. This is a sure-shot profit-making business which you can start from home. You can offer a variety of chocolates like milk-based, fruit and nut variety, coconut-based as well as caramel-filled variety. You can buy various moulds and create different types of shapes and sizes. This is one business which has a year-long demand. You can organise chocolate hampers and even chocolate cakes! You can slowly expand your business by targeting commercial offices and other business enterprises. The initial investments in this will include a few ovens, a good large-sized refrigerator and utensils. The investment should not exceed more than ₹3-4 lakhs.
Bakery Products
If you have a natural knack for baking or have completed a course in it, you can start a business catering only to cakes. This can include cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, graduation days, festivals, as well as weddings. The investment would be minimal and would involve only a few ovens and a delivery person packaging materials. You can also create theme-based cakes. Once people start relishing your quality cakes, the orders start pouring in. The overall investment in this would not exceed more than 2-3 lakhs. This makes for one of the best food business ideas as it is niche and requires very little investment, and could vary between ₹3-5 lakhs.
Home-made Meals
The demand for this has seen a massive increase in recent times as people have become wary of street food. This is considered to be one of the most low-cost investment businesses. Your basic requirements would include premises, utensils, tiffin boxes, and staff. You can start this from within your home if you have the space or rent our premises. This can involve an investment of about ₹5-6 lakhs. A little research to understand the neighbourhood will give you an insight into the probable number of meals you could sell in a month.
Fruit Juice Unit
Several working professionals prefer a glass of fruit juice for a healthy breakfast than have fried eggs and toast. You can start a mobile fruit juice truck business. You can park outside a university or college campus or even in the precincts of a commercial area. Your key investments would be in the vehicle, 1-2 helpers and a few fruit processors. Fruit juices like carrot and beet serve well as breakfast juices. Once the offices start functioning, you can move your truck closer to a college or university campus where you can cater to the constant stream of students throughout the day. A little research on the timings and the preferences will help prepare a menu accordingly. Once people are assured of the healthy and hygienic aspects, there is no looking back. The total investment amounts to about ₹5-9 lakhs.
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Conclusion:
Cooking is an art. To some, it comes naturally, while others master the skills by attending a catering course. The two most important aspects of cooking are the hygiene of the ingredients as well as the cooking process and the taste. There are numerous food business ideas in India, and you can always explore the possibilities of starting something on a small scale to test the waters. This article details some of the most cost-effective and rewarding food business ideas you can probably experiment with.
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