How to Sell Microgreens: Growing microgreens at home is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby. Consider turning that enjoyable hobby into a profitable venture by selling microgreens. Before starting your business and listing your microgreens for sale, you must consider the total cost from seed purchase to harvesting the food.
Once you understand this, you will be able to create a competitive microgreens price list while still making a nice profit. This article will explain how to profitably sell microgreens from your business.
You can maintain them for as little as one hour per day and reap the benefits at the end of the week. For many, having a small indoor microgreens farm that uses vertical farming is a viable business model. You’ll get to spend time with family while also earning some extra money.
Read: Where to Sell Microgreens?
Having said that, if you want to start a microgreens business, you will need to invest, you’ll need to invest some time and money upfront to buy seeds, tools, and possibly infrastructure. Growing microgreens, thankfully, does not break the bank.
It can range from a McDonald’s meal to a few thousand dollars, depending on your scale.
This starter microgreens kit appeals to me because it includes everything you need to get started without having to order each item separately.
If you want a more elaborate microgreen setup, you can get your seeds and equipment here.
How Much Do Microgreens Sell for?
When doing your research, you will discover that the price of microgreens is charged in ounces and can range from around $2.00 per ounce upwards, depending on the quality and variety of microgreens available.
Microgreens can be sold to restaurants, grocery stores, farmers markets, and possibly retail food establishments. Organic microgreens, like fresh microgreens, will command a premium.
Pricing Microgreens
To reasonably price microgreens, first investigate current pricing in your area, including farmer’s markets, online stores, and grocery stores. Because prices vary by location, you must choose the type of microgreens to use that have a high local market value and demand.
Next, consider the available space for your indoor urban farm and how many trays can be fit into it to maximize production speed. Then, subtract the cost of producing each tray of microgreens from the total. See the list below.
Determine the turnaround time for each microgreens variety.
After you’ve completed your calculations and market research, you must price your microgreens based on local demand.
The cost breakdown is shown below.
How much does it cost to Grow One Tray of Microgreens?
A 1020 tray of microgreens costs approximately $3-5 to produce. It accounts for both fixed and variable costs, such as soil, water, seed, tray, electricity, and packaging.
When considering how to sell microgreens, these are the essential costs for running the entire business.
Microgreens Growing Tray & Clamshell Container
For each 1020 growing tray, such as this one, you may pay $2-4. When you buy in bulk, it is less expensive (ten pack here). Please keep in mind that some trays do not have drain holes. Each clamshell container for packaging should cost no more than $0.2.
Microgreens Seed
You might be surprised to learn that different microgreen seeds germinate at different rates. Also, thank you for the high-quality seed from your suppliers. As a result, you should probably invest in high-quality seeds, such as those available at True Leaf Market. Their seeds are more consistent and of higher quality.
Furthermore, different types of microgreens seeds may be priced very differently. For example, parsley seeds cost $15 per pound, but basil seeds cost $45 and marigold seeds cost $350.
As a result, you must consult your local market, perform some calculations, and conduct preliminary research.
Soil/media
Making your own potting soil is the best way to save money, as we discussed earlier for the best soil for microgreens, where I outlined all the important factors for good soil. Furthermore, soil can be reused numerous times.
Growing pads, on the other hand, are expensive and unsustainable, and I do not recommend them.
The ideal price for potting mix is $1 per tray. The price may vary depending on your selection. Coconut coir, for example, is more expensive than peat moss.
Electricity and water
Water and electricity are both variable expenses. Electricity is required for common indoor vertical farming equipment such as the lighting system, pump, fans, dehumidifier, and more. It costs an additional $1.5 per tray.
Other costs to consider
Aside from the basic cost mentioned above, there are additional expenses to consider, such as labor, hardware, insurance, shipping, taxes, consumables, and so on. We will not go into detail about these variable costs because they are unique to each seller. Remember that small fees can quickly add up.
Selling Price of One Tray of Microgreens
Microgreens typically sell for $25 to $40 per pound.
The average yield for each 1020 tray is between 8 and 12 oz per harvest (7-14 days)
That means you can make at least $12.5 – 18.8 per tray of microgreens. After deducting the cost of producing this tray, which in my case is $3-5, you will have a gross profit of $8.5 – 14.8 per tray.
That’s a pretty good profit margin for such a quick turnaround.
How Many Microgreens Seeds per 1020 Tray?
So, what is the lowest seed density that will yield the best results? The seeding rate is heavily influenced by the volume and weight of the seeds.
In general, you should sprinkle more seeds for larger seeds and less for smaller seeds.
Because larger seeds take up more space, we will need to add more seeds to compensate for the unused soil. In contrast, if too many small seeds are added, they quickly become overcrowded, which is one of the seven reasons why microgreens fall over.
There are no hard and fast rules for seed density; everything is based on experience.
Alternatively, see this article for the list of microgreens and their seeding rates.
Microgreens Yield per Tray
The yield per tray of microgreens is determined by the variety (and thickness) planted.
Microgreens like basil, cilantro, cabbage, amaranth, and broccoli are typically 8-12 oz per tray. The seed density per flat is 0.5-2 oz.
Microgreens like radish, sunflower, and pea typically produce 1-2 lb of yield per tray. It all comes down to how you grow them and the quality of the seeds. The seed density per flat should be 2-6 oz.
The Best Microgreens to Sell
Everything comes down to this: which microgreen is the easiest to grow and the most profitable to sell? It all depends.
In my case, I noticed a high demand for radish microgreens, which are supplied by only a few farmers at a relatively high price, so it’s probably a good direction to go.
Some microgreen growers concentrate on high-yielding, fast-growing baby greens, such as sunflower microgreens, which take about a week to mature. As a result, it is dependent on your business strategy.
Here are some criteria to think about:
- Time to grow – The amount of time it takes to grow microgreens from start to finish. Some microgreens can be harvested in as little as 5 days, while others can take up to 25 days—the shorter the time, the better.
- Market Demand – Conduct thorough research on buyer intent, the most recent trend, market volume, and other factors. Sunflower microgreens, for example, may be in high demand.
- Competitors – Determine who your competitors are. Product quality, service, and pricing are the three most important factors in staying ahead of the competition for microgreen growers.
- Profit margin – The reasonable earnings required to sustain your microgreen business plan.
So, what is your microgreens business plan? Do you think this will help you figure out how to sell microgreens? Please leave a comment below.
