Microgreens are currently a popular trend. People adore them because they are both healthy and delicious. They go well with sandwiches, salads, and tacos. They can be grown at any time of year, and you can start a microgreen farm in your backyard to sell to local restaurants or specialty grocery stores. If you want to know where to sell microgreens, you’ve come to the right place because we’ll go over all of the options for your microgreens business.
Once you’ve identified your target market, this article will focus on where to sell microgreens – making that first sale!
While taking the first step can be intimidating, vertical farming microgreen indoors for business is very doable. This newly emerging market has grown in popularity in recent years, spawning an entirely new category of healthy food.
As previously stated, the microgreens nutritional value is enormous!
Every penny counts when it comes to running a successful and profitable microgreens farm business. So, if you’re not sure about the margin and profit issues, I’ve done the math for you.
When pricing microgreens, at least a 100% markup is required (excluding tax and shipping).
Microgreens do not keep well in the fridge and should be used as soon as possible. Microgreens lose their vitality and nutrients very quickly under normal conditions, and most chefs are well aware of this. As a result, selling your fresh microgreens at the local market is a good idea.
Where to Sell Microgreens – Know your Customers
Before you start a business, you should figure out who your potential customers and competitors are. Order some microgreens samples from your competitor’s best-selling microgreens to ensure that yours are comparable in terms of pricing and quality.
Selling Microgreens to Restaurant
Your local restaurant should be the first place you sell microgreens. This is the most straightforward way to make your first sale and potentially gain long-term customers. Only the chef will know whether your microgreens are worth it, so meet with the restaurant chef first, rather than the manager. Contact as many restaurants as possible.
Make extra bags/boxes of microgreens for the chef when you go to the restaurant. They may not want to just taste them and decide right away, but will need to consider the price, storage condition, and quality as well. Offer them your best product, which in my case was sunflower microgreens.
Remember to be generous with the samples.
Under-promise and over-deliver is always preferable. Long-term relationships are critical to the success of the business.
Chefs are busy people who may not have time to give you a chance to sell them. So, be wise and select the appropriate day and time.
Rather than how you raised them, they are usually more interested in questions such as:
- How much money can you give me every day?
- What is the cost? Is the delivery fee included?
- Are they organic and freshly picked?
- How soon can I expect to receive them?
If they are already using microgreens from another supplier, solicit their feedback and suggestions. Try looking for more information. If there are more complaints than compliments, you’re in a good position to make a sale.
You can build trust by showing them photos of your indoor farm if necessary.
Aside from the restaurant, you might also want to consider:
Selling Microgreens to Farmers Market
A farmers market is a place where the grower can interact directly with your customer. By providing a variety of microgreens, you will be able to determine which greens are in high demand in your area. This is an excellent opportunity for small growers to enter the market.
Selling Microgreens to Distributors
Distributors may have connections to retail food establishments where your fresh microgreens could be sold.
Selling Microgreens to Groceries Stores
Examine your neighborhood’s grocery stores. Is it possible to buy baby greens there? Offering salad greens has the best chance of success in my opinion. Offering organic microgreens could be another option.
Selling Microgreens to Catering service
Catering companies, for example, can be an excellent source of specific products such as broccoli microgreens. Contact as many catering companies as possible and see if you can provide variety on a regular basis.
Selling Microgreens Online
Increase your customer base by becoming your own online urban farmer market manager. Selling microgreen products online gives your microgreen business a lot of exposure to people you would not normally reach.
Where Can I Sell My Microgreens: Understand your Customers
You must establish a good rapport with your customers in order to build strong relationships.
After each microgreens delivery, solicit their feedback, expectations, and suggestions for improvement.
Remember that customers rarely bother to give you feedback or to “improve you,” so you must find the smallest clue and customize where necessary to meet their needs.
Remember to follow up with customers after they’ve evaluated your microgreens. Take note of any comments, as different customers will have varying perspectives on your product.
Be a keen observer to pick out the details in a casual conversation.
For example, you can make a note of each restaurant chef’s special requests to make things easier for them and to let them know that you always stand behind the quality of your products. The more they believe in you, the more likely it is that they will refer friends to your service.
Last but not least,
Microgreens are a fast-growing crop that can be harvested in 7-14 days.
More importantly, are there any needs in your community?
There are numerous factors that influence profitability. So, do your homework ahead of time. Check out this article where I go over over microgreens list of 80 different types in detail.
Small-scale growers may not even require a business license. For more information, contact your local licensing department.
