Starting the arepa business
This content is intended to share some ideas about the arepa business, considered a profitable business in 2018 that can serve as a reference for other similar businesses. The content is made up of very specific titles that present you with very structured and easy to understand information that will guide you quickly in this venture.
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Keywords: Business, sales, food, arepas, profitability.
The possibility of opening a business selling arepas, is one of the options that can be considered by entrepreneurs because the arepa is a traditional food in the diet of many communities and is part of their food culture, so it is in great demand. Likewise, the arepa business has always existed in several countries and at this moment it has grown because this food is very versatile since it can be combined with almost all other foods, using them as a complement in the filling. In addition, arepa is a product of great caloric value, nutritious, delicious and healthy.
So, if you are definitely attracted by this business idea, then stay until the end, where you can discover everything you need to undertake.
Steps for the business of selling arepas
The sale of stuffed arepas is among the best ideas of successful, creative and innovative business, being a product of great acceptance in the market, very good viability, product of massive consumption with techniques easy to adapt, requires little capital and appropriate for every occasion. Here are some steps to undertake this idea:
Determine the activity of the business
You must have clear ideas about the business you are going to undertake. So you must necessarily know that you will be selling arepas in a physical location, either starting in a space of the house or in the rent of a commercial premise. You must also take into account the digital tools, for the possibility of opening an online arepera that complements the sales in physical.
Establish the products of the store
One of the advantages of the arepa as a marketable product is that it is offered with a great variety of fillings that can be had in a menu or in a catalogue making diverse presentations with these fillings and the names that usually have come from the popular culture of the arepa. For example the arepa called “Reina Pepeada”: which is an arepa filled with avocado, cheese and chicken, seasoned with a white cheese sauce.
Identify your target audience
The arepa, is a food that almost everyone likes to eat almost all the time. People have been making the product more complex, adding seeds to the dough, such as sesame, vegetables such as chard, spinach, carrots, and beets, which give different colors and appeal to the presentation, as well as the flavor of the arepa. Therefore, if the business is located in a space with high circulation of people, the arepa becomes the best food to calm the appetite, before arriving at work and why not before arriving home, after work, after fun.
Analyze the market
It is very important to know how to choose the place where the sale of arepas will be placed, because although it is a product that almost everyone consumes, it is necessary to identify the areas where the product can be sold more easily, locating potential customers. Therefore, the places that are best recommended are those near schools, high schools, universities, areas where there are no other similar sales already placed, markets, the airport, shopping malls, near the subway or trolley, among others.
Conditioning the premises for operation
It is very important to arrange the space of the arepa sale in an attractive way, whether you open it in your home or in a rented place. That is why it must be a place where you can easily reach it and that is visible. One of the advantages of this business idea is that it does not necessarily have to be a very large space, you can condition it starting with some tables, shelves and a display case. However, later on, you can turn it into a bigger space, since if your priority is to reduce costs, it is better to start little by little, and improve it over time.
Equipment for selling arepas
Tables and showcases should be chosen that allow the product to be seen. Refrigerated showcases generally have glass that allows the customer to select the product. Food hygiene is absolutely necessary in this type of business, so the filling product must be in a display case that allows it to be seen, but closed and refrigerated to avoid contamination. The decoration must be striking but sober at the same time, avoiding the accumulation of useless equipment inside the premises, prioritizing the absolutely necessary for quality customer service.
Promote the arepa business
It is advisable to make use of the web, if possible to have an online store, because even if it is not the only channel used, it is convenient to complement the activity on a large scale, seeking to attract customers in other parts of the city, creating a website where the menu or a catalogue is published, in which your data is placed for orders, even with the possibility of converting the business into a virtual arepa sale. Similarly, for advertising it is advisable to have a visible and striking name, adapted to the culture of each region, which calls and attracts the attention of customers, as well as making flyers and brochures to distribute on the day of the opening, placing special discounts to the first customers.
Determine the Costs for the arepa business
For the opening of the sale of arepas, the costs of three elements must be considered: The cost of the direct material, which is the flour to make the arepas, as well as the salt and any other ingredient that allows diversifying the taste of the dough. The cost of the various fillings that will be offered for the arepa should also be included. Also, it is required to determine the cost of direct labor that is committed to the manufacture of the arepa, ie, wages of employees, machines, equipment or technology used to obtain the finished product, transport vehicle. Likewise, it is required to take into account the cost of indirect labor, which can be longer term, related to the salary of directors, office employees, utilities such as water, electricity, telephone, gas, depreciation of assets, freight costs, packaging, supplies, taxes and all those that are part of the costs of raw materials and direct labor.
Operation of a business of sale of arepas
This business idea proposes to start a project of selling arepas from a physical location, although of course, if it is not within the possibilities, it can be started from home with delivery service. They will be products that we will prepare ourselves and that we will put on sale in front of the wide objective public we have.
The sale of stuffed arepas is among the best ideas for successful business, being a product of great acceptance in the market, very good viability, mass consumption with techniques easy to adapt, requires little capital and is appropriate for every occasion.
What are the costs for my business?
To open an arepa sale, the costs of three elements must be considered: The cost of the direct material, which is the flour to make the arepas, as well as the salt and any other ingredient that allows diversifying the taste of the dough. The cost of the various fillings that will be offered for the arepa should also be included.
It also determines the value of direct labor, ie, wages of employees, machines, equipment or technology and transport vehicle. There is also indirect labor, related to public services such as water, electricity, telephone, gas, depreciation of assets, freight costs, packaging, supplies and taxes.
Key tips for selling arepas
It is advisable to make use of the web, if possible to have an online store, because even if it is not the only channel used, it is convenient to complement the activity by seeking to attract customers in other parts of the city, creating a website where the menu or a catalogue is published, in which your details are placed for orders.
Tables and showcases should be chosen that allow the product to be seen. Refrigerated showcases generally have glass that allows the customer to select the product. The decoration should be striking but sober at the same time, avoiding the accumulation of equipment without utility within the premises, prioritizing what is absolutely necessary for quality customer service.
Weak points: choosing a good quality supplier is one of the main objectives of a business like this, especially when a business is dedicated to the food sector. It is advisable to have a secure and fixed supplier to obtain the necessary inputs, so having this supplier is absolutely necessary for the opening of this business.
Innovating is complex, especially in the presence of so much competition, but if you don’t do it you may be condemned to oblivion. Dare to be creative in the diversification of the product. Offer arepas made with other types of mixtures, for example, cassava, bananas, as well as incorporating similar products in the business such as wraps, empanadas, among others.
Advantages :arepas are part of the food culture of several countries, making them one of the most important gastronomic symbols. You can offer a
great letter of arepas in your business, but it must exist the main one, by which your clients distinguish you and recommend you.
It is a business idea that adapts to the conditions and preferences of the entrepreneur, as it does not require a large investment capital, but can be started from home, so that we can test the viability of our business and practice with the specialty of arepas that we will offer.
Success stories
If you’ve ever wondered how far a business that specializes in a single product such as arepas, empanadas, burritos and so on can go, then you’ll need to take a look at food franchises to see how they perform and succeed in the marketplace.
Get inspired with these businesses that are positioned as leaders in the sector and set the goal of your arepa business.
The main ingredient is the perseverance and commitment you have with your business, because, as everything, it requires effort, dedication and patience while the space is consolidated and people identify with the place, so it should always be open, but especially during the hours when there is more movement of people.
Concentrate your attention on the business and the movement of the market to get to know how it moves and start building the best strategies.
Start today!
Problems that can appear in the arepa business
It is advisable to have a safe and fixed supplier to obtain the necessary inputs to make the arepa, so having this safe and reliable supplier is absolutely necessary for the opening of this business. Also, it is required to be creative in the diversification of the product. Dare to offer arepas made with other types of mixtures, for example, cassava, bananas, as well as incorporating similar products in the business such as wraps, pies, among others.
Final recommendation for a successful sand sale
Although the arepa is part of the food culture of several countries, which consume it daily, advertising and promotion is the key to allow the business to grow and advance every day. Therefore, it is recommended to distribute flyers, business cards, create a pleasant image and above all, to fall in love and attract customers at the beginning, earning their trust and to this extent, also gain recognition in the market.
In any business but particularly in the business of the arepa, the main ingredient is perseverance and commitment that you have with your business, like everything, it requires effort, dedication and patience while the space is strengthened and people identify with the place so it should always be open, but especially at times when there is greater movement of people.