Grocery stores are the small provision shops (mainly run by Igbo Traders) where you buy beverages and other provision items in your neighborhood. They are extremely useful. So useful that life could be miserable in a neighborhood where there is none. Do you know how to start a grocery provision store business in Nigeria?
How to start a grocery store in Nigeria is very simple and I am going to explain the process in this article but before then, let’s look at the benefit of grocery stores in most parts of Nigerian communities.
Imagine the typical life in the neighborhood
You enter into the bathroom to take your bath only to discover there is no soap, you wrap your towel round your waist, cross over the street and get a soap from the nearby grocery store – so convenient!
You are cooking a pot of soup, wanted to add Maggi (popular brand name for seasoning)but it happened you don’t have any. You dash into your room, pick N20 and sent a little girl to go buy Maggi in the nearby shop. Within two minutes, the girl is back with cubes of Maggi ready for your pot of vegetable soup.
These are some of the reasons grocery stores are the most important establishment in any neighborhood.
They make shopping so convenient in the neighborhood and make plenty of money at the same time. This business is so profitable that a good small grocery store makes average of N5,000 as pure profit everyday. Some items are sold with just N5 gain while some are sold with N500 gain, when you pile up everything at the end of the business day, you would be surprised at the amount of profit you make.
Provision items are the fastest selling in any Nigerian market. Like food stuff business, It a business that has no seasonal boundary, it sells all year round, money or no money, strike or no strike. That is why the business is considered very viable because whatever amount you make daily as profit may likely be constant all year round or even increase.
What You Need to Start a Grocery Provision Store in Nigeria
Rent a Shop
Rent a shop in good location. Any place people are living is a good location, especially is people are living there in a neighborhood setting. The size of shop you rent depends of the amount of money in your hands and how big you wants to start. Be choosy and shop and try to get decent one in a strategic location.
Shops are not too costly in the neighborhoods, N60,000 to N100,000 will get you a decent single shop. If you are going for double shop as some people prefers, you budget N120,000 to N200,000. Having paid for the shop, you furnish it to taste. Furnishing includes
Install Floor Tires
In most cases, the floor of the shop may not be tired, you need to fix tires for some reasons (1) To beautify the shop and add more glamor (2) To prevent ants and insects from digging holes from the ground and invading your shop. Insects can destroy most of your items such as sugar, biscuits, beverages, etc..
Install Store Shelf
There are different types of store shelf, some are made of woods other are make of aluminum, while some are made of iron. The wooden is the preferred and the most commonly used. And you have different types of wooden shelf as well, some are cleanly finish with polished materials while other are hurriedly done. Your choice matters in this regard.
Fix Tables
Probably one or two tables may be okay depending on the size of your shop. The most important is the cashier’s table, you may do additional one or two tables for product display.
Painting
You need to paint your shop with high quality paint. When a shop is well painted and floor tires fixed, it helps prevent ants, insects, and rat from invaliding your grocery store.
Installation of lights
You don’t need to be reminded how important light is in a business premises. It helps you quickly see where the goods are at night and quickly reach out for them. When a shop is well illuminated, it attracts more customers.
Air conditioner
Apart from your personal comfort and convenience, air conditioner helps preserve your goods and keep some unwanted intruders away. Customers are more at peace shopping in a grocery shop that is made conducive with AC. Therefore, try and install at least one.
Refrigerators
Refrigerator is a must in a grocery shop to keep your soft drinks and juices cool. These days, no one buys drinks and juices that are not cold. If you hope to sell drinks, juices, and pure water, you must get a refrigerator.
Stock your Shop with Goods
With all these in place, the next and final step is to proceed to the market and buy your goods. The wholesale prices are fixed in any place where the grocery items are sold in wholesale though some dealers sells some items slightly higher or lower, the prices are relatively the same.
You can get the provision wholesalers in most major markets in Nigeria. After you have established your shop, you will be getting supply from manufacturers of some goods who usually go from streets to streets supplying shops.
That’s all it takes to start this business.
+Darlinton Omeh on Google+ and comment below
Wat if u want to start a grocery shop but focus mainly on meat and sea food how do u go abt it?
It will no longer be grocery shop, what you are talking about is called "frozen foods" shop. Keep checking, there will be article on frozen food soon or search this site for related posts
I Have always been interested in the supermarket business but would like to focus mainly on cosmetics and baby items(more of non perishable items). Doing a feasibility study from outside the country has proven challenging. Where would you recommend as a highly populated and safe area in ikeja. My target market would be middle to low income individuals. My goal is to start as a small business and eventually grow. Please your advice will be appreciated. Many thanks and appreciation all the way from New York.
Places like Oregun, Maryland Mende area, Awolowo way, etc seems to be good for such business.
please i want to run grocery business in calabar but dont know the area to locate the business. please advice me because i want to start on a small scale and i dont have much knowledge about the business.
Where can one be buy d provision in wholesale price here in lagos
Idumota market in Lagos Island is the main place to buy anything in wholesales.
Tank u so much for d biz idea,pls I want to start a drink biz and add food stuffs like rice,vegetable oil etc.pls can u throw more light to it,am abit confused.
hello..thanks so much for this info,this as been my dream but the fear of starting something in Nigeria scares me but am at this point,I want to go after it. Am thinking of starting with 2million. I want to know If is a good start in ikorodu. Please Lets talk,am outside naija for now,I need your number.
Pls i want to run d biz at paulosa suleja,Niger state but dont know where location to set d biznex
i have this plan too , but my major problem is shop rent around Amuwo n festac area of lagos.
Please,I want to start a supermarket biz,precisely in bayelsa state,but I dnt knw how much to budget for the business, do you think 2million can do it?
Pls what is the minimum amount one should budget for setting up a reasonable provision store in Lagos?
I really have a very strong passion for wine and liquor business and I need proper advice on that. Thank you
Call me I can supply really good wines at cheap price +1
Tanks for the information
Pls I want to start this in Lagos but I do not know a good location to start with plus am scared if I will make sales as everybody is into it
To start a wholesale Provision and spice store,pls advice needed on where and how to locate merchants for supplies.your advice will be highly appreciated.
Plz I want to start dis buisness in abuja,where is d best place?
Hello, thank you for the information. I hope to start a supermarket pretty soon but I need a comprehensive list of daily household items, spices and some baby food that can be sold in a standard supermarket. Thanks for your assistance.
Thanks this has been helpful
I need a standards supermarket shelves pls do know anybody or company that sell and install in lagos Nigeria
Any ideas on a combined cosmetic and grocery supper market in Bayelsa?
I Have always been interested in the supermarket business but would like to focus mainly on cosmetics and Provisions(more of non perishable items). Where would you recommend as a highly populated and safe area in Port-Harcourt. My target market would be middle to low income individuals. My goal is to start as a small business and eventually grow.And also where to buy wholesale price in port-harcourt. Please your advice will be appreciated. Many thanks
hello,
i am planning to open a grocery store mainly for provisions and food items, please do you have an idea the perfect location in surulere where i can look for shop. Also do you have an idea the estimated cost to start up in a small scale. i really need feasibility study on this so that i wont make a mistake.
You need to go out and actually conduct a feasibility study on the business with the location of your choice in mind. What we do here is to give ideas, then we expect you to pick from there and go out for findings. Thank you!
Where can i buy sea food and food stuff at a cheap price here in lagos
Hello
I am planning on setting up a wholesale provision store in Ibadan, but I am finding it difficult to get sources for the product.I will really appreciate it if I can get contacts. Thanks.
please i need list of items needed to set up a grocery store. thanks
Hi..thanks for all the ideas….am planning to start a provision store in Ibadan. …but am really looking out for locations and contacts for good supplies and good location in Ibadan. Thanks
you said that u sell good wine in wholesales price right! where is ur location and are u on WhatsApp?
Is provisions in wholesales not cheap at agege
For those who are intrested in starting provision business and need more guide,you can contact me through this number if you are serious and ready to start.i have been into the business for more than 12 years,i research on good shop locations,writing of list,buying from wholesalers and above i can manage it for you if you like and willing to co-operate with me.
Kindly post your number so that i can contact you
Pls can I use 200k to start up a provision business?? And how can I go about it?? Pls I need a feed back!
Your contact details are missing. please provide it
I am indian from india come to there Nigeria for a small business purpose, please give me advice for which types of business i start there for comfortable me….thanking in advance
I want mint leaf pls where can I get it
Where can I get mint leaf in Nigeria
please I need a list of provisions shop?
Can 100k start provision and foodstuff business ?
after shop issue has been settled
Helo pls I want to start a wholesale provision pls wat do u fink will b my budget need ur feed bk tnx
Plss I wanna go into food store biz, how do I get a whole sale rice n garri at a cool price
please want to deal in provision as wholesaler in Ghana
please how do i start because i want to be buying from Nigeria to Ghana
please i hope to hear from you soon
This business has been in my mind ,i already have a standard shop i want to use for whole sale but don’t have idea on how and were to get goods at almost company price and also how much to budget.pls i need your help sir.
Am in warri precisely .Thank
my own question is, I have a shop already but my problem is I want to ask if 100k would be enough to buy the provisions as a starter and I heard that things are more cheaper in mushin than idumota
Beautiful one. I’m already on the business. Can you supply me cheap original beverages and provision.