How to Start a Fruit Juice Blending Business in Kenya

Kenyan entrepreneurs have a lot of opportunities when it comes to starting businesses. If you’re looking for a business idea that’s growing in popularity, consider starting a fruit juice blending business. At the moment, most Kenyans prefer blended juice as they are considered healthy. Today, you’ll learn how to start a fruit juice blending business in Kenya.

To start a fruit juice blending business in Kenya, you need a regular supply of fruits, an ideal location with considerable traffic, and government licenses. These are the main considerations you need for the success of your business.

In this post, we’ll discuss the basics of starting up your own fruit juice blending business in Kenya, from registering with the government to choosing the right location and suppliers. Let’s get started!

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Start a Fruit Juice Blending Business In Kenya

 Here are simple tips to follow on how to start a fruit juice blending business in Kenya. 

Intensively Research the  Market

Carry out extensive market research to identify a suitable place for your fruit juice business. The study will help you gather information if people in that place, like fruits.

It will also help you know the most liked types of fruit by people around and where to source the fruits. 

The following are the key factors you should consider when researching the market for your fruit juice blending business:

  • Demand: You must consider whether the people around are in need of blended fruit juice. The best way to understand this is by looking at the number of people selling blended juice in the area. If there are few people selling it, then there is a good demand.
  • Pricing: Consider how much customer pay for a cup of blended juice in the area. You must then try to figure out whether you’ll make a profit by selling your juice at that amount. If not, the location is not worth it.
  • Location: Consider where your potential customers live and whether they can access your business easily. If you’re targeting residential customers, make sure you’re as close as possible to their apartments.
  • Market size: Consider the number of people in the area. The more people in an area, the better for your business. Crowded places like Nairobi’s Pipeline area are a plus for such a business.

Also Read: How to Start a Bakery Business in Kenya: 6 Easy Steps

Create Juice Recipes 

Come up with recipes for your fruit juice business, including flavors that are not common. A diverse menu will encourage customers to regularly visit your business. For instance, pineapple and orange juice are common flavors but strawberry-carrot and watermelon-acai are not as common.   

Write Fruit Juice Business Plan

Before starting your fruit juice business you need to plan it well. A business plan helps put ideas on paper before implementing them. A good fruit juice business plan should include the following.

  • Business location
  • Startup capital 
  • Target market
  • Type of fruit juices to sell
  • Profit projection 

Identify an Ideal Location for Your Business

Every business person wishes to sell all their goods at once or sell all that day. To sell your fruit juice in high quantity, there are places you must target. Places like near institutions where there is a high population.

Students may like fruit juice since not all institutions provide fruits to learners. A bus stop is also another ideal place as it’s always crowded with passengers. Thus, the best place for this type of business is a busy street with a huge population.

You can operate the business from a cart or get a small stall along the road where customers will stop and buy a cup of fruit blended juice. Also, you may set up a stall near supermarkets, restaurants, or residential areas.

Sales are normally high in the evening hours when people are going home from work, hence you can research busy places that are suitable for setting up this fruit juice business.   

Find Out: 11 Easy Businesses to Start in Rural Areas in Kenya

Purchase the Necessary Equipment

For starting, it’s not a must to have all the required equipment. You can start with the essential ones like the blender and cutlery and the others you can buy as the business grows.

But if you’re starting and you’ve enough startup capital, the equipment you should buy are;

Fruits 

Being a fruit vending business, you must have fruits. You can easily get fruits in wholesale from leading markets. A good example is the wholesale market in Nakuru which operates daily and carries a wide selection of fruits. 

Alternatively, if you’ve fruit farmers nearby, buy from them as they’ll be fresh and more affordable.  You should budget for types of fruits that are in demand in your suggested business area.

Visit other fruit vendors around and check the kind of fruits they stock most often. Some of the most popular fruits are watermelon, pineapple, pawpaw, apples, mangoes, oranges, and bananas, depending on the season.

Display Shelves 

To make your fruit juices look attractive to customers, you need to display them on something conspicuous and neat. Depending on the space availability and location, display shelves may be necessary.

You can acquire a metal display from a local Juakali artisan or get a carpenter to make one for you. You’ll have to negotiate the cost but the price may range from Ksh. 3,000 to Ksh. 5,000.

Juice Blender

A juice blender’s price ranges between Ksh. 1,500 and Ksh. 8,000 depending on the model and features. You can get a blender from any supermarket or online retailers like Jumia. For starting you can purchase 2 blenders just in case one disappoints.

And as the business grows, you can buy a blender for every fruit you’ll be using to make juice.

Plastic Chairs and Stools 

Your juice fruit shop will require several chairs and stools for customers to sit on. As the business expands and customers increase, you can hire a carpenter to construct comfortable forms and shades when there is enough space.

Plastic stools prices range between Ksh. 250 and Ksh. 350 while plastic chairs cost around Ksh. 600.

Cutlery like Bowls, Forks, Cups, and Knives

These items are readily available in open markets and supermarkets. A small water tank is also necessary for washing hands. Plastic transparent and disposable cups for selling fruit juice can work well at the start. 

As for the salads, buy melamine plates or bowls for serving fruit salads. When buying utensils, go for the averagely priced but durable items that will guarantee you good service. 

Acquire Business Licenses and Permit

To start any legal business in Kenya you’ll need to have the necessary business permits and the fruit parlor is no exception. You should also adhere to the food hygiene rules. The following are the needed licenses. 

Single Business Permit

You’ll require a single business permit to legalize business operations. The license cost may range from Ksh. 3,000 to Ksh. 10,000 depending on your county government. Visit your county or sub-county offices to get the actual license fee.

Food Handler’s Medical Certificate 

Everyone handling food in the business premises must undergo a medical examination to ensure they are disease-free. Medical certificates are available from county offices for around Ksh. 600 every two years.

Food Hygiene License  

Public health officials might inspect your fruit vending business before the approval of the license. A license for small businesses may range from Ksh. 300 to Ksh. 600 annually. 

Packaging    

To begin with, you should know how to make fruit juice. After the juice is ready you can properly pack it in containers. For small orders, you can pack the juice in disposable cups with lids and straws.

For large orders, pack the juice in jerry cans or ask the clients to bring their own containers. The order’s quantity will help you decide what kind of packaging to use.   

Market Your Business

Marketing is a critical aspect of any business. You need to create awareness about your fruit juice business to potential customers. It will help make your business popular, attracting more customers and hence more sales.

You can use posters and also give business cards to your customers. You can also establish a promotional website or open social networking accounts. 

Bottom Line 

The fruit juice business is a lucrative venture. The business is not saturated hence, the competition is low.

To start and run a successful fruit juice blending business, you need to first know how to make the juice. Always ensure your shop is neat and clean.

This will attract more customers as they get impressed with the business’s cleanliness. They will become regular customers and even refer their relatives and friends to your business.

I hope this guide on how to start a fruit juice blending business in Kenya will put you on the right track to get the business started.