Biscuits, no doubt are some of the most regularly consumed products of wheat-based bakery. Learning how to Start biscuit business is one of the ideal things you can ever do today. This is because since biscuits are easy to digest, highly nutritious, and compact in size, they have become a favorite among young and the young at heart as well.
Biscuits no doubt, have a longer useful life and lifespan, are easily conveyed and light. Additionally, it does not cost so much to produce biscuits.
It is on this premise therefore that this paper takes a look at how to start biscuit business. I hope you gain from it. and cheaply transportable over a long distance because of their lightweight.
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Market Overview of Biscuit Business in Nigeria
Research findings indicate that at present, about sixteen biscuit manufacturers exist and operate in Nigeria with an estimated biscuit consumption proportion of between 450,000 – 500,000 metric tons yearly.
As I said earlier, biscuits will for a long time continue to remain a money spinner business in Nigeria.
This is so given its continuous patronage by both the old and young in the country. For example, we all know that in schools, especially nursery/primary schools in Nigeria, School time is, no doubt biscuit time! Of course, they come cheap, and sale for as low as N10.
To be successful in the biscuit business industry in Nigeria therefore, your focus should be on making highly delicious biscuits. Secondly, you should plan on an effective marketing strategy so as to increase sales.
The competition in the market is no doubt huge, so you must be prepared to deliver. To start with, see some of the things you need to consider below
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Necessary Considerations for Starting Biscuit Business In Nigeria.
1. Get Licensed, Registered First
Before you launch your biscuit business, you have to first of all contact the Government regulatory agencies. These includes the Standards Organization of Nigeria, National Health Insurance Scheme, NAFDAC, Ministry of health and CAC. These bodies will provide you with the necessary licensing you need to operate your biscuit business in Nigeria.
2. Acquire Sufficient Startup capital.
You also need to acquire basic startup capital for effective running of your business. Of course, you cannot succeed in this business without sufficient startup and running capital
3. Determine Your Location
You also need to consider the location or siting of your business. It’s very important. In this regard, siting your biscuit factory close to source of raw materials is most ideal. also, siting it cloes to supply of power, manpower and other amenities is most recommended.
4. Design An Effective, Killer Selling Strategy
Fourthly, you also need to design an effective selling strategy. In this days of online marketing, you can choose to leverage on the internet and social media for your business marketing campaigns. That that should never replace the need to sell your products in shops and stores.
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5. Get to Know The Current Market Pricing, Index
Fifth, you need to know the current, contemporary and future wholesale pricing from local biscuit wholesalers.
6. Draw Up A Strategic Business Plan
Having done that, sixthly, you need to write a killer business. This is imperative for the success of your business. It will determine the monthly expenditures as well as income ratios and other necessary details.
7. Hire Credible, Effective Employees.
If you’re planning on running a large biscuit factory, then common sense demands that you hire the best hands to assist you accomplish that. These must be people of integrity who have experience in biscuit baking. They should also possess good communication skills.
8. Determine your pricing
Having done all these, you need to consider and regularly review the pricing of your product. Of course, it should not be too high so that it will not discourage potential clients and business patners.
9. Marketing Your Business
In order to make huge sales, you need to advertise your business. you can either choose to distribute flier, handbills etc. You can also advertise your business on the local and national tabloids.
Alternatively of additionally, you can got with the word-to-word method. Whichever method rocks. But I’ll advise you to pay keen attention to online marketing methods.
Requirements and Machinery for Biscuit Production
- Biscuit recipe
- Business brochures
- Business license
- Health rating certificate
- Kitchen space and countertops
- Large baking pans
- Ovens
- Storage bins for ingredients
Determining your Biscuit Plant Capacity: Estimates
Let us say, as it is that you wish to produce Chocolate Spread Coaster Biscuit, Crispy Biscuit and Cracker Biscuit.
Your biscuit plant will have be required to have an installed capacity to produce about 200kg of Biscuit/hour. That means it will produce 1,008kg each day.
This gives about 63% of an installed capacity which works for a single shift – 8 hours per day. Annually, that gives 280 days per year.
This estimate will then improve yearly by10% until the fully installed biscuit plant capacity is finally achieved.
That would therefore take a duration of about 5 years. However, these are just estimates. Given enough capital at your disposal, you can start and run your factory with a few months.
Our proposed plant under consideration here is required to employ about 14 factory workers including skilled as well as semi-skilled. You also need 9 administrative staffs.
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List of Biscuit Machinery to be used:
- Packaging machine
- Sandwich machine
- Layout Turning Machine
- Cooling conveyor
- Oil Spray machine
- Tunnel Gas Oven
- Rotary forming machine for soft Biscuit
- Rotary forming machine for hard Biscuit
- Flour mixer machine
My Final Thoughts
Even if you do all the above, you still might not succeed in the biscuit business except you just want to sell the products. But, if you plan on establishing a biscuit factory of your own, then you need to get mentorship from veterans in the field.
So, get good mentorship from those who are already experienced in the line and get educated on the entire process yourself.
You can’t succeed in this line as a complete novice in biscuit production. You need to first of all know the nitty-gritty of the entire manufacturing/production work flow first. That doesn’t mean you must necessarily be an expert.
Seek customer feedback. It’s very important. They are the ones who will tell you where you have done well and where you need to improve upon. Keep learning, keep expanding, keep earning and lastly, never stop investing and re-investing.
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