Is food business viable ? Does a $1 a plate pricing model result in profit? How much profit do you make per plate of nsima/isitshwala/sadza sold? Why is it there are few people who have been running this business successfully for a long time? What is better to sell food at sports activities like soccer and music festivals or supplying companies with food for their employees?
So many questions and few answers for now. In this article, we hope to answer some of the questions and we will do so by posting an inquiry from a ZBIN member. Brilliant responses came from the ZBIN community.
Question
Please post for me on the ZBIN Forum.l would like to start a small cooking business at my work place, cooking from home and delivering with my car. My target customers afford sadza/rice redollar. My issue is can l please have places where l can buy meat and vegetables at cheap prices. Also those who are into same business, how are u copying. Any ideas also regarding this business are most welcome.
Thank You
Responses
Mdala Wa Rue Buying meat: Try Abattoirs such as Koala, depending on the quantity of the meat that you need you can even try buying cattle from areas such as Nyabira(I have a neighbour whom I gave my truck a few weeks back-kauya nenyama yakawanda yemombe from Nyabira). Just make sure if you are buying cattle everything is inorder in terms of paper work and all Police Clearances. You may need a good freezer for the meat.
Vegetables: You will never go wrong with Mbare Musika especially when you go early in the morning. Your only challenge might come from the competition of many people competing for veges and therefore driving prices up. Try to buy from sources in areas such as Domboshava, Goromonzi or Seke. Establish networks with farmers in those areas as this will reduce costs in the long run. Join ZBIN Agriculture and network with other farmers as well.
Hope this helps
Yemurai Nhongo-Thepe I heard meat is now being taxed so I don’t know how viable this enterprise will really be now
William Ginya What if u embark on goat meat since u ar tu work on a target market thus basing at ur wrkplac n nt any outsider wl get th access so um not sayin beef z not an ideal tu start wth but u kno how big is the market to be servd and also consider dffer favourites relishes by customers.
Marvelous Mhlanga Take into consideration your Cost of production .$1,per plate is not viable considering fuel,packaging ,labour ,gas/zesa.
EG, sadza n beef @cost is +/_95 cents ,so selling price of $1,is drowning yourself bit by bit
Rebecca Zuze Fne 0772288044 fo fresh farm and cheap vegetables ie covo cabbages and tomatoes
Elizabeth Maziveyi that’s how I started my restaurant selling sadza from my car at $1 a plate. I didn’t make any profit. Was lucky on the few days I managed to break even. tried buying mabhonzo, zvemukati but to no avail. I was ready to give up when I got a contract with a company that subsidizes meals for their workers. the workers still pay $1 and employer pays $1. as a result i can offer better meals and make a reasonable profit. $1 plate is not viable at all. like marvelous said you will be drowning yourself better to cater for fewer people who pay more for a good meal.
Elizabeth Maziveyi we serve sadza and rice with beef, chicken or fish. I don’t pay rent for the premises, we use coal for cooking, no water bills. matebeleland is cattle country so we get beef at low prices, vegetables are supplied by an irrigation cooperative at good price. fish I won’t mention the Zambezi.
