For those of us who are passionate about health and wellness, there’s no better thought than the idea of bringing together our favourite healthy ingredients, snacks, supplements, and beauty products in one spot.
Health-focused grocery stores are becoming more common as the world is starting to realise the importance of our physical and mental health, and there’s no better time to tap into the market than right now.
If this sounds like a dream come true for you, then here are some practical tips that will help you get down to business.
Get your admin in check
As fun and different and exciting as this business venture might sound, it’s still a business, and that means you’re, unfortunately, going to have to take care of the nitty-gritty stuff first. You need to create your business plan and your budget, start researching suppliers and consider the staff you’ll need to hire.
You’ll also need to consider things like location and rent, insurance for your business and even getting your staff set up with a grocery store union, and working with them to ensure you understand your employees’ rights and how best to serve them as an employer.
Think about the layout
Another important thing to plan is how your store will be set up and how it will look. You need to design your store in a way that connects with your customers, invites them in and feels easy to navigate.
Some of our best tips are to make essential items easy to access, offering a grab-and-go section and opting for a more modular design. This will allow for your business to be able to adapt better to changing trends and adjust to your customers’ needs. Modular layouts favour more portable and adjustable aisles, kiosks, bins, and shopping stations.
Build a brand
Some of the more fun and exciting work comes into play when you have to start thinking about the brand you’re trying to build. This includes choosing a colour palette, designing a logo, coming up with a story or vision for your business and generating the perfect message.
When it comes to building your brand, wellness branding is very specific, which actually makes the process a lot easier. You know your audience and what they want and need, all you need to do next is turn yourself into their dream store.
Consider who you're catering to
Thinking about your customers is equally, if not more important, when you’re stocking up your store and choosing suppliers. In general, your target market is people who are health-conscious and will choose to purchase more natural products.
However, you’re also catering to people with specific dietary requirements, such as those following a keto diet, vegan diet, low-fodmap diet or even a low-histamine diet. Make sure that when you’re stocking up and talking to suppliers, that you include a wide range of products that will fit different needs. Consider gluten-free items, high-protein items, sugar-free products, etc.
