Starting a Juicing Business on the Side

Sketch a Business Plan

While a juicing business can take many forms, the two most popular options are juice bars and juice manufacturing. Whether you’re hawking your concoctions in person or via third-party distributors, market research is the key ingredient in a successful enterprise. Think carefully about the particulars such as what kinds of base juices and flavor additives you’ll use in each beverage. You could choose to specialize in either cold-pressed raw juices or traditional blender-made juices. Likewise, you might opt for organic juices rather than beverages distilled from non-organic produce.

Fill Out the Paperwork

As you flesh out a game plan, it’s important to square away the usual rigmarole like forming an LLC or other corporate entity and getting a business license. Obtain an EIN from the IRS if you plan on employing anybody. The toughest part of getting any food-based business off of the ground is the sometimes onerous health regulations that come with the territory. You’ll need to pass regular inspections from the local authorities and most likely the FDA or the USDA if you plan on making your own juice from scratch.

Round Up Some Supplies

Regardless of where you make or sell juice, you’ll go through tons of input material on a regular basis. Locate reliable providers of key ingredients such as greens like wheat grass, kale, ginger and spinach as well as fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, watermelons and grapes. You’ll also want to lock down stocks of popular berries like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Last but not least, get a topnotch, industrial-grade juicer or two Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor
for recipe experimentation and full-fledged production when you’re ready to go.

Tinker with the Formulas

Nowadays, homemade juice lines are a dime a dozen. To differentiate your product, you’ll need to devise novel drink formulas. Play around with recipes until you come up with a few that are both invigorating and delicious. Research the health benefits of different fruits or vegetables and blend them together for specific consumer demographics such as those with low bone density or allergy problems. Use spices like nutmeg or cinnamon and dairy products like soy or rice milk to accent the base juice ingredients.

Launch the Enterprise

As always, the first sales are the toughest to make. Start by distributing samples to friends and family. Peddling your wares at farmers’ markets is the easiest way to gain traction and make a name for yourself. Set up a tent at local concerts, conventions and festivals when they roll into town. If you plan on founding your own juice bar, start looking for prime commercial real estate that you can rent at an affordable price. It makes more sense to build up a demand for your goods before you open a physical location.

Pin Down Lucrative Channels

As you move your first few dozen cases of juice, you’ll no doubt get a feel for the local market and how to efficiently sell your wares. Experiment with a mobile cart to see if that’s a worthwhile option. At the same time, talk to the proprietors of high-volume retailers in your area to see if they’d be interested in carrying your juice. Grocery stores, delis and fitness centers are always great distribution points. You may even want to sell your juice directly to consumers online.

Market to the Public

Eventually, you’ll need to make marketing your juices the primary focus of your business efforts. Obviously, you’ll need a primary website tied to social media profiles on Facebook and Twitter. Use  sites like Instagram and Vine to reach younger audiences that spend large amounts of money on trendy health products. Knowing who you’re marketing to is always clutch. For example, a juice that contains trace amounts of colloidal silver or bee pollen will appeal to a far different demographic than one that’s comprised of raw vegetables and little else.

Stretch Your Outfit’s Legs

Once you’ve established a wheelhouse and built a thriving side business, it’s time to think about expanding your range. After all, there’s more to the juicing industry than just crushing produce. For instance, you could develop a custom juicing machine in conjunction with a local appliance manufacturer and market it to consumers. Alternatively, you could publish physical or digital juice recipe books online. There are a million and one ways to make money from the juicing phenomenon if you get creative about it.