Do you want to open a supermarket business with low investment? If YES, find here a list of the most profitable supermarket business ideas and opportunities that startups can consider starting.
Supermarkets are self-service shops. And it offers a wide variety of items. People prefer to buy products from this type of market with families and children. Due to the wide range of items, people spend more time and shop comparatively than a regular retail store.
Currently, brick-and-mortar supermarkets are facing competition from online retailers. Hence, creating a sustainable business model is essential for new entrepreneurs. Instead of investing a huge amount of money, you can try the below-mentioned niche supermarket business ideas. We craft this list with the mission of providing supermarket business ideas with less investment.
List of 40 Supermarket Business Ideas
#1. Apparel Supermarket
Opening an apparel supermarket is quite a profitable business to start. Broadly, the apparel industry includes readymade garments, bags, shoes, and accessories. Sometimes, these supermarkets keep exclusive and designer dresses and clothes in organic fabric. With a niche, these stores keep a variety of dresses from their audience. Most apparel supermarkets attract large numbers of women consumers.
#2. Art & Crafts Supplies Supermarket
If you have an inherent passion for arts and crafts, you can think about initiating this business. With a good, location and moderate capital investment, you can provide different types of products that artists need frequently. Also, you can consider establishing an art gallery inside the store.
#3. Auto Accessories Supermarket
The auto accessory is a huge industry. Broadly, you must keep the accessories for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Also, it caters to auto replacement parts, security products, technology-related products, and accessories. So, you must be prepared to procure a wide range of inventory stock for this type of supermarket.
#4. Automated Supermarket
Automated supermarkets are smartphone-controlled. This is an emerging concept. Here, people can shop for several products within a very short period. Customers can unlock the door virtually and should scan the products that they intend to buy. Generally, these stores maintain a 24X7 operation mode. The most interesting thing is you can operate the entire store without having a single counter or floor staff.
#5. Candy & Chocolate Supermarket
People in every age group love to have chocolates. So, candy and chocolates have a huge market throughout the globe. Hence, you can consider opening a big store that keeps a wide variety of these items. Also, you can sell different types of confectionery items, mints, and gums from the same counter. Generally, these supermarkets sell branded items as well as organic and homemade chocolates and candy.
#6. Computer & Accessories Supermarket
Initiating this type of specific business requires a huge amount of cash for securing space, inventory, and operation. Though computers and accessories are competitive markets, it’s profitable too. Broadly, the industry caters to desktops, laptops, palmtops, printers, copiers, scanners, pen drives, different types of cables, and other accessories.
#7. Convenience Store Supermarket
Convenience stores are also popular as C-stores. This is one of the easiest supermarket businesses to start with a moderate cash investment. Generally, convenience stores keep FMCG products as well the products that have daily needs. Some of the basic items are groceries, snacks food items, soft drinks, personal care products, toiletries, tobacco products, etc.
#8. Cosmetics Supermarket
If you want to start a business in the beauty industry, then this is one of the best ways of making money quickly. Though the business requires upfront startup investment, the products ensure a good retailer’s margin too. Therefore, cosmetics supermarkets earn a good profit if they can ensure sufficient footfalls. Also, you need to keep the products that have good demand in the local community.
#9. Dairy Supermarket
The dairy-related business is volume-based. You can earn good money only if you can ensure a sufficient volume of sales every day. And definitely, people have a regular demand for dairy-based items. Some of the most popular items are pasteurized milk, toned milk, yogurt, card, butter, cheese, margarine, etc. However, dairy items are highly perishable items and you need to take proper care of storage.
#10. Diet Supermarket
Globally, the demand for diet food items is increasing rapidly. The meal replacements (shakes, nutrition bars) are posting strong growth and are very popular with dieters. According to industry experts, the sales of these products will outpace the growth of OTC diet pills. Hence, the supermarkets that keep diet food items will perform well. So, this is the right time for opening a diet supermarket with proper planning.
#11. Discount Grocery Retail Supermarket
This is another profitable supermarket-related business. Generally, this type of store provides the daily need for grocery items at a discounted price. Automatically, people prefer to buy grocery items from these stores. The overall success of this business highly depends on the procurement of the goods and smooth operation.
#12. Electrical Items Supermarket
These types of supermarkets come under non-food items. The global electrical goods industry is growing rapidly. And manufacturing companies are launching new energy-efficient products almost every day. Generally, electrical supermarkets keep a wide range of consumer electrical items like different types of lights, cables, switches, etc. In this type of store, you must keep both basic and luxury items.
#13. Fabric Supermarket
Fabric supermarkets are multi-brand fabric retail counters. Usually, these supermarkets keep different branded fabrics, organic fabrics, natural fabrics, and man-made fabrics. Apart from the individuals, the tailors, boutique owners, and designer dress manufacturers are the major consumers of these stores.
#14. Fruits & Vegetables Supermarket
Fruits & the Vegetable supermarket is another great business you can initiate with moderate capital investment. People have the requirement for fresh fruits and vegetables almost every day. So, these are highly consumable items. Also, you can offer a home delivery service to the local community. However, fruits and vegetables are perishable items. So, you must consider arranging proper storage solutions for these items.
Related: Profitable Agriculture Business Ideas
#15. Games & Toys Supermarket
With a little bit of creativity, you can open a game and toy supermarket for the kids. Generally, this type of store provides sufficient space for roaming around the store. Additionally, they provide a variety of educational games, entertaining games, etc. Also, you can establish a video game arcade inside the store to pull the footfalls initially.
#16. Gardening Supplies Supermarket
There is a wide population who have the hobby of gardening. And they require different types of gardening supplies including seeds, fertilizers, pots, and insecticides frequently. Hence, the supermarkets that sell gardening supplies earn good revenue events with moderate footfalls. Apart from the individual gardeners, the landscape experts and designers are your major consumers in this business.
#17. Gift or Fancy Shop Supermarket
Gifting is a multi-million dollar industry. And when people buy gifts, they prefer to check wide collections. Generally, these big stores keep exclusive gifts and home decor items for upmarket selling. Also, these stores provide customized or personalized gifting solutions. In this business, you can address both individual and commercial consumers.
#18. Green Supermarket
Generally, green supermarkets sell freshly harvested green products like fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc. Also, these stores provide organic food items to health-conscious consumers. This is not an easy business at all. And you will need to ensure a regular supply of green items to your store.
#19. Grocery Store Supermarket
This is a niche supermarket business idea. With a limited effort and moderate capital investment, you can open this type of store. In a world where the consumer’s voice is louder than ever, grocers have evolved by listening to their customers to build strategies to achieve sustainable growth. Nowadays, health-conscious people choose a grocer not only for the convenient location or competitive price but also for the food quality and brand reputation.
#20. Herbs & Spice Supermarket
This is another great niche supermarket business idea that ensures sustainable revenue income. Herbs and spices have a very good retail margin. And most of the items have more shelf life than fresh fruits and vegetables. In initiating this type of business you must focus on the choice of the local demographics.
#21. Home Appliances Supermarket
Home appliances themselves are a big industry. Both in developed and developing countries, these items have great demand. Currently, the demand for technologically updated products that make life smart is growing rapidly. Broadly, the industry caters to kitchen appliances, refrigerators, air conditioning machines, washing machines, LED and smart TVs, sound systems, etc.
#22. Hypermarket
Hypermarkets are a combination of supermarkets and departmental stores. These are big stores. These stores keep a wide variety of grocery and general merchandise. Hence, starting this type of business needs huge capital investment and strategic planning. Any sort of mistake can lead you to a lot of financial loss.
#23. Jeans or Denim Supermarket
Jeans or denim products are very popular globally. And several reputed brands hold a major position in the industry. Apart from jeans pants, shirts, and jackets, different types of ladies ‘ garments made of jeans are very popular. So, initiating this type of store that keeps multi-brand jeans products for men, women, and kids is a highly profitable business.
#24. Kids Supermarket
A kid-specific supermarket is a great business to start with medium capital investment. Generally, this type of store keeps kid’s garments, food items, school stationery items, kid’s furniture, kid’s toiletries, games, and sports items. Generally, these stores sell products for newborn babies to 13-year-old kids.
#25. Leather Product Supermarket
Nowadays, leather products come in the luxury goods segment. Not only shoes and sandals, leather garments, gift items, purses, bags, home decor items, furniture, and even leather jewelry are getting huge popularity. If you know the leather industry and the manufacturers of the different items, you can consider starting this business.
#26. Meat Supermarket
Generally, non-vegetarian people always prefer to taste different types of meats for consumption as animal protein. Hence, before starting this type of business, you must survey the local market and the exact demand for the different types of meats. This business demands a business license and specific permission from the concerned authorities.
#27. Mobile Supermarket
Instead of waiting for the buyers, mobile supermarkets often come to the buyers to provide them with an easy buying option. Generally, these supermarkets often come with GPRS tracking systems. And customers can get the real-time location of that store. So, apart from procuring the inventory, you will need to invest in procuring the vehicle and building the inside infrastructure of that vehicle.
#28. One-stop Bakery Supermarket
An exclusive bakery store is a very profitable and innovative business that you can consider worth starting. Generally, these stores keep a variety of bakery items including biscuits, bread, cookies, pastry, cake, donuts, etc. Starting this type of niche supermarket requires intensive market research and strategic planning. Also, you must have the right advertisement planning for promoting this business.
#29. Online Supermarket
If you are a tech-savvy person, you can consider initiating an online supermarket business. Though you don’t need to have costly space for brick-and-mortar store operation, the business requires capital investment. Some of the major investment areas are building the online store and maintaining that, staffing, storage, and delivery.
#30. Organic Food Super Market
As people are becoming more health-conscious, the demand for organically grown products is growing very fast. Also, dieticians and nutritionists are advising people on organic food items. So, opening a big store that keeps only organic food items is a lucrative business these days. The business demands proper licensing and permission for the operation. Also, you have to be very careful in selecting the brands that you will sell from your store.
#31. Pet Supplies Supermarket
The pet industry in the United States of America is growing rapidly. Hence, pet supplies are facing huge popularity among pet owners. Generally, food, pet grooming, furniture, and clothing account for the major sales revenue. In this business, the location plays an important role in the overall success of the business.
#32. Private-label Supermarket
Selling private label products is all about selling the products of other manufacturers in your brand name. This type of business requires specific permission from the Govt authority and a specific business agreement with the manufacturing company. If you want to establish a long-term business model, then this is one of the best options for that.
#33. Processed Food Supermarket
This is another great business to start in the food retail industry. In today’s busy world, people prefer to buy specific types of processed items than fresh products. Also, processed foods help to reduce the wastage of fresh vegetables and fruits. Some of the most popular items are jam, jelly, marmalade, juice, pudding, sauce, ketchup, pickles, etc.
#34. Seafood Supermarket
Initiating a big store with different types of seafood is a little bit of a creative venture to start. If you live in an area where a lot of people consume seafood, then you can start this business. Seafood is a very healthy food item that contains a lot of minerals and proteins. However, you must ensure a regular supply of different types of seafood at your store.
#35. Smartphone Supermarket
Currently, you can find plenty of smartphones throughout the world. And all the companies are doing very good business. As the demand for smartphones is increasing, more and more startup companies are stepping on their feet in the industry. So, you can open a smartphone retail store that sells multi-brand products and accessories.
#36. Supermarket with a Cafe
Most of the time, people prefer to have tea or coffee with snacks during shopping. So, initiating a supermarket with a cafe is a smart business to start in this industry. Also, this business model allows you to earn extra revenue from the same retail venue. With different types of hot and cold beverages, you can sell snacks, biscuits, cakes, and other different types of food items.
#37. Tailoring Supplies Supermarket
The global tailoring industry is huge. The tailoring segment consists of a wide range of products including different types of needles, threads, buttons, decorative items, equipment, and hand tools. Hence, if you find a specific demand for these items in your locality, you can consider opening a tailoring supplies supermarket of your own.
#38. Upholstery Supermarket
Upholstery and home decor segments are growing rapidly these days. More and more people are looking for quality products at a reasonable price. Generally, this type of store can offer more product variety than a regular department store that sells upholstery with other products as well.
#39. Wholesale Supermarket
This is another great business you can start where you sell the products to retailers. However, here also need to focus on a niche. It may be apparel products food items or gifting solutions, you can ensure a good amount of turnover. However, this is not everyone’s cup of tea. You must have sound knowledge about the products and the industry that you serve.
#40. Wine & Beer Shop Supermarket
Initiating a wine and beer shop business demands specific licenses, permission, and tax formalities. Though the business is highly profitable, the business requires moderate capital investment. Definitely, you will get sufficient footfalls, if you keep products according to the choice of your target audience. Also, you must keep the multi-brand products that have good demand.
How to Start a Supermarket Business
Before starting, follow the basic steps:
- Conduct market research and understand the opportunities in the local market.
- Create a Business Plan
- Find the Retail Space
- Create a Floor Plan
- Select Suppliers and Stock Products
- Register Your Supermarket Retail Business
- Procure Licenses and Permits
- Hire Manpower
- Have a Marketing Plan
Initiating any type of supermarket requires capital investment. However, niche business models allow you to open a store with minimum financial risk.
About the Author: 99businessideas.com led by Rupak Chakrabarty is committed to helping beginners, entrepreneurs, and small business owners in starting, managing, and growing their businesses.
