Fruit Candy - Small Scale Business Idea

Fruit Candy in India are not very popular, when the big brand players rule the market with their expensive advertisements. Fruit Candies are also called crystallized candies, produced by merging fruits in sugar syrup or honey. When they are submerged fruit absorbs the sweetness and can stay eatable for months, when stored in cold place.

1. Prepare sugar syrup (Honey can be healthy alternative) in two concentration, thin and thick. 
2. Use dry fuits like dry jack or dry fig or dates or dry grapes or amla etc, cut them in to medium pieces
3. Soak them in thin sugar syrup for a week, so the fruit absorbs the sweetness
4. Cover the sweet soaked fruit with the thick concentration of sugar syrup.
5. Leave them to dry to give candy look.

This candy is healthy with honey and dry fruits. This is a new area not much explored in India, if properly marketed, this can be advertised with medicinal values, and can open new segment of candy business. Good Luck.

Start Sugarcane business - Business Idea

Initially it might sound very small, but clear and well planned Sugarcane business is a major profit earning business in India. Let us first look into the requirements for this business

SPACE

• Small Level - 3 x 3 sqft space, it can be either a table also
• Medium Level - 5 x 5 sqft space
• Max Level - 10 x 10 sqft space

EQUIPMENT

Manual: Fully manual requires man drilled gear based grinding machine. This requires hard effort to rotate the wheel on its side to extract the juice. Operating cost is very less, no electricity, no fuel, requires very less maintenance of lubrication at times. Machine looks as in the left side.

Automatic: This is advance version of manual, this is operated by either electric motor or diesel engine to rotate the gear wheel, which reduces the hard effort of rotating, Using Diesel engine is the most popularly used in all the places, because of its low initial investment on engine.

Recent years this engine has advanced its level in hygiene and healthier aspects, people are concentrating more on flavors, cleanliness, but as this goes high, the initial investment also goes up. An automatic gear operated machine costs Rs.60,000, another version of the machine, is with instant chiller, has a pipe with 10C, so when juice pass through that pipe, gets chilled immediately, which cost Rs.1,20,000.

This seems to be a huge investment, but when properly planned and worked out can be recovered in 3 months time.

Sample Estimation of Sugarcane Juice:

1.Cost of sugarcane Rs.4/- per Kg.  One Kg will give 600ml of Juice.
2.Labour cost will be Rs.150/- per day for cleaning the sugar cane and running the crusher.
3.Disposable cup Varies from 60 Paise to 90 Paise. – Good quality at bulk rate will be 0.65 pasie
4.Lime and Ginger 25 Paisa.
5.Power charges will be two unit per 200 glass of juice (200 X 250ml glass = 50 Litters of juice)
6.Interest on cost of crusher – 18% interest on Investment – Hence per day Rs.23/- only.
7.Rent for the place. Rs 2000/- per month approximate – Hence per day Rs.80/- approximate.
8.Maintenance cost is Rs.200/- per month approximate. (320 Gear oil 0.5 Litter and 100 grams of grease)
9.Depreciation: At 20% per annum – Hence per day Rs.27/- only

Fixed Expenses: PER DAY
Interest –          Rs.23/-
Rent             -   Rs.80/-
Depreciation:     Rs.27/-
Power Charges – Rs20/-
Wages              Rs.150/-
Others.              Rs. 15/-
                      ----------
Total              Rs.315/- per day for sale of 100 Glass Juice = Per glass Rs. 3.00 approximate.
                    -----------
Cost of Sugarcane                                         Rs. 1.80
Disposable cup                                              Rs. 0.65
Lemon/Zinger/(Pepper/Masala powder etc     Rs. 0.25
Rent/Labor etc                                              Rs. 3.15
                                                                ______________
              Total Cost of Juice per Glass           Rs.5.85
                                                               ______________
Average Selling Price of Sugarcane juice of 250ml glass each will be Rs.10.00 approximate per glass to any level depending on the area and nature of service and ambience provided.

Real Life Entrepreneur

Now coming to the main section of the article, a real life entrepreneur, Cane-o-la, a banglore based sugarcane juice organisation, which focuses on selling varied flavors of sugarcane juice in a hygiene way, they have grown to en extent, which you will know when you understand their company turnover is 4 Crores, sounds surprising isn't it, but truth. Go through their website http://cane-o-la.com/, to learn more about them.

Contact me at bsathish78@gmail.com for further help and guidance, I have few research papers on starting this business, including business partners, loan arrangement etc.

You may also be interested in Fountain Soda Business

Begin Dipped and Molded Candle Making Business

The candle making business demand is still very much valuable in several places around the globe. Candle making is an ancient technique with significant uses, which still makes it a promising business venture.


I. Materials:
Paraffin wax granules (P75.00/kg.)
Polyethylene wax* (P180.00/kg.)
Crystal wax (P192.00/kg.)
Gel wax (P270.00/kg.)
Dyes (P60.00/pk.)
Separator (petroleum jelly, cooking oil, liquid soap, etc.) Nylon wick (P36.00/pk.)
Bamboo sticks (P30.00/bundle)
Scent (P85.00 to P360.00/bottle)


II. General Procedure
1. Prepare the waxes. For every Kg of paraffin wax, add 100 grams of polyethylene wax and 30 to 50 grams of crystal wax. If the paraffin wax is in a slab form, break it first into small pieces.
2. Heat the wax in a container other than the dipping tube. The safest way is to use a double boiler. If without a double boiler, heat the wax slowly in a pouring pot or saucepan.
3. Wax is completely melted if the liquid is clear and the bottom of the container is seen. DO NOT BURN WAX (indicated by smoky fumes and brown coloration).
4. Remove from heat source and transfer contents into another container either in dipping tube or metal cup with spout. Add dye and scent (optional). The wax is now ready for dipping and/or molding.


A. DIPPED CANDLES (Oldest and simplest way of making candles)
1. Cut wick(s) into several inches longer than the desired candle length.
2. If you wish to dip several candles at the same time, tie the wicks 2 to 3 inches apart on a rod or a hoop.
3. Dip the wick into the melted wax. Withdraw the wick and pull on the other end to make it taut. Dip the wick again after the first layer of wax hardens. 4. Continue dipping the candles until it reaches the desired thickness. Allow each layer of wax to cool and harden after every dipping.
5. To make the bottoms of the dipped candles flat and smooth, heat a metal spatula over a gas flame or electric burner. Rub the candle bottoms against hot metal surface, melting away until the bottoms are flat.


B. MOLDED CANDLES (Molders can be purchased, made or found).
1. Prepare mold to release candle by applying the inside of the molder with a thin layer of separator.
2. Prepare the wick. The size of the wick depends on the size of the candle. The wick is usually placed in the mold before the wax is poured. However, certain candles require that the wick be inserted after the candle is made. This is done by piercing a wick hole in the candle with a hot ice pick.
3. Hold mold in a slanting position. Pour hot wax from pot to metal cup with spout, then, from cup slowly into the mold.
4. Cool mold by placing it in a pail with cold water. Hold down with a heavy object.
5. After cooling, notice that portion about the wick recedes. Puncture and pour wax into the cavity until filled.
6. Cool the mold again. After the wax has set, remove mold from water. Pull wick gently to release the candle. Trim excess wick.


SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
1. Always have a fire extinguisher within reach.
2. Never use water to extinguish a wax fire. Liquid wax behaves much the same way as oil, and therefore needs to be treated like an oil fire.
3. NEVER LEAVE MELTING WAX UNATTENDED.
4. Constantly monitor the temperature of the wax. If wax reaches the flash point, then the vapors produced are extremely flammable. The flash point of wax is typically above 300° F. Never let wax exceed 250° F.
5. Always use a double boiler. A double boiler helps distribute heat and prevents dangerous temperatures. Never melt wax directly on your stove.
6. Use an electric heat source if possible. If, by accident, the wax reaches the flash point, vapors may find a flame and become ignited on an electric heat source. Any open flame such as that found on a gas stove, will ignite wax vapors.
7. Always use a thermometer to monitor the wax temperatures. Put it on your list of things to get before you start making candles.


III. Business Registration Requirements

B-22, Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai-600032
Tel: 22501451 Fax: 22500860
Email: tfsc@tanstiafnf.com

Herbal Products Manufacturing

Now we are with a whole new set of business, more related towards herbal and natural products. Budget of this business has a wide variety. If anyone has done their course on ayurvedic or siddha medicine can draft a good business plan, which will aid them getting a bank loan and start their business.

Any business you do requires well marketing and hard work getting clients or customers. A mix of hard work and good marketing will surely reap good results. I have listed the various kinds of business related to herbal products, their project cost.

Profile Name	Salient Application	Project Cost	Fixed Capital	Working Capital Margin	Break Even Point	Estimated Rate of Return
PERIWINKLE	It contains alkaloid Alstonine which has ability to reduce blood pressure.	Rs.10.9 lakhs	Rs.8.1 lakhs	1.28 lakhs	71%	4.36 lakhs
PLANTATION AND EXTRACTION OF AMLA	Amla is a very rich source of Vitamin C and has very high medicinal value.	Rs.39.42 lakhs	Rs.29.72 lakhs	3.12 lakhs	65%	9.39 lakhs
PLANTATION AND EXTRACTION OF ASHWAGANDHA	Used for treatment of rheumatism, gout, hypertension Project .	Rs.69.42 lakhs	Rs.56.24 lakhs	0.25 lakhs	36%	62.91 lacs
PLANTATION AND EXTRACTION OF GUGGUL	Anti-inflammatory agent.	Rs.28.85 lakhs	Rs.44.65 lakhs	Rs.16.69 lakhs	48%	45.18 lacs
SAFED MUSALI	Herbal drug formulations.	22.8 lakhs	38.2 lakhs	10.72 lakhs	45%	42.21 lacs
SENNA	Senna is used as a purgative drug.	58.73 lakhs	40.49 lakhs	4.91 lakhs	50%	23.72 lacs
VALLARAI TONIC	Memory tonic.	34.87 lakhs	25.14 lakhs	5.81 lakhs	62%	10.88 lacs
FAIRNESS CREAM	Cosmetics Proposed capacity200 kgm per day,	Rs.65.87 lakhs	Rs.25.28 lakhs	Rs.42.21 lakhs	48%	49.62 lacs
HERBAL COSMETICS	Herbal cosmetic products are used for beauty care, hair care, body care.	64.87 lakhs	25.65 lakhs	33.49 lakhs	34%	111.85 ac
HERBAL EXTRACTS	Herbal Extracts has its application in Cosmetics, Food and Pharmaceutical industry.	66.42 lakhs	48.66 lakhs	8.47 lakhs	51%	32.85 lacs
HERBAL HAIR OIL	Hair oils are combination of oils and suitable perfumes.	18.73 lakhs	12.86 lakhs	2.25 lakhs	66%	6.35 lakhs
HERBAL SHAMPOO	It is used to Cleanse hair and scalp.	80.41 lakhs	56.34 lakhs	12.78 lakhs	42%	55.21 lakh
HERBAL SHIKKAI	It is used to Cleanse hair and scalp.	28.18 lakhs	13.81 lakhs	5.51 lakhs	51%	15.27 lacs
HERBAL SOAPS	Cosmetics	39.28 lakhs,	35.77 lakhs	2.18 lakhs	65%	8.76 lakhs
JOJOBA OIL	Jojoba Oil has versatile industrial uses.	47.42 lakhs	32.64 lakhs	3.87 lakhs	44%	27.92 lacs
NANNARI	Health drink.	30.07 lakhs	30.88 lakhs	2.60 lakhs	62%	8.63 lakhs
NATURAL VANILLA	Flavour	19.35 lakhs	66.65 lakhs	7.90 lakhs	44%	32.72 lakh

All the best for your new venture.

Indian Entrepreneurs in US

Out of the public listed companies in USA 1/4th of the ventures are started in the past 15 years founded by immigrant entrepreneurs, according to American Made Magazine.

The current market capitalization of these firms exceeds $500 billion, and they employ more than 220,000 people in the U.S. and 400,000 internationally. Immigrants have had the greatest impact in the fields of IT, life sciences, and particularly in the high-tech manufacturing sector, where 40% of publicly traded, venture-backed firms operating in the U.S. today were founded by immigrants.

Indian immigrants typically come from middle-class families, and they tend to be college graduates, many with particular expertise in science, engineering, or technology. They come to the United States to get graduate degrees and they are under a lot of pressure to see if they can take care of their parents and families back home.

The wealth in India is still controlled by a small percentage of the people in the country, so even if their parents are educated people, they may work in low-paying, civil service jobs. There is no way it is possible to break the entrenched social system and the cultural barriers over there. When an immigrant reaches US and sees that so many opportunities exist, he becomes quite ambitious.

The Indus Entrepreneurs is a networking association originally started by Indian entrepreneurs and engineers in Silicon Valley in 1992. The focus is on business development, support, providing education for future entrepreneurs, and giving back to the community.

It really has helped create energy, synergy, and a social system for Asian Indian immigrants and other entrepreneurs. They have 10,000 members in nine countries now, including England, South Africa, and Israel, and they're going beyond technology into other industries.

Start Juice Shop

If you are looking for an idea on what business you can start easily, a juice bar is one idea you can seriously consider. With more and more people becoming health conscious, a juice business is timely. Today, the popular obsession with dropping pounds and losing inches certainly feeds into the health food trends that fuel juice bar popularity. But the health food industry has also benefited from another recent concept, that of organics.

Every herb has its faithfuls who claim for it almost magical qualities. Mint has its after-dinner fame as a breath freshener and a digestive aid; ginseng is one of the latest in a long line of alleged energy boosters and anti-aging supplements; garlic is supposed to aid the immune system; ginger has been said to possess aphrodisiac properties.

Each fruit and vegetable, too, has accrued its own collection of anecdotes and testimonials. What child hasn’t been told that carrots will help him see in the dark, or that an apple a day will keep the doctor away? Who hasn’t heard that Popeye is strong to the finish because he eats his spinach?

In modern times, speed and efficiency are joint rulers of an ever more fast-paced world. For a person on the go, a tall cup of mixed juices spiked with nutritive powders is the ideal meal. Like coffee and soda, it can be consumed in the car without taking one’s other hand off the steering wheel and endangering one's self and others.

But unlike those beverages, juice is part of a balanced breakfast. It could be said, tongue in cheek, to balance even better than breakfast, since unlike a plate of toast and scrambled eggs it can be sealed up with a lid and straw and enjoyed safe from spills. And with all the supplements available at your local juice bar, that tall cup of fruit and vegetable squeezings can be a balanced breakfast.

For entrepreneurs who put health above anything else, starting a juice bar is probably one of the fastest and the most lucrative businesses out there. It can be added to an existing business or simply started independently.

Juice Business Structure

You can start a juice business entirely on your own. It would help if you have an experience about juice preparation from working in a juice bar, but this is not necessary. You can also buy an existing business, or get a franchise. Franchising will cost a little bit more, though. If you have an existing food business, you can incorporate a juice business into it.

Juice Bar Menu

You don’t have to be a nutritionist or obtain a degree related to health to know that fruits and vegetables are good for the body. You can sell a variety of juices from apples, carrots, oranges, bananas, celery, melons and other fruits and vegetables. You can purchase juice wholesale from fruits and vegetable juice manufacturers or distributor or you can do the juicing onsite. You can even do both at the same time. Get juices wholesale. You can add vitamins and health supplements, for example, those that are known for their immunity boosting or antioxidizing effects. You can sell juices in several cup sizes starting at a price of Rs.10.

Juice Bar Location

You can open at any place that is frequented by people such as tourist attractions, a kiosk in a mall, office building, airport, hotels, schools, beach areas, public markets, health clubs, and fitness clubs. Vending from a cart is another option you can take.

Juice Bar Startup Cost and Profit

Your startup cost will depend on how much you are spending for equipment (juicers and coolers), rent, advertising and getting the necessary license and permit. Your profit will depend on your total sales minus the cost of your ingredients and overhead. It could be several times your capital after awhile when you’ve mastered the operation. Adding other items such as sandwiches in your menu can help boost profit.

Start Beauty Parlor or Salon

A beauty salon or beauty parlor deals with cosmetic treatments for men and women. Nowdays beauty salon also contains hair salons and spas. Beauty salons provides more generalized services related to skin health, facial aesthetic, foot care, aromatherapy, — even meditation, oxygen therapy, mud baths, and innumerable other services, but hair salon provides only hair treatment.

Facials, Massage, Manicure, Pedicure, Waxing, Threading

Hairdresser washing a woman's hair

A hair salon is a place where one goes to get the hair cut, as well as styled, highlighted or coloured. Salons are in various business forms from sole traders, branches of salons or large franchise owned salon chains. Some larger chains offer their own brand of salon products.

The term spa salon refers to a salon where spa treatments are done. Spa treatments are also offered in some beauty salons. Treatments may include holistic theraphy or Reiki.

Cholayil Sanjeevanam	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Health and Fitness
CLARA INTERNATIONAL	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Health and Fitness
Clipso Beauty Aesthetic School	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000	Education
Lakme India	Rs. 10,00,000 - Rs. 25,00,000	Beauty and Hair Salons
NET PLANET INFOTECH SOLUTIONS	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Business Services
Shahnaz Ayurveda	Rs. 5,00,000 - Rs. 10,00,000	Beauty and Hair Salons
Sharkey's Cuts for Kids	Rs. 25,00,000 to Rs. 50,00,000	Retail

Hotel business - Where to begin from

Hotels are the hot business in this computerized world. Although there are many hotels in the city, we still do not get seat when we enter into. So anyone who wants to start small eat-out can consider starting a hotel at small level and then develop big. I have listed some of the things which you need to consider when you start a hotel. QUALITY and SATISFACTION are the two mantras which you should keep hearing when you are in this hotel business.

There are 3 ways you can start a business,

Buy existing business - In this option you have to more careful. Analyze why its being sold, check for its reputation in the surroundings and bargain for best price.

Franchise - In this option, there are both ups and downs. You have to pay a big amount to get the setup ready as mentioned by the parent company. Every year you have to renew the franchise license. Advantage is the brand will be known to customers and you can gain their confidence easily.

Start from SCRATCH - This option is real real hard, which needs proper planning. The requirements will be

a) Location and Opportunity Choose the correct location for your hotel. Choose a place where there is hotel, who are not fulfilling all customer needs. If there are great hotels in the neighborhood, it will be hard for you to attract customers even if you charge less price. Research the location for about a month, learn customer requirement, look for items which are not available in near by places.

b) Strategy Ask the question "why my hotel?" within yourself, which will give you an strategy. There are different customers you have to attract, families with kids, couples, businesspeople, tourists? A good combination of amenities, atmosphere, location, and services will attract your customers. You might have to forgo certain customer target markets in order to make your service offering perfect for your most desired customers.

c) Planning Sit down and write down answer the questions listed below

1. What is your product or service?
2. State your company's goals and objectives.
3. Marketing Plan
4. How will your company differ from your competitors?
5. Who your customers are?
6. Who is your market?
7. How long will this market need your product?
8. What are the characteristics of your average customer?
9. Who is your competition?
10. What competitive advantage do you have over your competitors?
11. What is the best way you plan to sell your product or service?
12. How will you sell your product or service?
13. How will you promote and market your product or service?
14. Who are the employees of your business?
15. What are their credentials?
16. How does the business make money?
17. How do you price your product or service?
18. what inventory, raw materials and supplies the business uses.
19. List your supplies and supplier.
20. How easy or difficult is it to obtain supplies?
21. Are their prices steady and dependable?
22. State all of your business licenses.
23. How will you finance your business?
24. How will you manage your finances and what needs to be financed.
25. Where will your finances come from?

4) Fundraising Assuming you do not have this money, you will need to seek bank loans. As you will be working with considerable assets, dependable and experienced legal and accounting help is a must as you create deals with investors.

5) Hospitality Mindset Finally, you must have a sense of how you want your guests to be treated.

Post your requirements in comments and I will give my suggestion from my experience.

All the best for your business.

Start Internet Cafe - Where to beginfrom

When you say Internet Cafe, its not only providing service for browsing, but it means a lot. There are many failures and many successes in this business, most important thing is to learn business pattern from successful cybercafes and also learn why some of them failed.

Self Planning
If you are well planned to start your business, then great. You only have to organize your thoughts, project expense to be bared, financial capital, project adequate running cost, sketch down month by month progress of how the business would run. If you think all these requires a great amount of time, then you have to shift to Internet Cafe Franchise

Franchises
Franchises already have a business model to run your internet cafe. Its more important from whom you take franchise, they should be well recognized and already reached to public. They have set of rules and plans which you should follow. The only disadvantage is you end up paying a little more amount for setting up your business but at the same time, you gain recognition and you pull customers from day 1.

Some checklist to consider before you start your internet cafe business.

• Choose correct location, interior like furniture, wall decorations, and design for your Cafe should be appealing.
• Choose correct location, interior like furniture, wall decorations, and design for your Cafe should be appealing.
• You can offer branded Food & beverage services, coffee counter
• Determine what to charge for computer time Type of computer equipment to purchase.
• Check if you can provide WiFi network otherwise even wired network is also fine, but remember WiFi or wired, it should work most efficiently for an Internet Cafe.
• Check best deals for peripheral equipment: printers, photocopying, faxing, scanners, telephone services & more
• Offer fee internet classes which will attract elder people
• Issue pamphlets on browsing, basic computer classes
• Issue free teaching for making calls to foreign countries
• Make money with computer LAN and Internet gaming Video conferencing, digital camera services, Resume services

All the best for starting your business.