Do you want to start a cashew nut processing company from scratch? Or you need a sample cashew nut processing business plan template? If YES, then i advice you read on. “One fruit a day keeps the doctor away”, though this cliché is still true today as has always been. The value of fruits to the human body in terms of its vitamins is undeniable. Cashews are highly nutritious and contain energy, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for robust health.
High in calories, fibers and many other minerals that help protect us from diseases and even cancer. Though cashew like most fruits is a seasonal fruit, processing it into other products has a lot of benefits and business advantages that one can decide to key into and profit from. Establishing a cashew nut processing company requires some technical details that need a lot of attention to put in place.
So what are the steps to take to start a cashew nut processing company and build it into a viable and profitable business? Here are some steps…
Starting a Cashew Nut Processing Company – Sample Business Plan Template
1. Do Your Research
There is not a business you may desire to go into that will not require that you do some background work to know the nitty-gritty of how it runs. So, is starting a processing company for cashew nuts. In your research you should find out the benefits of cashew nuts, the season it is always available, what benefits are derivable from it, when it can be bought when harvested, how long it can be stored for, and so on.
Your research will also include finding out how cashew nuts companies run. So you need to take a trip to one or two companies to see the process involved and the kind of machines used to process cashew nuts and you can also use the internet for more information.
2. Choose a Name and Register Your Company
Your business needs identity and as such you need to choose an appropriate name for it and then go ahead to register the relevant authorities and agencies as may be necessary where you want to operate the business. You may also need to register with the association of cashew nuts processors or other such association in the community where you are located to operate the company.
3. Choose a Location for The Company/Business
Locating the company close to the farm where the cashew is grown is of good advantage than locating it far from the farm, which will increase cost of transportation and in the long run the overhead. And locating it close to the farm also means getting them on time to avoid the fruits getting rot early.
4. Obtain Construction Permit
Not only are you to obtain license to operate, you also need to contact the agency in charge of building construction in the city you wish to locate your cashew nut processing factory for necessary vetting and approval of your building plan. In some places certain types of buildings are not permitted in certain areas as they do not meet up with the master plan of the town or city. So you must verify and get the permit.
5. Seek Out Partnership
You need to have some form of partnership or alliances with farmers who can regularly supply you when they harvest the cashew on their farms. You also will do well to seek investors who can partner with you for finances; banks, equity investors and so on.
6. Seek Out Professionals
In the construction of the plant for processing the cashew you need to use professional in all the different facets of the construction. Engineers, electricians and what have you.
7. Hire Workers
Here you have to now hire the hands that will work in the plant; both full-time and part-time employees. Those that will be involved in the administrative activities and in the factory; such as drivers, loaders and so on.
8. Test the Market
Now that all is set, you need to produce the product and test the market to see if they accept it and also get feedback to know areas where you need to make adjustments to improve on the overall quality.
9. Refine Your Product
From the feedback, go back and perfect the details that you need to perfect before launching out fully into the market. This is a very expedient step that needs so much attention to break even.
10. Have a Website
This cannot be over flogged. Even if you are operating the business on a small scale, you still need a functional website. How can your processed cashew nut product be bought, where can it be bought, even prices and a photo gallery of the different types of product from the processed cashew nut that you have.
11. Advertise
You must then embark on publicity for your business. Using different forms of media to inform you’re the buying market that your business exists and the benefits they can derive from cashew to encourage them to buy. You may also need to as part of your publicity stunt give free bees of the product initially.
Those are some tips to start a cashew nut processing company.