Sheep husbandry: How to Start an Ewe Sheep Farm

Animal husbandry is the raising of domestic animals for their produce. Different animals are farmed for their eggs, milk, meat and wool.

Sheep breeding is a major aspect of animal husbandry. The four major animal farming around the world are cattle, sheep, chicken and fish farming.

The top countries that farm sheep are listed according to the number of herds the keep. The top five are China, Australia, India, Iran and Sudan.

China and Australia account for over 250 million heads of sheep while India and Sudan 120 million. Entrepreneurs interested in going into sheep farming should decide on the product they want to sell.

There are different breeds of sheep specialized in wool, meat or milk production. Purchasing the right breed that grows best in your climate is very important.

Sheep generally range in temperate climates and are fed using different techniques. Free rage or shedding is the two ways sheep are kept.

Sheep’s are natural grazers and store some of their food to eat leisurely. Providing adequate pasture, hay and feed supplements is important to the growth of your stock.

Other considerations before starting a sheep farm are funding, fixed and working capital. The major revenue from sheep farming is shearing sheep for wool. Wool is a priced commodity in the local and international market.

How to Star a Ewe Sheep Farm

Description

The domesticated sheep found in farms have gone through years of selective breeding. This is to facilitate higher yields of wool, meat, milk and color variations.

Although you find different color variations white wool is the standard. Sheep farmers looking to produce wool should purchase white sheep that have no blemish.

There are over 200 types of sheep primarily categorized by the color of their wool. They are further classified according to their produce such as meat sheep, milk sheep, wool sheep and hair sheep.

Location the Sheep Farm

You need several acres of farm land to successfully grow sheep. Although you can grow them in closed environments some farmers prefer ranging.

Secure your property with good fencing and build dwelling quarters. Construct shearing sheds and barns for your sheep.

Make sure your location is accessible by vehicular transportation. A major advantage of sheep farming is that they don’t need intensive farming to grow.

Funding

Sheep farming is capital intensive and time consuming. Funds are needed for leasing or purchasing property and building structures on the farm land.

You need to purchase ewe sheep to start a breeding program. Ewe sheep is the fertile fully grown female sheep farmers use for breeding.

To secure funding visit a commercial bank in your area and apply for loan. To get the loan you need a business plan, some personal fund and collateral.

Register the Sheep Farm

Like most businesses you need to incorporate the enterprise. Register the sheep farm as a limited liability company and get a business name.

You also need a trade license to sell your wool to potential customers. It is common sense to insure your business and fill your tax returns. Farmers have many unions and associations join sheep breeders association in your country.

Sheep Diet

The good news is that sheep are herbivores so they eat grass. Sheep have a complex digestive system and can manage grass, hay, and roughage.

Other foods they love are knapweed, kudzu, cheat grass, sagebrush and leafy spurge. Although they also feed on legumes, forbs avoid toxic plants like yew, acorns, oaks and potatoes.

If you want to apply the grazing technique rotate them from each pasture. Sheep graze on lower grass decimating a field in no time.

It is important to purchase sheep feed to substitute the grazing activity. During breeding season the ewe is flushed with improved grain ration for better results.

Sourcing the Ewe Sheep

Purchase your stock from reputable breeders in your locality. Other sources are research and husbandry institutions or visit any major farming association for Intel.

Make sure the ewe and bull you purchase has relevant documentation and proof of fertility. To reproduce you need a single ram and a few ewes.

Ewes reach sexual maturity in eight month and are seasonal breeders. The estrus cycle of a ewe is usually every 17 days with gestation period of 5 months.

Proper grooming is needed including veterinary care and assistance. Sheep as prone to many diseases and injuries therefore proper care and monitoring is essential.

Regular vaccination is very important to the development and health of your stock. Other things to watch out for are predators and poisonous plants.

Equipment on Sheep Farm

You need basic equipment to run your sheep farmer. Some equipment’s are buckets, troughs, closeouts, collars, halters, leads including trimming stand and vaccination. Others are bells, collars, hay feeder, clippers, stanchions, heaters and milking stands.

Sheep Products

Sheep farmers need to find other sources of income in addition to sheep wool. Farmers sell sheep meat, sheep skin and tallow.

Sheep skin is a very valuable product used in many industries. The skin is used to produce clothing’s, bags, carpets and footwear.

Other products obtained from sheep are cosmetics, pulp material for paper, and sausage casting. 
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Alpaca Farming: Starting an Alpaca Farm

Alpaca is a domesticated animal reared for meat and hair. A distant relation of the camel they are known to grow luxurious winter coat-fibers.

The fibers are soft, durable and water resistant. Farming the animal is relatively stress- free except certain health, medical or food challenges.

To grow Alpaca you need a large expanse of land, fence and breeding stock. It is advisable to learn all you can about the exotic animal before venturing into the business.

Learn about the animal’s reproductive cycle, birth rate, feeding habits and growth rate. If the focus of your enterprise is to harvest fiber you need to patiently buildup your stock.

A moderate sized farm could have 100 alpaca residents for wool production. The business is highly regulated by governments and there are strict laws guiding importation. Major countries that farm alpaca are Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Ecuador.

Why start an Alpaca farm

Alpaca farming is very lucrative based on the different products made from the fiber. The business is done as a hobby, large or small scale.

You can start the business with a few animals and gradually scale up the enterprise. To start the business you need to acquire knowledge about the animal.

 Other things to consider are finance, location, physical structures, medication and purchasing parent stock.

Alpaca Products

Alpaca products are durable and long lasting. They are usually high quality items woven into various fashion items, clothing or home products.

The fiber is soft, has a natural luster and comes in a wide range of colors. The fabric has great absorbent quality, and non inflammable. Other features are elasticity, strength and durability.

The large collection of quality products includes footwear, handbags, totes purses, hats and hand bags. More items made from alpaca fiber are jackets, mittens, gloves, sweaters, scarves, shawls and toys.

Equipment

Apart from building a barn or parameter fencing you need a few equipment's to run your farm. You might need alpaca halters, head collars, lope ropes, birthing kit. Others are colostrums,  foot care, first aid kit, and shears.

Sourcing Alpaca

Things to look out for before buying your alpaca are fertility, ability to lactate and easy birth. Focus on the breeder of choice program and methodology.

Request a certificate of mating and pregnancy confirmation. Others are husbandry records, history of sire and the temperament of the animal.

Find out if the breeder has a comprehensive after sales service. Make sure the animal passes a veterinary inspection test.

Once you have acquired the alpaca the breeder should provide a alpaca pedigree certificate to the new owner.

Challenges

The major challenge is the few herds available for sale. The relatively slow growth rate adversely affects the number of domesticated Alpaca in farms.

 Compounding the problem is low reproduction and long pregnancy of one year. A female alpaca manages only one young a year. This further reducing the stocking rate and amount of female you can buy.

There are strict laws guiding importation of foreign stock based on preserving the local wildlife from diseases.

Setting an Alpaca farm

You need to lease a property or purchase farm land. If you have adequate funding it is better to purchase the land.

You then need to build holding pens, shelters and barns. You can create an open field and build perimeter fencing.

Financials

Funding is needed to service fixed assets such as landed property, fencing and shelter. Other cost considerations are labor costs, purchasing the animal and equipment.

Some equipment’s you need are clippers, shears and halters. Secure bank loans and get insurance cover on animals. You also need a trade license, company registration and tax.

You can start with two animals and slowly develop your stock. The total investment should cover veterinary services, barn, fencing, feed and equipment.

Marketing

Fiber producers usually carry out the carding, spinning and weaving. This is not a hard and fast rule because the farmer can subcontract the spinning to another outfit.

Alpaca products attract high demand and patronage. You can sell your fabric to designers, cloth stores or textile firms.

Build a Website

 You can reach more customers by building a website and display goods and services. Offer visitors many choices, moderate prices and a shopping cart. Try free classified websites to sell your products.

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French Angora rabbit: How to Breed French Angora rabbit for Profit

The origins of French Angora rabbit could be traced back to mid 18^th century. The bundle of wool was believed to have originated from Turkish sailors in 1723. Famous for their long wool the domesticated rabbit has been farmed for hundreds of years.

There are basically eight breeds of Angora however only four are recognized. We have the Giant Angora rabbit, Satin Angora, English Angora and French Angora rabbit.

Others are Korean, Finnish, St Lucian, German Angora and Chinese breeds. The rabbit’s major characteristics are the long down coat and large size. The fiber is totally distinct from mohair obtained from Angora goats or cashmere.

The Halo-fullness of the silky textured fiber produces light premium wool. The premium wool costs about $15 per ounce and comes in white, black brown or grey.

 Breeders remove the long wool through combing, plucking or shearing. In humid temperatures the wool felt easily yet retains the most fullness and warmth than many fibers.

French Angora rabbit

French angora rabbits differ in placement of wool and are large cuddly mammals. They are the second largest breed after the giant angora.

Weighing between 8 to 10 pounds the French angora’s origin is closer in ancestor to the original Angora rabbit. They are easily recognized by the high quality guard hairs and small tufts on the tip of its ears.

The straight long hair feels coarse to touch and easier to groom. The higher percentage of guard hair makes it easier to groom and spin yarn.

Another distinct feature that characterizes the rabbit is two coats of guard hair and wool. The lifespan of French Angora rabbits is 6-10 years in ideal conditions.

Angora rabbits suffer from wool block a serious condition that causes clogging of the digestive tracts. The rabbit has a habit of ingesting the wool which gets logged.

Commercial Value

The French Angora rabbit is commercially farmed in many countries. The oval shaped rabbit is bred for meat and wool.

The major breeder is China and there are over 300,000 angora rabbits farmed around the world. The wool is highly priced and attracts premium price per ounce.

However in recent years there are major concerns pertaining to the harvesting methodology of some commercial farmers.

Angora Breeds

The four major breeds as classified by the angora breed association as English, French, giant and satin. The beautiful satin breed was derived through cross breeding.

Satin angora is a mix between the French angora and satin. The rabbit is characterized by its semi-transparent high quality sheen wool that reflects light.

It is easy to groom and lacks feet, face and ear furnishing similar to its French ancestors. The wool has a good luster, silky texture and stronger that other breeds. ARBA approved varieties are self, pointed white, wide and agouti and they generally weigh about 4kg.

Giant Angora

The largest among the rabbit is the giant angora. Weighing at an impressive 6kg it has huge commercial value.

The giants coat consists of 3 types of wool the awn hair, awn fluff and under-wool. Giant Angora rabbit has furnishing on ears and face and resembles the German angora.

The 6-class animal is commercially viable because the wool grows 9cm in 3 months. The giant is prolific at producing wool that is harvested every 90 days. The wavy wool has a gentle shin, strong and soft to touch.

French Angora Temperament and Maintenance

Most angora rabbits display a gentle temperament. French breed are mellow, easy to handle however require regular grooming.

 To maintain the rabbit you need to clip the wool at least thrice yearly.  Clip toenails two times a month and apply regular brushing to prevent clumps.

 Farmers use blowers to clean the hair strands and maintain a nice shin. Other care involves fiber rich diet and proper monitoring to prevent wool block.

Major health concerns involves wool block, lack of urination, poor feeding and lethargy. Regular check by a veterinary doctor is essential to the well-being of the animal.

French Angora rabbit Care

French Angora rabbit care involves raising the rabbits, feeding and health requirements. Others are breeding the rabbit and the type of feed needed for rapid growth.

Cages

You can grow angora indoors or outside in cages or pens. Buy ready made cages or build your own and makes sure the cages are durable, easy to clean.

Rabbit feces are full of harmful bacteria including a strong ammonia stench. Therefore proper cage and maintenance is imperative.

Build the cage with wire mesh and Keep them separate in each cage. Out door cages should have a good roof and the cage elevated from the ground. This is done to prevent predators and insects attacking your rodent. To prevent stained or matted wool keep the cage clean.

Feeding

Feed the mammal rabbit pellets rich in protein and timothy hay. Make sure you provide adequate water including papaya, carrots, bananas and broccoli. They need at least 13 percent fiber in their diet.

Grooming

Grooming equipment include scissors, wire brushes and combs. Remove loose hair and brush once every three days.

You also need blowers, clippers and brushes. Harvesting is done every 90 days depending on the type of rabbit you farm.

Harvesting is done through pulling, trimming to remove fibers. Expert groomers take about an hour to remove the wool from each rabbit.

There are international standards and laws guiding grooming practices. Wool block is a serious problem that clogs the digestive system in angora rabbits.

 Signs of ingestion are loss of appetite and rapid weight loss. Early detection and prevention are the best ways to deal with wool block. The highest grade wool is plucked from the upper sides and back of the rabbit.

Setting the rabbit Farm

To setup the farm register the business name and incorporate the business. Secure bank loans and a trade license. Follow health and environmental provisions guiding the business. You can lease or purchase suitable farmland and build cages. Find a good source for your rabbits and stock rabbit feed.

Other things to consider are working tools, high labor cost. Before embarking on the project write a business plan and carryout a feasibility study.

Study fast changing international prices and competitors. You need to develop a good marketing strategy to reach potential customers.

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How to Start a Small Meat Processing Business

Meat processing, storage and distribution are highly regulated by governments. The business is carried out small scale and large scale.

Processing plants needs to pass strict hygiene and environmental inspection and certification. The main advantage of processed meat is increased shelf life through packaging, preservation and heat treatment.

To start your meat processing business every aspect of the process is important. You need to understand the basics, hire a consultant and follow fast changing trends.

The type of equipment depends on your funding and business template. Equipment's used in meat processing companies are manual, semi-automated and fully automated machinery.

Process Meat Products

Processed meat products are salted and ingredients are added to improve taste. They are processed raw, cooked, filled in casting.

Some meat products are raw, cooked or cured. Therefore meat is processed raw, canned, dried, fermented, precooked and cured.

There are many products meat processing companies make. The production process is slightly different depending on the product.

Processed meat goes through cutting, grinding, stuffing and packaging. Meat products include sausages, hotdogs, ham, and canned beef.

The different meat products depend on the processing technology and methodology used to achieve a finished product. Meat goes through curing, cooking, pre-cooking fermentation and drying.

Freshly processed meat products are made into hamburgers, sausage and nuggets. Cured meat pieces are made into raw ham, raw cured beef.

Precooked products include mortadella, lyoner and meat loaf. Raw fermented sausage produce salami while dried meat is made into beef jerky and meat floss.

A List of Processed Meat Products

There are different meat products based on the method used in processing the product. Here are a list of meat products based on the technology and function.

Dried Meat Products

Dried meat goes through dehydration, lean meat are stripped of fat cut and dried. Some dried meats are biltong, and meat floss.

Raw Fermented Meat and Precooked Meat

A list of raw fermented meat is raw fermented sausage, and Naem. Precooked meat products are liver pate, corned beef, and blood sausage.

Raw meat includes hotdogs, sausage, and meat loaf while cured meats are cured raw ham, and other cured meat products.

Packaging of Meat Products

The main purpose of packaging meat is to avoid contaminants such as dirt, micro-organisms, and toxic substances. Packaging enhances the products taste, aroma and preservation.

 Other methods used to increase shelf life are heat treatment, sterilization processes and refrigeration.  Common packaging material is synthetic polythene and canning.

The synthetic material should have an outer and inner layer. This is needed to create a good barrier against oxygen and evaporation.

The synthetic material you choose should be low cost, easily sealed, a good barrier and oil resistant. Other properties include flexibility, light weight, odorless, resistant to different temperatures including mechanical strength.

More packaging material self serve tray, single layer film, and multi-layer film. Others are vacuum bags, molded bottom film vacuum packs, modified atmosphere packaging and skin packaging.

Packaging Material

Modified atmosphere packaging

Skin packaging

Vacuum

Multiplayer film

Single layer film

Polyethylene

Equipment used to Process Meat

The meat processing company is at liberty to purchase large or small machinery. The production, packaging and output depend on the type of machinery and capacity.

Some basic machinery used in meat processing plants is sausage linker, meat grinder, electric or hydraulic sausage stuffer. More equipment’s are meat mixer, automatic rapid patty maker, vacuum sealer, hydrator, easy slider and dehydrator.

List of Equipment

Dehydrator

Mixer

Electric meat grinder

Grinder

Vacuum seal

Sausage linker

Sausage stuffer

A Simple Production Facility

The cleanliness of the meat production facility is mandatory.  A very high level of personal hygiene and safety equipment is important.

The range of products determines the type of equipment installed in your facility. Majority of the equipment are either manually operated or powered by electricity.

The production facility should have a processing table, shelf and kitchen equipment. You need weight equipment, provide proper drainage system. Install the equipment you need and have cleaning disinfectants.

Marketing the Meat Product

Your product needs to pass the national food and drug certification including environmental protection and sanitation laws.

Employ branding and register your business enterprise. Use advertisements in print and electronic media to reach customers.

Produce high quality products and employ sales agents. Offer discounts, bulk purchase orders and coupons.

Buy the proper machinery and secure trade license, funding and local government permits. Other things needed are ideal location and good packaging materials.

Sell your products to supermarkets, grocery stores and malls. Discus with other meat shops in your area for supply deals.

You need a good marketing strategy to sell your products. You need to keep abreast of fluctuating prices and market trends. Chicken Farming Business

Meat Processing Business Plan: How to Write a Meat Processing Business Plan

There are a large number of meat farms in comparison to meat processing companies. The large disparity is due to serious regulatory laws governing meat processing business.

Meat processing is market driven, capital intensive and goes through regular inspection. Small business owners need to write a meat processing business plan before launching their enterprise.

The plan should include type of product and service. Others are marketing plan, growth potential, storage, distribution and permits.

Things to consider are plant size, equipment, company structure and estimated costs. Develop a financial plan to cover property, equipment, livestock and labor costs.

Executive Summary

Your processing plant should pass regulatory permits guiding meat processing. The meats of choice are livestock animals such as cattle, goat, and chicken.

 The plant core function is manufacture of processed meat such as beef, pork, and lamb. The plant design should accommodate equipment and meat processing.

The work schedule involves packaging, cooking, cutting, and trimming. Other functions are curing, grinding and filling.

The location

The choice of factory location should be assessable by vehicular transportation. Facilities in the plan include water treatment unit, electricity, water and large septic system.

Factor total cost of meat processing including, working and fixed capital. Predict three year financial model based on revenue, net income, sales and equity.

Secure funding through bank loans and properly manage expenses. Important considerations are quality of product, health safety issues, and customer’s preferences.

Marketing

The target markets are wholesalers and retailers in your community.  Meat processing plants also sell to distributors and private individuals.

Marketing involves printing of flyers, posters, banners and signboards. You can take out advertisement in local newspapers and magazines.

You need proper packaging, branding and labels. Develop a marketing strategy and a marketing budget.

Product and Services

The products manufacture in your factory depends on your business focus. Meat processing plants produce pork sausage, pork bacon and beef jerky.

Other products are chicken nuggets, pork ham, beef snacks. The manufacturing process involves cutting, curing, grinding and packaging.

Labor

A small meat processing company needs about 3 to 4 staff. The job description involves harvesting and dressing the carcasses.

The capacity of the plant depends on equipment and proficiency of the workers. Storage is through refrigeration and freeze trucks for distribution.

Labor expenses involve direct plant workers and casual labor. You need a plant manager, accountant, clerk and quality control officer.

Fixed Expenses

Total variable fixed expenses are for electricity, supplies, gas, water, and insurance. More expenses revolve around pest control, license, repair and maintenance. Make sure you have a monthly income statement.

Byproducts from Meat Processing Plants

Meat processing plants produce huge quantities of waste and byproducts. The waste products include blood, inedible offal, bone and fat.

The product constitutes a secondary source of income and has many disposal challenges. Hides are sold to leather manufacturers and shoe makers.

While edible offal’s are used to manufacture animal feeds and dog food. Blood poses a health hazard and needs proper disposal and management.

Disposal methods are incineration, composting and subcontracting the waste management. You need an effective waste water treatment system and access to huge quantity of water.

Meat Processing Permits

Permits involve handling, sanitation and waste management. Regular inspection is expected throughout the year.

You need to apply for a trade permit and insurance cover. Incorporate the business as a limited liability company or sole proprietorship business. You need proper animal handling including good facilities.

Plant Overview

The plan should have a harvesting room, carcass drip cooler and carcass aging cooler. You need a cutting room, storage facility, blast freezer, spice room and supply room. Other structures are office block and maintenance room.

Meat Plant Equipments

The equipment that is found in meat processing plants are too numerous. They cover implements used for harvesting, coolers, fabrication and further processing.  Others are packaging equipment, general plant equipment and shipping.

Harvesting Equipment

Common equipment’s are beef cradle, hog cradle, splitting saw and captive bolt stunner. You need sterilizers, electronic rail scale, plastic barrels, pressure pumps, offal cart, hydraulic lift, trolley rack and final rail.

Further Processing Equipment

Further processing equipment are weight scales, bacon slicer, vacuum tumbler, meat injectors and mixer. More are band saw, knife sharpener and grinders.

Packaging involves ice machine, box scale, vacuum packaging machine and freezer carts. You will find refrigerators, blood tank, pressure washer and pumps.

Fixed assets include land, buildings and equipment. For waste management build a commercial septic tank and drainage system.

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How to Start a Frozen Food Business

Frozen food is big business however the size of the enterprise depends on your business plan. Small scale frozen food business requires moderate funding.

The majority of the funds are for equipment such as freezers, lease payment and sourcing products. There are a vast majority of products to sell as frozen food such as livestock, consumables and seafood.

Other frozen food candidates are fruit juice, salads, and pizza. To start the business you need to choose the products you want to sell.

There are three categories of frozen food business. You have the frozen food distributors, frozen food producers and frozen food retailers. Once you have chosen a niche market you need to write a business plan, secure funding and purchase the right equipment.

How to Start a Frozen Food Business

Types of Frozen Food

Here is a list of different types of frozen food to consider. The food covers livestock, raw products and products that depreciate without freezing. Some common frozen foods are vegetables and animal products.

Beef

Chicken

Fish

Salads

Fruit juice

Dairy products

Seafood

Fish

Packaged meals

Carry out a Feasibility Study

Before you start make sure you write a business plan and carry out a feasibility study. You need to know the type of frozen food popular in your community.

The plan provides a business structure, mission and vision statement. It covers stocking, financing the business, marketing strategy and budgeting. You also factor type of equipment, labor costs and growth potential.

Frozen Food Producers

If you plan to produce and freeze your own food you need to cover certain provisions. Frozen food production is highly regulated and competitive.

 Farm food is required by law to provide information on source of produce, production and freezing method. The ingredients should be clearly stated and brand name certified.

Conditions of production are very important because they need to pass health and safety laws. The producer needs to purchase processing equipment, packaging equipment and own large freezers.

Frozen Food Delivery

Those interested in the delivery aspect need adequate transportation. You need refrigerated delivery truck, and cold rooms for storage.

 Other methods are through dispatch riders or open stores. You need to find different customers for your delivery business.

 Try supermarkets, grocery stores, food vendors, restaurants and hotels. Other viable customers are private individuals and caterers. There a full range of products to deliver so stock only popular fast moving products.
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Frozen Food Retailers

Frozen food retailers operate open stores to cater for individual shoppers. The outfits are usually small and fitted with weighing implements, packaging bags and freezers.

Fresh frozen food retailers stock food items such as fish, poultry, seafood and beef. Frozen food retailers need to study their competitors and follow customer preferences.

Financing the Frozen Food Business

Frozen food manufacturers need huge capital while distributors require moderate sums. Small retailers on the other hand can start the enterprise with as little as $3000.

Distributors need funds to buy deliver trucks and freezer warehousing. Manufacturer’s funds are tied to fixed assists such as equipment, storage facility and transportation. They also need money to purchase raw materials.

 All three sectors require leased property or shop space. You can apply for bank loans and tender a comprehensive business plan.

You also need fixed collateral and a guarantor. Other ways to raise funds is through target savings, sale of startup equity or finding a core investor.

You can try partnership agreements or seek funds through agricultural cooperative societies.

Food License

You need a food distribution license and other permits. Apply for a trade license and follow health department regulations.

 You are required to have a personal income tax number including insurance cover. Register your food processing or delivery service as a limited liability company. The frozen food retailer could use sole proprietorship registration.

Marketing

The section you operate determines your marketing strategy. Frozen food producers need wholesalers to move their products along. While retailers sell directly to individuals.

 Producers need attractive packaging, lots of promotions and franchisees. The retail store can use printed material such as posters, flyers, signboards and banners to attract patronage.

Build a Website

No matter which category you operate owning a website is important. The website should be search engine optimized and targeted to your local community.

Use Facebook advertisement and Google Adwords. Showcase your products through imagery, description and pricing. You can include a shopping cart to take online orders.

Conclusion

Please never operate a food business without the correct permits and licensing. To reduce costs try leasing equipment and property instead of outright purchase.

Focus on high quality unique products to compete favorably with established frozen food outlets

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Frozen Fish Business: How to Sell Frozen Fish for Profit

Frozen food stores primary function is to refrigerate the meat for later date sales. The business is very lucrative and they sell based on kilograms.

 Startup capital is low depending on the business format and size of your enterprise. Frozen fish sellers purchase stock directly from vessels or from fish wholesale markets. 

Another source includes major fish companies in your locality. Before launching your business you need to understand what it entails to sell frozen fish.

Determine the Type of Frozen Fish

The most important aspect of the business is determining the type of fish to sell. There are a huge variety of choices so making the right one is crucial to the success of your enterprise.

The best way is to focus on what people in you immediate community loves to eat. Although people have different tastes there are some choices that attract more patronage.

A good way is to select the three top fish favored by customers in your area. For example in my locality they love Titus, Mackerel, and Croaker fish.

Other types they favor are ladyfish, tilapia and catfish. Catfish are usually sold live while the others are sold frozen.

Stocking only popular fish is the best business strategy. This reduces the storage time and allows quicker turnover.

Source the Fish

As mentioned earlier you need to stock popular fish. Many frozen fish mongers buy directly from major distributors of frozen fish.

Others purchase their stock from fishermen. Secure a reliable source for your frozen fish supply. Once you have a major distributor or wholesaler the supply end is covered.

Things that Affect cost of Fish

The fish market is highly regulated and the product attracts tax. The frozen fish seller needs to factor tax, cost of transportation and refrigeration. You need to pay for utilities, equipment, leasing a property and labor costs.

Equipment

The main equipment you need is a high quality freezer. The freezer is the bedrock of the frozen fish business.

Purchase appropriate freezers and store only the same type of fish in one freezer. There is nothing wrong in putting them in the same freezer.

However the first suggestion provides faster and easier access to the product during a sale. Other equipments you need are weighing machine, sharp knives for cutting and packaging material.

Locating the Frozen Fish Business

The ideal location is close or within an open market. Another good location is beside a grocery store, restaurant or supermarket. The location should be visible and have lots of foot and vehicular traffic.

Funding the Enterprise

You need moderate funds to start a frozen food business. You can source funds from cooperative societies or micro finance banks. Why not try to save judicious through target saving or borrow money from friends and family.

Market

You need moderate marketing to sell your fish. Since your business is community based print media is the best choice.

 Create big signage boards, flyers, billboards and handbills. Print complementary cards, brochures and banners for maximum visibility. You don’t need newspaper advertisement because that will be overkill.

Website Building

If you are inclined to build a website it should be targeted to your locality. Frozen food is perishable and hardly stands extensive transportation or movement.

Focus your business on local markets, individuals and food related businesses. Frozen fish prices are also regulated to accommodate uniformity in prices.

Make sure your prices are competitive and your frozen fish fresh. Avoid long storage periods or defrosted fish.

Labor

A small frozen fish enterprise needs a maximum of two members of staff. The staffs are basically sale personnel who handle purchase orders.

Frozen fish business does not require serious skills. The knowledge you need revolves around inventory, purchase and sales.

Registration

Register the frozen fish business as a sole proprietorship. Then obtain a trade license and tax cover. Make sure your frozen fish conforms to health department safety protocols concerning food items.How to start a Frozen Food Business

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