In Nigeria, shawarma business, like many other snacks businesses, is easy to start. Preparing a shawarma is easy because it requires little skill and simple ingredients. This business is lucrative because shawarma is always in high demand. Also, not very many people go into the business, this gives more opportunities for the few doing it.
But how can you start your own shawarma business in Nigeria? This article will guide you on the steps to take. You are going to learn the following from this article.
- How to start your own shawarma business
- How much it will cost to start up a shawarma business in Nigeria.
- The equipment you will need to start a shawarma business
- How to succeed in shawarma business
How to Start Your Own Shawarma Business
Shawarma business is a very lucrative snacks business because of its demand from both old and young. You can go home with a profit of twenty to thirty thousand Naira daily. So, it is important to know how to start your own shawarma business. To start your shawarma business do the following:
Learn How to Make Shawarma
It is wise to learn how to make shawarma before venturing into the business. It takes some skill and effort to make a delicious shawarma. So, taking your time to learn the process will make you stand out.
Apart from learning how to make shawarma you should also learn how to package it. No matter how good you are at making shawarma, if your packing fails you will hardly succeed in the business.
Take your time to learn the business. It may take you between one to two months to learn the business. But if you are a fast learner, two to three weeks of learning is enough. If you are ready to start and you don’t want to go through the learning process, employ someone that is experienced in making shawarma. You can easily learn through your employee.
Also Read: Why You Should Be Careful of Where You Buy Shawarma
Get the Needed Capital
After learning how to make shawarma the next thing is to get your capital ready. This could be your personal savings, loan from family or friends. But, don’t try to get a loan that will require you to pay interest because you are new to the business. You can get a loan from financial institutions in the future for expansion purposes.
You will need money to set up your location. Either you are renting a shop, building a container or constructing a shawarma stand you will need capital to start with. Also money is needed to buy shawarma making equipment and ingredients.
Get a Good Location
Location is key to all snacks business. It is highly recommended to cite your shawarma business in a busy place. It can be in a commercial center, busy junction, supermarket premises, big churches, higher institutions premises or surroundings, estates or developing cities.
Your choice location should be visible and accessible to your prospective customers. You can approach bars and event centers that are not into shawarma business, speak with them and set up your business near them. For starters with little capital you don’t need much space, a stand is enough to start with.
How Much It Cost to Start Up a Shawarma Business in Nigeria
The beauty part of this shawarma business is that you can start from your kitchen if you are a student or house wife. With less than fifty thousand naira you can start a shawarma business from your kitchen. But you will need more capital if you set it up in a location. Budget around five hundred to one million naira for this.
Your start up cost is determined by how you intend to start. You have three options when starting out. It is either you rent a shop, buy or build a container or set up a shawarma stand. But of the three options a shawarma stand is the cheapest. It is also easy to move when the need arises.
The cost of making a shawarma stand is cheaper comprare to renting a shop or building a container space. If you are just starting out it is advisable to go for a shawarma stand to cut your start up cost. After setting up your location you will need to buy shawarma making equipment and ingredients.
The Equipment and ingredients you will need to Start a Shawarma Business
Below are the list of the equipment needed to start a shawarma selling business;
- Shawarma toaster
- Frying pan and pots
- Oven
- Deep freezer
- Deep fryer
- Show glass
- Apron
- Insect killer
- Electric or gas cooker
- Umbrella or tent (if you are using shawarma stand)
- Sound system
- Bowls and cutleries
- Cleaning tools
- Fire extinguisher (incase there’s fire outbreak)
The following are the ingredients used in making Shawarma;
- Shawarma bread
- Chicken breasts
- Chicken thigh or beef
- Tortilla wraps or pita bread
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Vegetable or olive oil for frying
Also Read: 7 Marketing Strategies for Your Baking Business in Nigeria
How to Succeed in Shawarma Business
Once you have your shawarma stand or shop set up and ready to serve your customer the next thing is to advertise your shawarma business so that people will know what you have to offer. Apart from doing banners and flyers to create awareness of your brand you can make use of social media platforms like instagram, Facebook, etc. to promote your shawarma brand.
Some factors that that can attracts customers to your shawarma business are:
Taste
Focus on how you shawarma taste by doing something different from your competitors in the business. Do what others didn’t or can’t do. This will make you become top of the market and draw more customers to your shawarma business.
Presentation and Packaging
Present your shawarma in the most attractive way you can because it is not only about taste. Sometimes people don’t just buy things mainly because of taste or interest. They are mostly attracted by the packaging and how the shawarma is presented.
Hygiene
Some people don’t joke about hygiene. So be cautious of your surroundings when you are doing shawarma because a dirty environment can scare away customers even if you packaged your shawarma well with good taste.
Price of Shawarma
Focus on making your shawarma one of the affordable around to attract more buyers. Study the price of your competitors. Don’t make your shawarma too cheap because this can make people assume that your snack is not good enough. Be moderate with your pricing because you can scare away customers if it is too expensive.
Also Read: 13 Basic Equipment for Setting Up a Baking Business in Nigeria
Conclusion
Starting a shawarma business can be a profitable. But you have to approach it with careful planning and the right equipment. Your small shawarma stand or outlet can become one big shawarma parlor if you specialize in a classic and unbeatable taste.
