As a microgreen producer, it is crucial that you know how much your greens are selling for in order to gauge whether or not they are yielding any return. When calculating this figure, take into account factors like growing costs (water and energy), production expenses (labour and materials), transportation fees and taxes as well as taxes payable – this may differ between growers but attempt to estimate these figures accurately so you can come up with a fair market price for your greens.
Once you have conducted market research and are aware of what other growers are charging for their greens, it’s time to experiment with your pricing strategies. Perhaps certain varieties of microgreens sell better than others or certain crops require more water or energy than others, or perhaps certain ones produce heavier leaves per ounce than others; by testing your product and finding suitable prices you can start building sustainable business practices that ensure long-term profitability.
Restaurant Sales
One of the easiest ways to sell microgreens is approaching local restaurants and trying to establish business relationships with them. Chefs in particular often look for locally produced, high-quality ingredients when creating small plates and salads; by selling your microgreens directly to restaurants you may be able to charge premium prices that allow you to make more money than selling directly through grocery stores or wholesalers.
To sell to restaurants successfully, it’s essential that you spend some time evaluating their menus and trying to gauge whether they would be open to adding your product. In addition, attending food-related events, farmers markets and networking meetings in your community is also beneficial as this provides an opportunity to quickly identify customers while building strong business connections.
As microgreens are still relatively new on the market, their prices may be more expensive than mature vegetables that have been around longer. If quality and consistency are your top priorities when pricing microgreens for restaurants, however, you could justify higher pricing points for microgreens.
Grocery Stores
More and more grocery stores are stocking microgreens in their produce sections, creating an ever-increasing demand. Although this marketing channel can be extremely competitive, once established relationships with grocery stores have proven that you can meet their required volumes it can become a great source of revenue.
Home Delivery
Urban farmers have found success offering home deliveries of microgreens to local communities as an efficient way to reach new customers while providing fresh, healthy produce that they may have not had access to before. Many home delivery services also prioritize sustainability by selling products in reusable containers or offering variety packs while minimizing product waste.