How To Open a Grocery Store

Are you interested in opening a grocery store? This article will guide you through opening a grocery business, including the necessary legal steps. Learn about naming your business, choosing a business structure, promoting your store, and more.

Before becoming a grocery store owner, you should think about the costs and responsibilities involved. You should also consider the laws and regulations governing retail grocers.

A grocery store is a necessity for every community. People need ongoing access to nutritious, fresh food at a fair price. But, breaking into the grocery store industry can be challenging for even experienced small business owners.

On top of the business planning required for any small business, grocery store owners must also understand licensing requirements, advertising laws, health inspections, and more.

For more information and resources on small business ownership, see FindLaw's Starting a Business section.

1

Decide Whether to Franchise

Franchising options for grocery stores are limited. Most well-known grocery brands like Kroger, Walmart, and Trader Joe's are corporate-operated and don't offer franchising opportunities.

If you only want to franchise, consider opening a convenience store instead of a grocery business. Convenience store businesses that franchise include Circle K, 7-Eleven, and Piggly Wiggly.

Franchising vs. Starting From Scratch

There are many benefits to buying into a franchise rather than starting your grocery business from scratch. With a franchise, you operate under a well-known business name. This means an existing customer base probably knows and trusts the brand. The franchisor might also offer knowledge, advertising, and training.

To buy a franchise, you should ask your potential franchisor (the company) for a franchise agreement questionnaire. This will allow you to see their fee schedule and operating terms upfront.

The drawbacks of franchising are primarily financial. The initial buy-in costs can overwhelm a startup. The franchisor might also charge ongoing fees and royalties for the length of your business life under its agreement. You may also be unable to choose your location, design, and inventory if you go with a franchise.

Whether to franchise will come down to your budget and personal business preferences.

If you decide to franchise, you and the franchisor will sign a franchise agreement. This agreement forms a binding contract. It's a good idea to have an attorney review the contract. They can ensure that it reflects the terms you and the franchisor agree to.

2

Name Your Business

Creating a memorable business name for an independent grocery store is essential. Grocery retail can be a very competitive business. Your name should be memorable and easy to remember. It should convey the nature of your business and resonate with your target audience.

Think about how your business name sounds. Is it easy to pronounce? Also, imagine how it will look in print, like on your website and signage.

As you're coming up with names for your business, there are also a few legal considerations to keep in mind:

Before committing to a name, you should also ensure the domain name and social media handles are available.

If you decide to open a franchise, you can skip this step. A franchise operation operates under the franchisor's name.

3

Write Your Business Plan

It works best to write your business plan before you start your business. Forming a detailed business plan is crucial to any startup business's success. When the business is as complex as a grocery store, the business plan takes on additional importance.

Your grocery store business plan should address these critical areas:

  • Whether you will be an independent grocery store owner or buy a franchise
  • Your location
  • Your legal structure
  • A list of your business partners, if any
  • How you plan to fund your business
  • A summary of your startup costs
  • Market analysis and competitive analysis

The initial financial outline will depend on the business model you select. A franchise will be more expensive than an independent grocery store. All grocery stores must pay for real estate or rent to secure their location. You'll also have:

  • Labor costs
  • Insurance premiums
  • Inventory expenses
  • Other expenses

With an itemized list of your expenses, you'll be better able to determine your strategy toward profitability.

You also should include a description of what your store will carry. Consider whether you will have:

  • A bakery
  • Fresh meat or deli meat
  • Fresh seafood
  • Frozen foods
  • Magazines
  • Candy
  • Alcohol

The list of items your grocery store could sell is endless. Most of your product line will be obvious. Focus on the products your target market will care about and that will earn the highest profit.

Consider How You Will Get Inventory

Most grocery stores get the bulk of their stock from wholesale food distributors. You should request proposals from several distributors to secure the best prices and quality. Pay close attention to particular aspects of your supply chain, including logistics, inventory management, and storage.

If you plan to have a mini-grocery store with a modest volume, you can save on inventory by buying certain products from a big-box store like Sam's Club or Costco.

Consider How You Plan To Make a Profit

Profit margins in the grocery business are usually small. So, you will need to sell a high volume of products to break even. An average grocery store has a profit margin of around 2%. The margins for specialty grocers and organic food stores are usually higher.

Although prepared foods have higher profit margins, fresh produce and deli foods are also essential. As you plan your pricing, you should be aware of price gouging laws in your area. Ensure that you don't raise your prices during a state of emergency.

4

Write a Marketing Plan

A good marketing strategy is key to a successful business plan. If opening a franchise, you will probably draw from an existing customer base who knows and trusts your brand.

If you're starting an independent grocery store, you will need to put in more effort to market your store and its products. Build a user-friendly website and establish a strong social media presence.

Consider hosting special events and classes to increase enthusiasm and cultivate a fun environment. Many customers enjoy a memorable grocery store experience as they pick up their essentials. Consider:

  • Cooking demonstrations
  • Product samples
  • Wine tastings
  • A coffee bar
  • In-store dining and free Wi-Fi
  • A meal kit service
  • Free snacks for kids shopping with their parents

Creative touches that set your store apart from the competition can help build a loyal customer base. You will have to differentiate your store's offerings, especially if you're opening in a saturated market.

E-commerce should also be a key element of your marketing plan. Consider creating an app for your store and offering online grocery ordering with delivery or pickup. Small and large grocers alike can partner with third-party delivery services like Shipt or Instacart.

There are laws you must know if leveraging e-commerce strategies. This includes protecting your customer's data and making sure your website is accessible.

Who Is Your Target Market?

Understanding your target market will help you build a successful grocery store. Most grocery stores cater to residents. But if you're in an area with a lot of tourism, your target market might include out-of-towners.

Tourists or other out-of-town potential customers will often look for healthy food that is easy to prepare and store in a hotel room. These could consist of products like:

  • Bottled drinks and smoothies
  • Fresh fruits
  • Cereals and snack bars
  • Microwaveable or ready-to-eat meals

Your market research should inform some of these product choices. For example, is your store close to an airport or several hotels?

Consider the demographics of your target audience as well. Age, income, lifestyle, and health preferences can all impact the types of products potential customers may want to find in your store.

What Is Your Niche?

For some grocery stores, the path to success could be discovering your niche. This could mean:

  • Focusing on natural and organic foods (like Whole Foods)
  • Having a mini supermarket or grab-and-go business model
  • Offering the lowest prices in town and focusing on budget-friendly items
  • Featuring local and artisanal products from your community
  • Selling culturally-specific and ethnic foods

Some customers are willing to pay a premium for imported foods from their home country.

With a comprehensive business plan and marketing strategy in hand, you can approach investors with confidence.

5

Fund Your Business

Grocery stores usually have high startup costs. So, most new grocery store businesses need outside financing of some sort. Most financing will come in the form of either debt or equity. With debt financing, like loans, you will not have to give up any portion of your business in exchange for the funds.

The benefit of equity financing is that you don't have to repay it like a loan. But equity financing dilutes your percentage ownership.

You can also investigate financing options from the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA offers a step-by-step process to help you find SBA-backed loans.

There are also limited opportunities for assistance and funding for rural independent grocery stores through rural grocery initiatives. These opportunities come and go. But if you want to open your store in a rural community, research whether such a program exists in your area.

To keep the limited liability protection of an LLC or corporation, you need to keep your business and personal finances separate. One way of doing this is through a business credit card. You should also get a bank account for your business. This prevents you from commingling your personal and business funds.

Get an Employer Identification Number

You will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to get a business bank account. You can apply for an EIN online at no cost through the IRS website. Watch out for commercial sites charging a fee for an EIN. Some of them look like the official IRS site.

6

Secure Your Commercial Location

If you're opening a franchise, the franchise agreement likely specifies the location.

For independent grocery stores, you must pick your location. Before deciding on a site for your storefront, do thorough research to ensure the community of your choice needs a new grocery store.

You should also ensure local zoning laws allow a grocery store before committing to a lease or mortgage.

7

Choose Your Legal Structure

You must choose the best type of business entity, or business structure, for your grocery store. The type of legal entity you choose for your store will determine liability, taxation, and recordkeeping. Most grocery stores structure as one of the following:

  • Sole proprietorship
  • Partnership
  • Corporation
  • Limited liability company (LLC)

Partnerships and sole proprietorships are the most straightforward business structures to set up. But corporations and LLCs offer distinct advantages. For example, both corporations and LLC structures protect you from personal liability. This means your personal assets aren't at risk should your business incur liabilities like debts or lawsuits.

Partnerships and sole proprietorships don't offer limited liability protection.

8

Secure the Proper Business Licenses

You should check with your local and state governments to determine what permits and licenses you need to open a grocery store. You will probably need:

  • A retail food establishment permit
  • A license to sell alcohol
  • Delivery permits (if you offer grocery delivery)
  • Permits from the department of health following an inspection

Licensing requirements vary by city and state. Contact your local agencies to see what your business needs.

9

Get Appropriate Business Insurance

In the grocery industry, it's imperative to have a comprehensive business insurance policy. Many commercial leases require businesses to carry general liability insurance.

Hopefully, your store will have lots of foot traffic. But this adds to the risk of a slip-and-fall accident. Ensure your insurance policy covers premises liability.

Your policy should also cover workers' compensation if an employee gets injured at work.

Investigate what business insurance you need Consider your store's risks and potential liabilities when determining appropriate coverage. When in doubt, reach out to an insurance agent to guide you.

10

Hire Staff and Open Your Doors

You will need to hire employees to stock shelves, operate the cash registers, and clean your store. Depending on your business plan, you might need other staff, including:

  • Baker
  • Deli and prepared foods staff
  • Meat department staff
  • Store manager and assistant manager

Depending on your store's niche, you may also need to fill specialty roles like floral design, catering, or wine or cheese specialists.

Having employees also comes with legal responsibilities and obligations. For example, you should conduct thorough interviews and background checks as part of the hiring process. You also must verify that your employees can legally work in the U.S.

Some laws restrict certain questions employers can ask during the interview process.

You also must follow all state and federal employment laws, like the Equal Pay Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Startup Costs To Expect for a Small Grocery Store

Commercial rent and necessary renovations will likely comprise most of your startup costs. Next will be equipment and fixtures. Plan on purchasing the following:

  • Refrigeration units for perishables, like walk-in coolers and freezers
  • Shelving, racks, and displays for merchandise
  • Point-of-sale (POS) technology
  • Shopping carts and baskets
  • Kitchen equipment (if offering prepared foods)

You will also need a sizeable inventory of products to sell.

You also must budget for marketing, hiring and payroll, insurance, and operational costs. Factor in legal fees if you get help from a business attorney.

Need More Help Starting Your Grocery Business? Talk to an Attorney

Opening a grocery store can be made easier with some professional help. Even experienced entrepreneurs have questions about insurance, liability, legal structure, or other legal aspects of starting a small business. Hiring a business attorney can alleviate some of these pressures.

Working with an attorney can help prevent costly legal problems in the future. It can also help contribute to the sustainable success of your new business. Contact a business organization attorney in your area to see how they can help you break into the retail food industry.

Or you can let our trusted partner LegalZoom handle your business formation filing for $99 plus filing fees.

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