How to open your own dumpling making business. How to start a dumpling business at home. Comparative analysis of the cost of dumpling machines

Despite its prevalence, the production of dumplings at home as a business does not lose its relevance. There are several reasons, and they are all understandable: the dish is filling, quick to prepare and very tasty. Everyone loves dumplings, especially with sour cream, but not everyone has the patience to make them after a hard day or on the weekend.

Advantages of a home business

When engaging in this type of business, you don’t need to immediately dream of huge incomes. Every personal business, and not just making dumplings at home, goes through the following difficult stages:

search for start-up capital;
search for places of sale;
developing your own handwriting;
accumulation of financial reserves for further development.

And only when all the stages have been completed, if the owners remain true to their goals, the business begins to generate stable and even considerable income.

One of the significant advantages of producing dumplings at home is that the costs in the first stages will be limited to several thousand. This, in turn, allows you to save significantly at the stage of developing your business.

The main thing is to find the very recipe that potential customers will really like, and when you start making a delicious dish, even with a strong desire, do not skimp on ingredients.

After all, what is the reason that, seeing a huge amount of factory-made products on the shelves, buyers are looking for analogues made at home? Large manufacturers, undergoing enormous competition, spend a large amount of money on advertising, colorful packaging, are forced to purchase advanced equipment and maintain a staff of people involved in more than just sculpting.

And, as always, the costs are compensated either by a very high price, unjustified from the point of view of the average person, or by the quality of the product: reducing the volume of minced meat, the amount of meat, the use of soy and other little tricks. The result is the absence of a base of regular customers: only casual buyers purchase a product that lacks in taste.

How to start a dumpling business from scratch

To create your own business, you don’t have to work yourself: you can involve your household members in the business. Wife, children, and other family members dreaming of the delights of home-based earnings and improving their financial condition will happily get to work as soon as they understand its promise.

What do you need to purchase to start a dumpling business from scratch? First of all, products, because other components necessary for kneading, rolling and storage are already in every home.

Initially, it is necessary to clarify a few points:

At first, when trying to attract buyers, you should not inflate the price too much: a premium of 15–20% is enough. Over time, when the situation gets stronger, prices can be raised by about 50%.

Search for sales locations

When the first tests for finding a recipe have been passed, in other words, the recipes have been tried and the most delicious ones have been selected by the family council during the tasting process, you can start looking for places where your dumplings can be sold. Of course, you need to take your own performance into account here.

You can sell homemade dumplings as a product of your own business in the form of semi-finished products, which can be accepted for sale at various retail outlets located not far from home:

factory canteen, plant, office;
grocery kiosk;
in a small station cafe;
large store.

Organizing your own mini-workshop will require:

hiring people who will need to be paid monthly;
development of branded packaging and its order;
renting premises of suitable size;
Availability of a vehicle for product delivery.

The costs are huge. The only consolation is that dumplings, like bread, belong to products that do not have a seasonal focus. Everyone consumes them all the time.

When looking for people for your own mini-workshop, it is preferable to choose those who have already worked in this area and know how and love to handle products. If a small production is equipped with the necessary automation, and its productivity is from 80 to 200 kg, then for uninterrupted operation it is enough to ensure the presence of five people. It is much more profitable to work with family members, continuing to develop the business with them.

Profit will only be maximum when all participants in the home-based business are aimed at success. And it doesn’t matter whether the business has grown or remains at the level of a home enterprise: the main thing is to feel financial independence and be able to realize self-realization.

Production of dumplings. Dumpling machine: Video

Semi-finished products are in high demand among the population of large cities, whose residents do not have free time for cooking. Among semi-finished products, various types of dumplings and dumplings received well-deserved recognition from the audience. Easy preparation, lack of large investments and stable consumer demand make the business of selling dumplings quite promising. Opening your own workshop allows you to get regular profits and quickly recoup the invested capital. In this article, we propose to consider the production of dumplings as a business and study all aspects of the production process.

The market segment of frozen semi-finished products, in particular dumplings, is very promising

Analysis of the selected segment

Dumplings have received the status of a national dish, which is in demand among various segments of the population. This dish is not only nutritious, but also healthy. The dumpling production business has high profitability due to stable demand among customers and relevance in any season. It should also be noted that there is high competition in this segment. Today, more than a hundred different business entities are registered in Russia, producing their own semi-finished products.

In order to enter this business, you need to carefully study each competitor. You should carefully read the product promotion strategy they have chosen and learn about all the advantages and disadvantages. This step will allow you to enter the market with minimal loss of capital. Every person wants to receive high-quality products at a low cost. However, modern market offers do not meet consumer demands. Many entrepreneurs, wanting to reduce production costs, use low-quality raw materials or meat substitutes. This move could lead to the loss of half of potential buyers.

At the stage of creating a business plan, you need to familiarize yourself with the products offered by competitors. Experts recommend purchasing several dozen different types of semi-finished products in order to become familiar with their advantages and disadvantages. Particular attention should be paid not only to the taste and quality of semi-finished products, but also to packaging. In order to create a competent business plan, it is necessary to study the chosen business from all sides.

Workshop organization

A business plan for the production of dumplings should include information on the organization of the workshop. The production workshop is the heart of this business, so this issue should be approached with increased responsibility. Renting a workshop in the central area can result in a waste of money. Since all efforts will be devoted specifically to production, it is recommended to choose a premises located on the outskirts of the city. Since the entrepreneur will need to organize his own delivery service for finished products to retail outlets, the location of the workshop itself is of minimal importance for the business.

Dumplings are an integral part of Russian culture, which makes them a sought-after product.

It is very important that the selected property meets all the requirements of regulatory authorities. The lack of basic utilities can result in large fines from the sanitary and epidemiological station. According to established rules, the room where semi-finished products will be sculpted must be equipped with ventilation and heating. In addition, it is necessary to install high-quality lighting fixtures and install plumbing. It should also be noted that the walls of the workshop should be tiled.

As practice shows, a room with an area of no more than eighty square meters is sufficient to organize a workshop. Experts recommend renting property located in rural areas. Thus, the entrepreneur will have the opportunity to negotiate with local farmers on the supply of fresh raw materials at a low cost. In addition, this step will save money on wages for employees, since wages in rural areas are much lower.

Purchase of equipment

A business plan for a dumpling shop must necessarily contain calculations of a financial model for future production. This section should indicate the method of manufacturing semi-finished products and the level of financial resources required to implement the selected model. Today there are two main options for organizing a business:

Manual production of semi-finished products. When choosing this method, you should be prepared for low production capacity. Despite this fact, handmade products are valued much higher among buyers.
Machine for making dumplings. With the choice of this method of implementing a business project, the level of initial investment increases several times. It is also worth noting the increase in productivity by ten times compared to manual modeling.

Automation of this process allows you to increase the volume of products. In addition, an automated workshop requires a minimum number of personnel to operate the line. By spending a large amount on the purchase of various production equipment, an entrepreneur has the opportunity to reduce the cost item due to a decrease in the size of the tax base. In addition, due to high production capacity, the rate of return on investment increases several times.

The key link in drawing up a business plan is a description of direct production, from which calculations will be based in the future

The minimum set of production equipment required to start a business includes a dough sifting machine, a dough sheeter, an industrial meat grinder and a minced meat mixing machine. In addition, you will need to purchase special forms. The workshop will need to install special freezers where finished products will be stored. The entrepreneur will also need to invest his own capital in the purchase and installation of a packaging line.

The heart of the workshop is the dumpling making machine, which is used to form the dumplings. The volume of products produced depends on the quality and functionality of this unit. Cheap machines can produce about fifty kilograms of blanks within an hour. With the purchase of a modern molding machine, production speed can increase sixfold. Experts in the business in question recommend purchasing Russian or Chinese-made production equipment. Due to the low cost and high quality of these devices, the payback period for a business is reduced several times.

Purchasing raw materials, selecting personnel and organizing delivery

High-quality raw materials allow us to produce products that will receive well-deserved attention from the consumer audience. To prepare dumplings, minced meat mixed with spices and onions is used. Next, the meat piece is wrapped in dough and sent for freezing.

First you need to decide on the type of meat that will be used in production. As practice shows, products made from chicken, beef and pork are in high demand. When preparing the preparations, chicken eggs, various spices, lard, milk, distilled water and premium flour are used. It should be separately noted that the chosen technology for preparing food products must strictly comply with all the requirements of regulatory authorities.

Next we should move on to the issue of personnel selection. When organizing a dumpling business, you will need to create a team of five people who will be involved in the production process. When organizing an industrial workshop that produces products in large volumes, a staff of twenty workers will be required. Experts recommend gradually increasing production capacity. At the initial stage, it is best to create a small workshop and develop an initial customer base.

The mini-workshop requires three people to service the machine that makes dumplings. One person should be responsible for packaging finished products and transporting blanks to freezers. The fifth person must take on the responsibilities of a manager, purchasing raw materials and concluding contracts with retail outlets. Every worker involved in the production of food products must have a sanitary book. Failure to obtain this document from employees may result in large fines.

The issue related to the delivery of workpieces to retail outlets deserves special attention. Beginners often make the mistake of purchasing their own vehicles and hiring drivers. This approach significantly increases the initial cost item. The optimal solution to this issue would be to conclude an agreement with a courier service. Only when this business begins to generate stable profits can you think about purchasing specialized vehicles. As a rule, special vans that can hold about one ton of frozen products are used to transport semi-finished products.

The recipe for dumplings must comply with GOST standards or separately adopted specifications

Marketing policy

To implement a business plan, you will need to develop the right marketing campaign, which will allow you to introduce your products to the market within a short period of time. The name chosen for the brand is of particular importance in marketing.. Quite often, to promote products, marketers focus on the naturalness of their products. According to experts, in order to increase the reach of the consumer audience, it will be necessary to divide the products into three categories:

Economy class. The consumers of these products will be students, small private dumpling shops and people with low incomes.
Medium quality. Products that have an affordable price and high quality.
Elite products. In the production of these semi-finished products, it is necessary to use high-quality and expensive raw materials. Particular attention should be paid to developing beautiful packaging.

Dividing the product range allows us to reach a wide range of consumer audiences and take a leading position in the regional market. You should use various advertising tools to promote your products.. Advertising on social networks, print media, banners, and outdoor advertising can increase sales. In addition, it is recommended to contact several large retail outlets in order to conclude a cooperation agreement.

Business payback period

Before talking about business profitability, you should pay special attention to possible risks. The main risks include breakdown of the production line, illness of employees and the wrong choice of advertising strategy. All these factors influence sales volumes and the amount of revenue received. When drawing up a business plan, you should take these factors into account and develop a behavior strategy in advance.

Let's look at the cost of organizing a business and the payback period for an enterprise when opening a dumpling shop with an area of seventy square meters. With a team of five people, such a workshop can produce about seven hundred kilograms of blanks during the day.

For an official enterprise, registration with the tax authorities is required

The cost item associated with opening a workshop is as follows:

Dumpling production equipment and packaging line– 500,000 rubles.
Development of a marketing strategy – 30 000.
Business registration- about 20,000.
Carrying out repair work – 50 000.
Rent and utility payments– 50,000 (monthly).
Remuneration of personnel– 80,000 (monthly).
Purchase of raw materials– 350,000 (monthly).

The total costs are about 1,200,000 rubles. This amount is enough for two months of stable operation of the workshop. The approximate revenue level is about six hundred thousand. The net profit of the workshop owner is 100,000 rubles. The return on investment varies from eight to twelve months. This business is suitable for men who have experience in the manufacturing business, since the owner of such an enterprise needs to control the entire production process.

In contact with

Total: 26 units, 8 suppliers, prices from 15,000 to 720,200 rubles.

Dumpling equipment is intended for the preparation of frozen semi-finished products - dumplings, manti, ravioli, etc. It is installed at meat processing enterprises of various capacities and ensures compliance with the full production cycle of this type of product, from the processes of preparing minced meat and kneading dough to freezing and packaging.

Preparation of dumplings consists of the following production cycle:

Kneading the dough
Grinding of raw materials (meat, onions),
Stirring the minced meat
Modeling,
Freezing
Package
Storage

Purpose

The subject of production is dumplings.

Raw materials

The main raw materials for the production of dumplings are:

with 29-30% gluten content;
pork, beef, poultry;
chicken eggs or their substitutes: melange, egg powder;
milk or water;
bulb onions;
salt, spices.

Required equipment

The following types of technological equipment are involved in the dumpling production process:

meat grinder;
mince mixer;
sifter;
dough mixing machine;
dumpling machine;
low temperature refrigeration chamber;
packaging machine;
medium temperature refrigeration chamber.

Each of the listed types of technological equipment has distinctive features that should be taken into account when technically equipping the workshop.

Meat grinders

Meat grinders (meat grinding machines) are used to produce minced meat. Manufacturers of meat grinders offer models in tabletop and floor-mounted versions, powered by an electric drive.

When choosing a model for a dumpling shop, it is recommended to pay attention to the performance of the machine - it must ensure uninterrupted processing of the raw materials necessary for the production of products. In addition, it is desirable to have a “Reverse” function, which allows you to get rid of tendons and films wrapped around the auger, as well as stuck large pieces of meat, without specially stopping the meat grinder and disassembling it. The presence of a safety ring on the loading cup will significantly reduce the risk of injury to personnel.

Comparative analysis of the cost of meat grinders

	Option 1	Option 2
Name	GASTROMIX MG-12
Performance
Cost, rub.
Note		Thanks to the use of a worm gearbox, energy consumption is significantly reduced (savings up to 40%)

As can be seen from the information presented in the table, the cost of meat grinders is directly related to their productivity. The minimum price of industrial meat grinders is from 9 thousand rubles, which is most suitable for small enterprises. The maximum cost may exceed 564 thousand rubles, but such meat grinders, due to their power, are more advisable to purchase for large-scale production.

Meat mixers

Minced meat mixers are designed for mixing all the ingredients included in the minced meat into a homogeneous mass. The duration of one production cycle should not exceed 1 minute, otherwise the fat will separate from the meat and the minced meat will become dry, which contributes to a significant deterioration in the quality of the finished product.

The machines are produced in tabletop and floor-standing versions, with mechanical and electric drives. For a dumpling shop, it is recommended to choose electric minced meat mixers with the function of different mixing directions, since they are the ones who ensure the production of minced meat of the required quality and consistency. An important aspect is the presence of a safety grill in the working chamber, which minimizes the risk of injury to personnel.

Comparative analysis of the cost of minced meat mixers

	Option 1	Option 3
Name	STARFOOD BX 35A	MAINCA RM-150
Performance
Cost, rub.
Note		Have double mixing direction

The information presented in the table indicates that the cost of minced meat mixes is directly dependent on their productivity. The lower price threshold is in the range of 47-48 thousand rubles. For this price you can purchase machines with a productivity of 150-250 kg/h, which have different volumes of working chambers: from 30 to 50 liters and are an excellent option for small businesses. High-performance minced meat mixers priced from 435 thousand rubles. are more suitable for large productions with a wide range of minced semi-finished meat products.

Screeners

Sifters are devices designed for sifting flour in order to remove foreign impurities from it and saturate the air with oxygen. Depending on the design, they can be vibrating or screw, table-top or floor-mounted, and equipped with replaceable sieves with different cell sizes.

For a small dumpling shop, it is recommended to choose tabletop vibrating sifters, as they have fairly high productivity and, due to their compactness, can significantly save space in the room. It is advisable to give preference to models equipped with magnetic traps that can attract metal impurities that enter the flour during grinding and are unsafe for human health.

Comparative analysis of the cost of sifters

	Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
Name
Performance
Cost, rub.
Note			Equipped with a magnetic trap to remove metal impurities

As can be seen from the information presented in the table, the cost of this type of equipment primarily depends on the manufacturer. Screeners from Russian companies, while not inferior in performance to foreign analogues, have a cost that is an order of magnitude lower. The minimum price of a machine processing 150 kg/h is in the region of 20-21 thousand rubles, which is an excellent option for small enterprises. High-performance models are more often used in the baking industry.

Dough mixing machines

During the production of dumplings, dough mixing machines are used to prepare stiff dough. The prepared raw material is placed in a bowl, where it is mixed to a homogeneous consistency using appropriately shaped blades - hook-shaped, Z-shaped or spiral-shaped. Available in tabletop and floor-standing versions.

When choosing a dough mixer, you should pay attention to its ability to prepare stiff dough - the machines used in confectionery shops do not have enough power and may not cope with the task. It is better to give preference to a floor-standing model with replaceable sliding bowls equipped with safety grilles or shields - this will ensure an uninterrupted process of preparing products and reduce the risk of injury to personnel.

Comparative analysis of the cost of dough mixing machines

	Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
Name	Pavlovsky OMZ Ya-16 SHCH-3		EFFEDUE SRTM 300 SUPREME
Performance
Cost, rub.
Note		Kneading lever simulates manual kneading	Automatic, equipped with two motors and heavy-duty parts

As can be seen from the information presented in the table, the cost of this type of equipment is tied to its performance. For a minimum cost of around 43 thousand rubles, you can purchase a Russian-made dough mixer that prepares up to 260 kg of dough per hour, which fully satisfies the needs of a small enterprise. Automatic programmable machines with a price of over 974 thousand rubles. designed for large industrial enterprises.

Dumpling machines

Dumpling machines are designed for forming dumplings. The models presented on the technological equipment market make it possible to prepare products of various shapes: “crescent”, including those with a scallop along the edge, “pad”, etc.

When choosing this type of equipment, you should pay attention to the presence in the basic configuration of replaceable frames, on which the variety of forms of manufactured products depends - in their absence, an additional purchase will be required, and therefore additional costs. An important aspect is the functionality of the dumpling machine: the presence of functions for regulating the size of dumplings, the speed of filling and the thickness of the dough.

Comparative analysis of the cost of dumpling machines

	Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
Name	STARFOOD 1647003
Performance
Cost, rub.
Note	Adjustable dough thickness and filling weight	Possibility of producing 18 types of products	Managed by two operators

As can be seen from the information presented in the table, the cost of dumpling machines depends on their performance and functionality. The minimum cost of this type of equipment is within 60 thousand rubles, however, the production output is low - from 70 kg/h. For small enterprises, a Chinese-made device in the middle price category (about 80 thousand rubles), producing up to 160 kg of dumplings per hour, would be a good option. The devices are expensive - from 750 thousand rubles. often purchased for large enterprises.

Low temperature cold rooms

Formed dumplings are frozen in low-temperature refrigeration chambers at a temperature of about -18o C. There are conveyor quick-freezing units that have high productivity, but it is not practical to use them in small enterprises.

Packing machines

Packaging machines and semi-automatic machines are designed for filling and packing frozen products into fully or translucent polypropylene bags with a branded pattern of the dumplings manufacturer.

When choosing equipment for a dumpling shop, it is recommended to give preference to automatic packaging devices - they do not require human presence during operation and have a wider range of functions: they can print the production date, have the ability to program weight, work with various types of films, and are equipped with replaceable dispensers for several product categories .

Comparative analysis of the cost of dumpling packaging machines

	Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
Name	Automatic machine for filling and packaging dumplings (“Donskaya upakovka”)	U-03-01 (“MAKIZ”)	FAS-200D-NN ("UpakProm")
Performance	up to 7 packs/min	up to 7 packs/min	up to 24 packs/min
Cost, rub.
Note	Two-stage, equipped with a thermal printer	Two-stage, equipped with a dater, photosensor, and encoder.	Pneumatic drawing of film 500 mm wide is used

As can be seen from the information presented in the table, the cost of packaging equipment depends on functionality and performance. The simplest machines with a minimum set of options can be purchased for 142 thousand rubles. Small businesses are better off focusing on equipment in the mid-price category (from 450 thousand rubles) - it has a productivity of about 7 packs/min, which is quite acceptable for them, and has all the necessary functionality. It is advisable to use more expensive machines in large industries.

Medium temperature cold rooms

Medium-temperature refrigeration chambers are used for short-term storage of raw materials included in the dumpling recipe. When equipping a workshop, care should be taken to ensure that their volume corresponds to the volume of low-temperature chambers.

Technological cycle

Technological cycle of dumplings production

Premises and communications

The dumpling production workshop must meet the following requirements:

Indoor temperature
Humidity
Water supply	A centralized water supply is required. The quality of drinking water must comply with GOST R 51232-98. Hot water is supplied to all sinks, showers, washing and production baths, the temperature is not lower than 65o C.
Sewerage	Wastewater must be discharged into a system of centralized sewerage facilities. Installation of sewer risers in the production workshop is not allowed.
Power line power
Mains voltage

Making dumplings is one of the activities of meat processing industries, therefore this area of activity is regulated by the relevant regulatory documentation: Sanitary rules and regulations, Construction codes and regulations, as well as current GOSTs. Compliance with their requirements guarantees the release of high-quality products that are safe for consumers.

Normative documents

GOST R 51232-98 “DRINKING WATER. General requirements for the organization
and quality control methods"
“Sanitary and veterinary requirements for the design of meat industry enterprises”

“Need an idea for a profitable business or family business?”

I offer my business plan for the production of dumplings:

Where to start

To begin with, you should decide on the room where you first want to open a workshop, place the equipment and people who will control and complement the work process. The main thing is to have a production permit from the sanitary-epidemiological station, specifications for the product being manufactured.

Please note that obtaining technical specifications is not as easy as it seems at first glance. The product must be manufactured in several versions and submitted to experts for testing. Only after their satisfactory assessment will you receive technical specifications for the production process and only after that you will be able to begin work.

What should a room (workshop) for the production of dumplings look like?:

First of all, there must be a good ventilation and fire protection system; the walls must be lined with tiles or other easily washable coatings. The room can be located either above ground or underground. It is important that it complies with acceptable sanitary and fire standards. Ideally, it would be profitable to rent a ready-made space, or buy it at a favorable price. The first option is more economical (no repair costs required); ventilation and fire protection systems are already in place. Perhaps minor expenses will be required to re-equip the production of dumplings, and perhaps it will be necessary to make cosmetic repairs. The area required for your workshop is approximately 60-80 square meters. These sizes are quite enough to install dough mixers, meat grinders and cutting tables, 3-4 refrigerators for the finished product and initial raw materials. You also need to provide a sink, a shower (with cold and hot water), and a toilet for staff.

In any food production, including the production of dumplings, you cannot do without a technologist (at least for the first time). His responsibilities include: monitoring the standards of specifications for the products that are being manufactured. We need 3-4 employees with a chef's education in their competence to control and purchase, as well as prepare the filling and produce dumplings. It is permissible to entrust one of them with the packaging process, he must cope with the work of the packaging machine or do it manually, in this case, a sheet with the composition of the product and the date of packaging must be inserted into the package with dumplings; you can put the date and composition on the package itself with ready-made dumplings. The staff must have health certificates and undergo regular medical examinations - this is in your interests in the first place, the slightest consumer complaint and your dumpling production line will be closed for an unlimited amount of time. These are colossal fines and running around with sanctions. Neatness and cleanliness of both workers and the dumpling production workshop, first of all (this is your face and reputation).

To implement a business plan for the production of dumplings, an average of $3 thousand is needed, the main amount will be spent on equipment ($2.5 thousand) and rent ($350) of premises per month. A peculiarity of the dumplings business is the growth of sales and turnover almost immediately after the start of production. Therefore, we can make a preliminary total calculation: the average cost of a pack of dumplings is from 25 to 40 UAH. When the cost comes out to about $2.5 per kilogram. The result is obvious - 100% payback (this includes transportation of products) and staff salaries. The dumpling business begins to make a profit almost from the moment it is launched.

You should think carefully about the transportation service for your products. It is advisable to hire a driver with a “transporter” type vehicle and agree on his shift schedule (possibly combined night or evening shifts). It will deliver your products to the required distribution points. And with such a work schedule, it won’t be at all difficult to find him.

Advertising and marketing ploy

Choose easy-to-remember, unique names for your dumplings. If you have difficulties, use the “crowd option”. Call 5-6 people and give them a task, at this time write down everything they say and choose what you liked most. Try to get into all the supermarkets and shops in your city (for starters), then you can go around the region when your dumpling production line is stable. Conclude agreements for the sale of your products. It is worth taking into account wholesale bases supplying semi-finished products. You can rent several outlets in local markets to sell your products (a good option to promote your products) to the masses. Since market sellers are talkative, the sale will be relaxed and unobtrusive, as if by itself, and you won’t have to spend money on additional advertising. The quality of your dumplings is the key to your success, and word spreads among the masses quite quickly. An effective way and no cash costs.

Estimated estimate for dumpling business. You should carefully calculate the monetary limit. The first is the purchase of equipment for the production of dumplings ($3 thousand), prices vary greatly (the cost depends on the country of origin, European ones are even more expensive). Second advertising - here it’s easier for you to determine the amount of your expenses. And now the monthly cash requirement:

* rent of your premises ($700);

* consumables ($1000) dough and minced meat;

* wages, utility bills, equipment maintenance ($1.5 thousand).

Expected monthly income - about 7 thousand $

Expected monthly profit - $3 thousand

Payback is achieved within 6-8 months of continuous production. The proposed calculations are based on 500kg. dumplings produced per day. You also need to take into account the current situation, how you have established sales of your products, how many workers you have (and whether you have them), how productive and stable production is; in general, you can safely add another 2-3 months.

It is possible to start a dumpling business at home

It is certainly beneficial to open your own dumpling business at home; you do not need to spend money on renting premises or purchasing equipment for the production of dumplings. But you also need permission from the sanitary and epidemic station and the presence of sanitary books for you and everyone who will work with you, technical specifications. Do not neglect the established standards, an inspection will definitely come to your home, if they are not satisfied with your home production standards, you will be fined or banned from working at all.

Buyers' preference is much higher for the production of dumplings at home and hand-made. Here you will benefit. Although the cost is significantly higher than with mechanized production.

To prepare minced meat, you need to purchase an industrial meat grinder, refrigerators for storing food and a freezer for ready-made dumplings. It’s up to you to decide how you will package them, but be sure to indicate the production date. You can also add variety to your products, what spices to add to the minced meat, what type of meat they will be made from, or it will be a combination of several types of meat, or one type. The main thing is that the minced meat is not dry and very juicy (then you can expand your skills by making ravioli, khinkali, dumplings). In any case, it is important that the minced meat is fresh and homogeneous; it is not recommended to add a soy product, your income will depend on this. You can also try the dough in several versions. If you doubt the quality and taste of your products, try to try what you send for sale; this is your reputation in the market. And the very last question and an important one.

What documents are needed to produce dumplings?

Of course, it is advisable to obtain documentation from the SanEpidemStation and PotrebNadzor. Necessary list of documents needed for the production of dumplings:

Hygienic conclusion of the SES;
Technical specifications agreed and registered (TU);
Technical instructions (TI);
Permission from the veterinary service;
Recipe;

Do not doubt your abilities, if you are determined to start your business plan, just go forward, no matter what others tell you.

Dumplings are one of the most popular dishes in our country, and their production is a fairly profitable business. It would seem that all the niches in the manufacture of these products are occupied, and with the current competition it is impossible to break into the market with a new brand. Is there a chance of success in the dumpling business? Where to start and how to beat your competitors? Our next interlocutor will answer all these questions.

Reconomica I talked to a dumpling manufacturer who, with a limited budget and in a short period of time, managed to conquer part of the market in his city. A young entrepreneur from Astrakhan began his career from the very bottom, working as a loader at the grocery market, and currently occupies a worthy place among manufacturers working for quality.

The businessman told us his success story, and revealed to us some secrets, what things should be paid attention to when choosing frozen semi-finished products (and many other interesting things about the quality of products on the Russian food market). Readers will also have the opportunity to take an inside look at the production of dumplings, which for some will be a discovery, and for others this information will shock.

There is nothing to do in business without experience working with your hands! Where did I start

Greetings to all. My name is Marat, I am 27 years old and I live in Astrakhan. I am engaged in the production of frozen instant food products. My products are of high quality and affordable prices.

This is how my career began.

In this article I will tell you how I managed to go from an ordinary loader to an entrepreneur who owns a small production workshop equipped with the most modern equipment. Currently I employ 8 people who are happy with their workplace.

I started as a loader, and I’m not ashamed of it!

He began his career at the local city market, as a simple loader. I came back from the army, there was no work, and I decided to temporarily work as a loader. I loaded everything, from cereals to meat. This profession did not look very prestigious, but I earned my thousand and a half a day. Often I had to stay for night loadings, and this was additional income. Little by little I got involved in this business, and I even began to manage to save some money.

I worked as a loader for a little over a year. I did not draw up employment contracts with the market administration, but negotiated directly with entrepreneurs. I worked for several retail outlets at the same time. It was hard, but I always managed. I also worked for two trade pavilions selling meat.

From loaders to cutters

One day, the owner of one of the meat pavilions called me and asked me to come quickly. It turned out that on the eve of the May holidays, her hewer fell ill with another bout of drunkenness and did not go to work. This often happens in trading. She asked me to chop the meat, since there was a line at the counter and there was no one to work.

I’ve tried chopping meat before, but I’ve never been able to do it at this pace. Buyers demanded to let them go. I had to put aside doubts and just do the work. I started a new job in my life - chopping meat.

The first cuts I made were uneven, but within two hours I got the hang of it, stopped dropping the ax and the meat from my hands, and something even started to work out.

The first day of working as a hewer pleasantly surprised me

Since the meat was good, and there were many buyers on this pre-holiday day, all four carcasses were sold before the evening.

Evening came, the meat was sold, the counters were empty, and it was time to pay for my work. The fact is that a meat chopper receives 7 rubles for each kilogram chopped. I ground four carcasses, and the total weight was 465 kilograms. The salary per day was 3225 rubles. This is more than good. Of course, I was very tired that day, my hands hurt from being unaccustomed to it, but it was worth it.

So I decided on my future profession - working with meat products

Then I firmly decided to learn how to chop and cut up meat. I began to often replace hewers at different points and earn more. On normal days, less meat was sold from the point, about 100 to 150 kilograms, but at the same time I could serve several retail outlets at once. My income on the market began to consistently exceed 2,000 rubles a day, given that I could go home after three o’clock in the afternoon.

Gradually I turned into a professional hewer. The meat business sucked me in completely, and I even started my own small business. I studied market life very well, and knew exactly where to buy, when and how to sell meat. All I had to do was open my own store.

The meat outlet at the city market is my first business.

First steps in the meat business

To rent a retail space and a refrigerator, I needed documents, and I... It cost me 3,500 rubles. The sanitary record and some other papers cost another 2,700 rubles. The necessary equipment - a cart, a cutting block, an ax and scales - cost me another 16,000 rubles. I purchased all the equipment used.

I tried to work so that I wouldn't have any problems

Renting a retail space at the market cost 6,000 rubles, and renting a small refrigerator cost another 3,000 rubles per month. Accounting services cost another 4,000 rubles per quarter. Deductions ranged from 6,000 to 8,000 per quarter.

For tax reporting, I did not miss a large amount of goods, and approximately deducted no more than 10,000 rubles per quarter. Everyone is trying to avoid taxes. Tax audits are rare, and they are mainly carried out based on customer complaints, or when someone snitches on a competitor. I tried to work in such a way that I would not have any problems.

My first business was relatively successful. I tried to sell at least 100 kilograms of meat a day and my earnings were 3,000 rubles for such sales. I specialized in selling beef. The retail markup for this meat is 30 - 50 rubles per kilogram (in our region, at least). I cut and sold myself, so I saved on hiring a seller and a cutter. Moreover, I also served neighboring points and received additional income from them. Things progressed, the business developed, and I made new acquaintances.

I noticed someone else's business and began to analyze it

One day I met the so-called dumpling makers. This was a caste of entrepreneurs who produced dumplings. These dumpling makers bought meat every day for their products. But not tenderloin, as many might think, but the cheapest thing on the market.

The horrors of our town

For some, this will be a revelation, but on Astrakhan shelves, and in other cities, I think, too, dumplings made from meat waste are sold.

No matter how scary it may sound, the filling includes exactly what is not sold on the counter, gets weathered and loses its presentation. The filling of dumplings includes such “delicacies” as head meat, flank meat, films, everything that is not sold from the counter for several days and is discounted due to the fact that it may go to waste.

Poor quality dumplings flood store shelves.

If these people are given free rein, they will put whatever they want in dumplings.

But this is not the worst thing. The worst people are butchers who try to deceive dumpling makers and sell them already spoiled meat, having first washed it with potassium permanganate to remove the smell. These tricks very often work, and inexpensive store-bought dumplings turn out to be something that, according to all sanitary standards, should be in the trash.

What you need to know about semi-finished meat products. A short excursion into large productions

And I’m even afraid to imagine what’s going on at those enterprises where food chemicals are used. Meat can be replaced there with another substance. This is widely practiced in the food industry, and it is easy to prove it by comparing the price of sausage or frankfurters with the purchase price of meat.

Raw materials cannot be cheaper than the final product. If the price of sausage, sausages or cutlets is lower than the price of meat, then you need to be prepared for the fact that you eat toilet paper mixed with pork skins and flavor enhancers. And for information, I’ll also say: if the sausage is chicken or with poultry meat, this does not mean at all that the bird will be deboned and the meat separated from the bones before being processed into minced meat. This procedure is expensive. It is easier for the manufacturer to turn minced meat into paste using triple distillation through an industrial meat grinder. This explains the presence of a paste-like substance in dumplings instead of meat.

But our dumpling makers do not use chemicals - due to their lack of education, but simply sweep away everything that should soon be disposed of.

Planning a new business. Business plan for a dumplings production enterprise

I watched dumpling producers for a very long time and tried to calculate their benefits. Their dumplings were sold in the middle price segment and ranked behind those sold in large chain stores.

If we think about it (and call a spade a spade), then the online dumplings have paste-like chemicals instead of filling, and those sold under the guise of homemade ones still contain meat, of course, the worst, but still meat.

Homemade dumplings not because they are made with love, but because there is no equipment

These dumplings are called homemade because they are made by hand by people from Central Asia. This is also beneficial for the employer; he saves on the purchase of expensive equipment, and hand-made dumplings can be passed off as homemade dumplings.

This state of affairs is the case in almost all mini-workshops at the local level. The quality of the products leaves much to be desired. Maybe entrepreneurs are happy to produce high-quality products and be proud of them, but sometimes a bad product, by default, suits everyone - manufacturers and end consumers.

Logical inference

Having found out enough information, I began to think about expanding my business. I reasoned like this: I have meat suppliers, a refrigerator for storing meat products and a distribution point. I could buy raw materials cheaper and of acceptable quality. I will not have any waste, because I could sell all the residual production products from my point. The profitability of such workshops ranged from 30 to 70%. I could maintain this profitability, but significantly improve product quality by being able to purchase raw materials directly.

I set about writing a short business plan and this is what came out of it.

The dumpling machine is the main unit in my workshop.

Cost of equipment for a dumpling shop. Specific numbers

Necessary equipment:

Gazelle with a used thermal booth – 160,000 rubles.
Dumpling machine JGL-120 – 130,000 rubles.
Professional meat grinder, capacity 100 kg. per hour – 32,000 rubles.
Dough mixer for hard dough brand L4-HTV, capacity 60 kg. per hour – 84,800 rubles.
Freezer POZIS FV 115, 4 units. – 60,000 rubles.
Refrigerator compartment – 22,000 rubles.
Blast freezing chamber, equipment with installation – 110,000 rubles.
Stainless steel tables – 4 units. – 14,000 rubles.
Cutting tables and other equipment – 15,000 rubles.
Sinks, plumbing, etc. – 13,000 rubles.
Electronic scales, large and small – 19,000 rubles.
Other expenses, furniture, cabinets, changing rooms - 20,000 rubles.
Video surveillance system – 44,000 rubles.
Repair and equipment of the premises to bring it into proper sanitary condition - 150,000 rubles.

I calculated the amount that I planned to spend on renovating the premises for an area of 150 square meters. This included tiling, plastering in places where it was needed, and painting walls and ceilings with water-based paint.

The amount of one-time expenses amounted to 873,000 rubles. This is a normal amount, since several dumpling shops were sold in the region, and their price tag exceeded 1,000,000 rubles.

True, I didn’t have a filling and packaging machine, but I decided that I didn’t need one yet. The fact is that registering a trademark costs about 400,000 rubles, and I couldn’t afford it yet.

Good staff is half the success of an enterprise

Next, we had to focus on planning the staff of workers necessary for the normal functioning of the dumpling shop. My highlight was that I decided to hire a technologist who would understand the task at hand. And the task was this: to maintain the quality of the products at a consistently high level at all times.

As an experienced butcher, I know that all meat products appearing on the market are popular because the manufacturer does his job conscientiously at the initial stage of production.

A good team is half the success.

You should never let the work of the workshop take its course!

In general, the entire food business is very simple. If the product is edible and tasty, then people will take it. It will be taken as long as the manufacturer controls the entire technological process and the product remains of stable quality. Nobody wants to experiment with food. If a person likes a product once and does not let him down again, then this product will always be sold until the quality deteriorates.

It would seem that this is an idyll, and nothing can stop you from making money, but practice shows otherwise. When production starts flowing, other factors intervene - .

If, for example, 500 kilograms of meat are processed on a working day, and 50 of it is stolen by workers, this means that the dumplings will have a 10% underweight of filling. The buyer will immediately feel this. If the required number of eggs is not added to the dough mixer, then instead of broth in the pan, the buyer will have an adhesive liquid, and such dumplings cannot be added to the soup.

A good dough should be yellowish in color. This means that it is involved in technology.

After such incidents, sales will always fall.

Therefore, a person responsible for output products is necessary in production. Many people make the mistake of appointing one of the workers responsible for the production process. A simple worker, even the best one, will not cope with this responsibility.

I tried to form a staff according to all the rules of good production

Technologist, who is also the production manager – 35,000 rubles.
Driver – forwarder – 20,000 rubles.
Meat deboner, minced meat procurer – 23,000 rubles.
Dough preparer – 23,000 rubles.
Procurer of onions and carrots for minced meat, laborer – 18,000 rubles.
Dumpling machine operator – 26,000 rubles.
Packer - 18,000 rubles.
Accountant – 22,000 rubles.

The amount of monthly expenses was supposed to be 185,000 rubles. To this amount was added the rent for the premises of 20,000 rubles per month. Total, to start the project, with the first monthly payment, the amount was 1,078,000 rubles, excluding the cost of electricity and other expenses. The amount is quite serious, and if I were an investor who did not know this business, I would have thought about it, but I had already worked with meat products for several years and knew exactly what I could do.

A little about the profitability of the production of dumplings and semi-finished meat products

Ideally, the profitability of fresh frozen products ranges from 30 to 70%. For the normal functioning of the dumpling shop, I needed to produce at least 600 kg. dumplings a day. This amounted to 12,600 kilograms of product per month, taking into account a five-day working week.

The raw material cost of a kilogram of dumplings using my technology is 146 rubles - taking into account the use of first-grade beef and pork. Another 2 rubles per kilogram was spent on packaging and labeling. Sales wholesale cost of a pack of dumplings weighing 0.5 kg. was 90 rubles. It turns out that from a kilogram of dumplings, I had a profit of 34 rubles. It was dirty profit, and they also had to pay wages.

How much of the proceeds remains net profit?

If the entire monthly batch is fully sold, the profit should be 428,000 rubles. Since the calculation was made based on the raw material cost of the product, all that remained from this amount was to pay wages to the workers, which amounted to 185,000 rubles monthly, and taxes, transportation costs, rent and electricity were also paid from it. Additional expenses were added by about 60,000 rubles monthly.

By my calculations, a dumpling shop should bring in between 150 and 180 thousand rubles. This is a good result, because the workshop should work autonomously, without my participation. My participation should only be in the first six months of the workshop’s operation, and then the staff should also include two sales representatives to sell products and expand the distribution network.

Launch of dumpling production

After all the calculations, I decided to organize a business. It took me two months to do this. I decided to open the workshop in October. At this time, the vegetable season is already ending, and good sales of meat products begin.

As planned, the workshop, equipped with equipment and staff of workers, was ready to open.

About marketing - how to find sales for new products

I started worrying about sales early on. I visited many stores and retail chains in order to negotiate the sale of products. There was only one offer for sellers - they would receive goods that would not sit on the shelves, and the price of the products would be the same as that of other entrepreneurs. Many agreed to these conditions and decided to purchase a trial batch.

First batch of products

The opening day arrived, the equipment was tested, and production began. On the first day we produced 350 kg. dumplings. There were several stoppages during the production process due to equipment adjustments.

On the second day we already reached the working target of 600 kg. This was the daily norm, and there was no need to exceed it. Almost a ton of product has accumulated in freezers.

Delivery of goods and waiting for orders

I stopped production for several days to distribute goods and wait for the first orders from stores. I delivered the first batch to more than 25 stores. Almost all the goods had to be distributed for sale. An agonizing wait ensued.

I was confident in my product, because, in addition to the good quality of the dumplings, cooking spices were added to each package. It looked attractive and was also very convenient for the buyer. This packaging method was suggested by the production technologist. This, of course, resulted in certain costs, but also gave an advantage over competitors.

A quality product is the key to the success of any business.

As I expected, almost all the stores placed orders for the product. Production was resumed and began to operate as planned.

The start of a new business went without surprises

Everything turned out just as I planned. My experience in the market helped me start earning money right away. I knew everything about my competitors and used all the accumulated knowledge against them.

Expansion of production

For more successful sales and to eliminate the distribution of goods to stores, I decided to rent a retail outlet at a food wholesale center. This step required additional investments of 90,000 rubles. This money was needed to purchase chest freezers and the necessary equipment.

I raised the plan to 800 kilograms per work shift. This was almost the maximum power of the unit.

Sales also came close to these indicators.

It's simple in food production

After three months of work, the whole city knew my dumplings. This has become quite a popular product. I’ll tell you a little secret of my success - by producing products you either make money right away or you don’t. If the product is tasty, it will immediately become popular, and therefore will immediately sell. It’s quite easy to make a name with good quality and an inexpensive price, but then it’s difficult to maintain this level. Buyers will not forgive if for some reason the product one day appears on the shelves in an inedible form.

What you should absolutely not do

If the product turns out to be defective - due to human factor, or due to equipment failure, then it is better to throw it away. You can’t be greedy in these moments and sell it at a discount.

Several times I took large quantities of dumplings to a dog shelter. This is very expensive, but it is better to lose 50,000 rubles once than the trust of customers.

Correct calculation - successful business

Now my business is stable. Product output is going according to plan, and sales are keeping pace with production. I increased the salaries of my employees, as the production plan increased, and consequently, the workload on the staff increased.

Now I’m thinking about acquiring a brand and entering other markets in the region.