Selling sports nutrition: opening our own store. Sports nutrition business Business selling sports nutrition

The sports nutrition business does not require large investments and competition in this segment is still small. The demand for such goods increases by 20% every year; the main consumers are young people involved in strength sports.

Each of those who would like to open their own business asks the main question: how much will it cost? The most interesting business is one that requires minimal investment. This is understandable: making good money while taking minimal risks is the dream of any businessman.

Trade in sports nutrition is a relatively young type of business that requires very little investment. There is little competition in this market: the distribution of sports nutrition is mainly occupied by small online stores located in Moscow and the Moscow region. According to experts, the annual growth of the market volume is at least 20%.

Sports nutrition: description, composition, consumer groups

What is sports nutrition? In terms of chemical composition, it is an absolutely harmless concentrated mixture of proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids and minerals.

Most often, it comes in the form of powder, capsules or tablets. Sports nutrition is produced from natural products: eggs, meat, soy, milk, etc. The basis of sports nutrition is protein, which is the main source of energy for an athlete.

Experts determine the following optimal composition of sports nutrition and the cost of these products per month:

Protein mixtures for muscle growth – from 1,300 rubles.
Carbohydrates for recovery after high energy costs - from 800 rubles.
Creatine to increase strength and endurance – about 600 rubles.
L-carnitine for fat burning – about 600 rubles.
Complex of vitamins and minerals – about 600 rubles.

Consumers of sports nutrition are young people from 18 to 30 years old who are actively involved in strength sports, as well as professional athletes and individual age fans of various sports.

It is better to open a business selling sports nutrition in cities with a population of 100 thousand or more, where there are sports schools, fitness centers, boxing clubs, etc.

Several main ways to implement sports nutrition:

Organization of retail outlets in sports and recreation complexes, gyms, sports clubs, etc. In this case, the administration of these institutions can be involved in the implementation, interest them in a percentage of the profits.
Organization of small (5-7 sq. m.) specialized departments for the sale of sports nutrition in large shopping centers with a large number of potential buyers.
Organization of an online store for the sale of sports nutrition with home delivery of goods.

The choice of trading method will mainly determine the amount of investment in the business. In the case of organizing a sales department, costs consist of purchasing sales equipment, putting the outlet in order and purchasing goods. Most likely, this option will be the most expensive due to the need to constantly pay rent and wages to hired sellers.

Let us consider this option in more detail, since it is this option, despite the costs, that looks the most promising due to the potentially highest revenue.

Organization of a sports nutrition store:

Selecting a location

It would be optimal to locate a retail outlet in a large sporting goods store, a shopping center, on the territory of a large sports and fitness complex, club or gym.

The area of the rented retail space depends on the expected sales volume. There is no need to start immediately with a store or large department. At first, 5-7 square meters would be enough. m of retail space for one storefront with goods, and then, as demand grows, it would be possible to gradually expand the retail space.

Formation of assortment

The main assortment of the sports nutrition store consists of:

Proteins, creatine.
Products for ligaments and joints.
Fat burners.
Vitamins, minerals.
Amino acids.
Protein-carbohydrate mixtures (gainers).
Glutamine.

At least 100 thousand rubles must be spent on purchasing the necessary range of goods to start the store.

The assortment should include the main popular items that are in constant demand. As sales progress, you need to track items that are in high demand and increase the purchase of these items. To increase sales volumes of sports nutrition, consultations on this topic should be constantly carried out. Sports nutrition advertising should be a continuation of articles about a healthy lifestyle, the benefits of playing sports, etc.

The main task when organizing the sale of sports nutrition is concluding agreements with suppliers of quality products at low prices. When concluding contracts, it is necessary to assume that the retail trade margin is at least 50%.

An example here is the German company Milei, which supplies sports nutrition at low prices. In general, direct contacts with importers are the most profitable due to the minimum price. It can only be more profitable to deliver the goods yourself. At the lowest prices, the retail markup can range from 50 to 100%. Be sure to require quality certificates for each batch of goods.

Financial expenses

To begin with, registration of a business entity is required. An individual entrepreneur will cost 800 rubles, provided that you prepare the documents yourself. Retail equipment (racks, display cases) will cost approximately 50 thousand rubles.

Monthly expenses will be:

Rent of retail space is approximately 10 thousand rubles per month.
Purchase of goods – 100 thousand rubles.
The salary of a sales consultant is 12 thousand rubles.
Advertising – 8 thousand rubles.

Total: 130 thousand rubles.

It is clear from the expenses that if the purchased volume of goods is sold for 100 thousand rubles with a 50% markup, the profit will be 20 thousand rubles per month. To increase profitability you should:

Increase turnover
By increasing sales to 200 thousand per month, you can count on doubling your net profit, up to 40 thousand rubles.
Increase the markup (reduce the purchase price).
Reduce costs.

You can, for example, refuse the services of a sales consultant and trade on your own at first.

The business of opening a sports nutrition store is promising and has large reserves for development. It is better to start a business with a small sales department, gradually increasing turnover. The main thing in profitability is to find a supplier with minimum prices for goods with guaranteed high quality. Proper advertising is of great importance.

You should look for non-standard ways to work with clients. Income could be increased, for example, by the production and delivery of protein shakes to sports and fitness centers and sports clubs upon prior requests from clients.

Strength sports have gained great popularity recently. Many people lead a healthy lifestyle and regularly visit gyms to always be in excellent physical shape. It is known that sports nutrition plays an important role in achieving significant results in bodybuilding - natural ingredients that promote muscle gain, restoration of the body after heavy physical exercise and increased training efficiency.

For this reason, the number of consumers of special food additives increases every year, which means that the demand for products is growing. Beginning entrepreneurs who want to open a sports nutrition store from scratch should know about the prospects of this business, types of goods and the most popular positions, which will allow them to develop steadily and earn decent money.

How to open a sports nutrition store?

Beginner businessmen mistakenly believe that in order to achieve results in selling sports nutrition, they need to engage in weightlifting themselves and use similar products. Nevertheless, anyone can open their own sports nutrition store from scratch, having thoroughly understood the nuances of this activity. First of all, you need to decide on the most popular groups of food additives that are in greatest demand.

In Russia, there are quite a few specialized stores where athletes can purchase a full range of nutritional mixtures, so competition in this niche is currently insignificant. If we do not consider megacities, then in most settlements there are none at all, with the exception of small retail outlets where you can buy only the most famous brands of sports nutrition.

This fact forces athletes to order goods abroad from manufacturers or online stores, which entails the need to wait quite a long time for the order to be delivered. Therefore, selling sports nutrition through your own store is promising and profitable, because the buyer will purchase the necessary set of goods in one place, and he will not have to wait long for the supplements required for training.

Important: Most entrepreneurs sell sports nutrition mainly only from well-known foreign brands, since Russian analogues do not shine with quality and are not popular among “jocks”. The leaders in this industry are American and German manufacturers, whose products are beyond doubt among interested buyers.

Business registration

Any type of entrepreneurial activity, regardless of what the businessman will do (for example, he wants to open a candy store or a specialized center for the sale of sports nutrition), requires registration, for which you should contact the Federal Tax Service office at your place of residence and submit the appropriate documents. You can register your business as an LLC or individual entrepreneur. The first option is preferable, since the entrepreneur has the opportunity:

organize commercial activities simultaneously with several business partners;
collaborate with large organizations;
sell goods in large volumes.

Important: registering an enterprise as a legal entity minimizes risks in the event of bankruptcy. In this case, the businessman will not lose his own property, but will only give away funds in the amount of the authorized capital (10 thousand rubles) of the company.

However, if you plan to open a small store, the optimal solution would be an individual entrepreneur. This will make it possible to enjoy the profit of the enterprise practically without restrictions, without experiencing difficulties with the taxation system.

When registering a business, you need to decide on OKVED codes. The following are suitable for running a sports nutrition store:

47.64 – “Retail trade in sporting goods and equipment in specialized stores”;
47.29 – “Retail trade of other food products in specialized stores”;
47.29.39 – “Retail trade of other food products in specialized stores, not included in other groups.”

To open a store of sports nutritional supplements, you will need to obtain permission from Rospotrebnadzor, the fire inspectorate and the sanitary and epidemiological service. In addition, it is recommended to have valid contracts for rental premises, waste removal and security services. If you plan to open an online store, the above documents will not be useful.

Selection of premises

To attract a large number of potential customers to a sports nutrition store, you should find a suitable location for it. The optimal choice in this case would be areas near:

gyms;
fitness clubs;
shopping and entertainment centers;
sports complexes and stadiums.

It is also worth paying attention to the possibility of renting space in large stores that specialize in selling sporting goods. In this case, there will always be a lot of customers, since bodybuilders are their regular customers.

If you manage to rent space for a store in a fitness club or gym complex, you can reap double benefits. First of all, the store’s products will always bring stable and large profits. In addition, it is worth agreeing with the management of the establishment about the possibility of opening a bar selling protein shakes and soft drinks, which will bring additional income.

If you rent space in a shopping or sports complex, 10 m2 will be enough to start with, where you can easily place a large amount of goods. A stand-alone sports nutrition store can occupy an area of 30-40 m2. The cost of monthly rent will vary between 20-30 thousand rubles.

The premises should provide space for shelving and display cases, a warehouse and a small utility room for staff. The entrepreneur will not have to invest in expensive store renovations or develop a specific interior design. It will be enough to do cosmetic finishing, the cost of which will not exceed 30 thousand rubles. You can hang advertising posters of products, images of athletes and sports equipment on the walls. It is better to order these materials from sports nutrition suppliers with whom the entrepreneur will cooperate in the future.

Equipment purchase

What will you need to equip a sports nutrition store? Of course, a businessman will not have to invest a lot of money for this, unlike entrepreneurs who, for example, want to buy equipment for draft beer or the production of paving slabs. However, there are several nuances that need to be taken into account. First of all, you should buy glass counters so that they can be locked with a key.

Sports nutrition is a fairly expensive product that attracts thieves and other scammers who want to make money at someone else’s expense. For this reason, shelving and display cases should be closed to minimize the risk of theft. The cost of purchasing equipment for a small store will be:

closed glass showcase (counter) – 18 thousand rubles;
vertical metal rack – 15 thousand rubles;
sales stand (2 pcs.) – 25 thousand rubles;
cash register – 10 thousand rubles.

Total - the cost of purchasing equipment for a sports nutrition store will be 68 thousand rubles. If the store has a small warehouse, you can save on buying shelving by simply finding used equipment.

Purchasing goods

What do you need to know to choose the right products for your sports nutrition store? First of all, an entrepreneur should thoroughly study the needs of the target audience - athletes who follow a regimen and regularly visit gyms. Let's give a simple example. Suppose a person decides to start making cheese at home. To successfully compete in the market, he needs to find out what consumers want to buy, and then begin producing the most popular varieties of cheese and offer the optimal price for his products.

When it comes to bodybuilding supplements, athletes prefer concentrated nutritional mixtures made from natural ingredients. As a rule, food complexes include proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and amino acids, and their quantity in each specific product is taken in strict proportions, which ensures maximum benefit for the human body.

If a novice businessman aims to sell sports nutrition, you need to know that such products are packaged in the form of powder, pills and gelatin capsules. The raw materials for the manufacture of additives are meat, soy, milk mixtures and other components with a high protein content. It is this component that helps build muscle mass and serves as a source of nutrition for the bodybuilder. There are several different product categories that are in great demand among athletes. Let's list them:

proteins;
products for nutrition of ligaments and joints;
creatines;
mixtures of carbohydrates and proteins;
complexes of vitamins and amino acids;
components for burning fat.

In order to correctly compile an assortment, an entrepreneur needs to conduct a market analysis by visiting competitors’ stores. As a rule, all products are presented by category, so deciding on the most popular ones will not be difficult. It would be a good idea to monitor thematic forums where athletes communicate and share information about various supplements and mixtures. As practice shows, to buy the first batch of sports nutrition for a store, you will need about 150 thousand rubles.

Recruiting staff

The store needs to attract sales consultants who are well versed in sports nutrition categories. They must be able to provide the buyer with comprehensive information on certain products, as well as offer the most optimal product option.

In most cases, the consultants of such stores are athletes themselves who use supplements for training and have experienced their benefits themselves. You can invite students who are involved in bodybuilding and want to earn money in their free time from study.

The success of a store selling sports supplements largely depends on the professionalism of salespeople. If the buyer is satisfied with the service, he will become a regular customer and recommend the outlet to his friends. The effect will work word of mouth, and soon the number of people interested in the product will become much larger.

To maintain order in the store, you will need to invite a cleaner. The duties of an accountant can be entrusted to freelancers, since this option will significantly reduce costs. Monthly staff salary costs will be:

seller (2 people) – 50 thousand rubles;
accountant – 10 thousand rubles;
cleaning lady – 10 thousand rubles;
security guard - 15 thousand rubles.

Total - the amount of costs is 85 thousand rubles. You can also set a minimum bid for sellers and set a certain percentage of sales. This approach will allow consultants to take the most responsible approach to their work and be interested in receiving greater profits. In the future, you can order a service such as a mystery shopper to check the competence of your employees and the quality of customer service (if necessary).

Sports nutrition advertising

How to properly advertise a sports nutrition store? Unlike entrepreneurs who want, for example, to open a wedding salon, placing ads on billboards and banners in the city will not bring the desired effect, and you can simply waste your budget.

The advertising message should be primarily focused strictly on the target audience. For this reason, advertisement materials should be placed near organizations that are directly related to bodybuilding and strength sports. Perfect for these purposes:

sports complexes;
GYM's;
fitness centers;
sports educational institutions.

Sports nutrition advertising should be aimed at creating a base of regular customers, since the specifics of the business are narrowly focused, and not all athletes (not to mention ordinary consumers) are ready to buy supplements. For this reason, each person who purchased the product should be offered favorable conditions for further cooperation.

How to sell sports nutrition?

Retaining the existing customer base and attracting potential buyers are necessary conditions for the successful operation of the store. You can make a discount and present the buyer with a discount card. The more a person purchases products, the cheaper it will cost him. In addition, it doesn’t hurt to come up with all sorts of promotions that are necessary to motivate the target audience.

Suppose a businessman managed to rent space for a store on the territory of a sports complex. You can make an announcement that during a certain period (specify the dates of the promotion), when purchasing several packages of protein, the establishment will receive a gift - a free protein shake.

Since most modern athletes have accounts on social networks, you should create thematic groups in them and share valuable tips on the use of sports nutrition with subscribers. People can be collected both from your city and from other regions. If they are interested in purchasing the products, the goods are easily sent by cash on delivery. Most bodybuilders firmly believe in their trainers, so if they recommend buying sports nutrition in a specific store, it will be so.

For this reason, you need to visit sports organizations, talk to coaches about selling goods and offer them a certain percentage of remuneration. To identify the person who recommended your store, you should create cards where the trainer’s name will be entered. The buyer presents it in the store, places an order, and the partner (trainer) receives money into his account. There are a sufficient number of people willing to cooperate under such a scheme, and the benefits from it are obvious for both parties.

Business plan for a sports nutrition store

What calculations should you make before opening a retail outlet? An entrepreneur should draw up a business plan for a sports nutrition store, which will allow him to understand how much money needs to be invested at the start. In addition, it will be needed to find out how profitable the activity will be, as well as the amount of monthly costs. Let's calculate the volume of one-time investments to open a store, which includes:

rent of space (minimum for 6 months) – 120 thousand rubles;
repair work - 30 thousand rubles;
purchase of equipment – 68 thousand rubles;
purchase of the first batch of products – 400 thousand rubles;
advertising campaign – 20 thousand rubles;
paperwork – 15 thousand rubles;
other expenses – 20 thousand rubles.

Total - the volume of initial investments to open a business is 673 thousand rubles. Now let’s calculate the amount of mandatory monthly payments:

employee salary – 85 thousand rubles;
tax deductions – 20 thousand rubles;
utility bills - 15 thousand rubles.

Thus, expenses will amount to 120 thousand rubles. It is necessary to take into account that you will need to spend a certain amount to purchase goods. It depends on the store’s sales volume, the number of regular customers and the trade margin, which, as a rule, is about 50-60% for each category of goods.

The cash collection of a well-promoted sports nutrition store brings in at least 10 thousand rubles every day. This means that for a whole month of work the income will be 300 thousand rubles. From this amount you should subtract 120 thousand rubles of mandatory payments, you get 180 thousand profit. Typically, about 50-80 thousand rubles per month will need to be spent on purchasing new batches of goods. This means you can count on 100-130 thousand rubles of net income. As your client base increases and your business scales, your earnings will increase significantly.

Reading time: 5 minutes

The sale of sports nutrition can be both a regional and an online business. Having found suppliers, you can open a business selling sports nutrition at home and create an online store.

Search for suppliers

First you need to find quality suppliers of goods. You can contact direct manufacturers of sports nutrition and order small quantities from them, or you can find wholesalers and purchase the most popular goods. As for direct manufacturers, you can also choose the best companies - there are about a dozen of them - and purchase goods at reduced prices. This option is more difficult; wholesale sellers will provide any product for a certain amount at any time.

Selling sports nutrition at home

Starting capital: 15 - 40 thousand rubles;

Payback: 1 - 4 months.

A similar business will be good for cities. First, evaluate the business idea - evaluate competitors and demand for the product. The fight against competition is simple - low prices, communication with customers, detailed description of the product and methods of use, etc. When selling sports nutrition from home, you need high-quality store advertising and communication with gyms and their visitors.

There is no need to somehow equip your home to sell sports nutrition. The main thing here is constant advertising and word of mouth. Your services should be in good standing among clients, this will help in the future in expanding your client base.

Working in small batches and doing this business as an additional small income, business registration is not necessary. Otherwise, it may be needed if your services are in constant demand.

read the article Ways to develop a small business

Business advertising

Several ways to advertise your business will allow you to continually find customers for your business. Advertising in a newspaper in the sales section, advertising banner in the city, outdoor advertising sign, creation of business cards and creation of a website for a business. Advertising at bus stops is also possible. In a large city, you can create your own advertising packaging with an address and website. It all depends on sales volume, regular customers, etc. In order not to register a business, it is enough to find several dozen clients who are willing to spend a certain amount monthly on the purchase of sports nutrition. In this case, advertising will be minimal.

Selling sports nutrition online

Starting capital: 25 - 80 thousand rubles;

Monthly profit: 5 - 50 thousand rubles;
Payback: 1 - 4 months.

There are at least 3 ways to sell sports nutrition online:

Selling sports nutrition on forums. There are many bodybuilding forums where you can sell supplements. But to do this you need to do one of two things:

If you use supplements yourself, then constant communication with people, especially with beginners, ratings on the forum, and good reviews will do their job. Constant sales to experienced athletes will create a “name” for you on the forum, and newcomers will be able to become interested in your services.

The second method is less time-consuming, but costs money - advertising on the forums of your store or group on social networks selling sports nutrition.

Selling sports nutrition on social networks. You create groups, fill them with all the necessary information and promote them through other groups. This method is expensive, but very effective. By promoting a serious product in the right groups, you will recruit direct customers.

Sale of sports nutrition on the website. Just like selling on social networks requires costs for website promotion. It will be difficult to break into the TOP, because there is high competition here, but combining three types of business promotion will create guarantees of a constant influx of clients.

Do not forget that you are not the only one selling sports supplements on the Internet and the competition here is high, so you need to do business seriously.

Reviews, a full range of a wide variety of sports nutrition, additional sales of equipment and other equipment for athletes will contribute to the development of a medium-sized business.

The more money you invest in product and business promotion, the more you communicate with customers, the more advertising methods you have, the more profitable your business will be. In this business, constant growth is possible and with proper business promotion, which requires large expenses, you will be able to enter the market as a large seller of sports nutrition.

In contact with

More and more people are getting involved in sports and a healthy lifestyle. For such people, sports nutrition and various muscle growth accelerators were invented.

A survey by the Business Rating company showed that 58% of Muscovites regularly consume sports nutrition, 27% occasionally, and 12% of surveyed visitors to fitness clubs in the capital during preparation for competitions. The main “consumers” of sports nutrition are men, their share is 78%. Although this study is contradicted by another study: more than half of Muscovites consider sports nutrition to be harmful. Passion for sports nutrition is usually associated with youth: 52% of respondents are consumers under 25 years of age.

The situation with sports nutrition reaches the point of absurdity when experts talk about professional athletes. Since human resources in sports achievements were used up by the middle of the 20th century, professional sports without additives today turns out to be impossible.

A picture from the Soviet past: an athlete is sitting in the locker room before training, and in front of him is a saucepan with meat and eggs - protein-rich foods. Modern sports nutrition comes in the form of powder, tablets, capsules; it is a concentrate of proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, and minerals.

Today in sports, even amateur ones, it is impossible to do without specialized nutrition. Not only the athletes’ achievements are impressive, but also their workloads. Back in the 1970s, there was no special nutrition, and athletes made do with regular food (dietary, of course). But the results were completely different.

If you want to open your own sports nutrition store, then the first thing you should do is get acquainted with this market: visit the largest stores in your city, get an idea of the prices, ask sellers on behalf of an ordinary buyer about more popular supplements, their benefits, etc.

If you decide to create an online store, then it is worth developing a convenient and detailed catalog of goods, ensuring ease of purchase and prompt delivery to the buyer. It is also worth taking care of advertising your site on sports resources and forums. This will help you find buyers.

Before planning a product range, you should decide on a supplier. There are enough suitable companies in Russia, although many entrepreneurs prefer to work with foreign companies directly.

It is noteworthy that athletes often learn about a store selling sports nutrition not only during training, but also at sports competitions. Therefore, it will be cost-effective to act as one of the sponsors of this event by placing a banner in the hall with your logo and coordinates.

A useful move could be additional printed products that the buyer will receive by placing an order with you or making a direct purchase. The bulletins may contain interesting information about the properties of vitamins, and also, for example, a health calendar has been developed, in which you can indicate not only the level of your well-being, but also the increase in muscle mass, or the number of kilograms that a person loses after taking sports nutrition.

The main thing is that your policy is aimed at different gender buyers. Of course, amino acids and protein are more often purchased by men, but fat burners and weight loss products are closer to girls.

The average trade margin in specialized stores is 20-50%. This is less than many department stores. But income is not generated by a large number of purchases. Exclusive products are usually expensive. Therefore, even if you don’t have a very large circle of clients, you can earn decent money. Moreover, the costs of a specialized store are lower. It does not require large areas to organize it. If the average department store occupies a premises measuring 250-270 sq. m, and some even more than 1 thousand square meters. m, then 100 sq. m is enough for a highly specialized store. m.

The profitability of a sports store is 25-30%.

Business plan for a sports nutrition store.

The direction of beauty, health and nutrition is always a profitable solution for business. And the modern trend to look good at any age plays into the hands of entrepreneurs. Young people, particularly boys, are putting more and more effort into improving their bodies. And not only regular exercise helps in development, but also special nutrition that will contain a large amount of protein, which will give the necessary muscle growth. You can buy such products exclusively in specialized stores, of which there are more and more in our open spaces.

The demand for such products suggests the need to open a sports nutrition store. The range includes both healthy products and specialized supplements. Everything in the complex is a component of a healthy lifestyle and the development of an athletic body.

The sports nutrition market is developing at a very rapid pace and the increase in demand is about 15%. At the same time, experts convince us that the demand for products in big cities is more stable. All products are presented preferably from foreign manufacturers. And it is she who is in great demand. We are especially talking about German brands, which, according to buyers, are more effective.

Domestic products remain in the back row, but they are more accessible to the buyer, and companies are at the stage of constant development, offering new products in this industry. And if you choose the right products and choose a good location, then the sports nutrition store is doomed to success.

We choose a room.

Ideal sports store:

Area: from 150 sq. m.
Location: in a shopping center or crowded place where there are no online competitors nearby.
Average monthly profit: from $5 thousand.
Exclusive rights to trade one or more trademarks.
Availability of liquid inventory.
Business independence from seasonality.
Qualified personnel.
Promoted brand.

When starting your own business, you also need to think about the possibility of selling products that improve the condition of muscles, bones and ligaments. Many such products are recommended not only to athletes, but also to teenagers, since often the body cannot comfortably adjust to the rapid growth of such tissues.

It is most profitable to organize a store in a large shopping center. And there are a number of reasons for this. First of all, a large number of potential buyers who will come to the shopping center.

Secondly, there is a sports area in the building. And if there is one, then it always makes sense to negotiate with the center about advertising.

To work, you need a small space - about 35 square meters. m. Most of the area will be used for the sales area, the rest - for warehouses. The room itself should be designed in a harmonious style. It is important to have communications and good air ventilation.

The premises must meet sanitary and fire safety standards. Renting a premises will depend on many factors - location, distance from the center, the tenant’s pricing policy, and so on.

On average, you should count on $700-1.5 thousand.

Equipment.

In order for the store to function normally, it is necessary to purchase the following:

Racks for product presentation - $1.5 thousand;
Counter - $200-300;
Electronic scales - $50-80;
Cash register - $150;
Refrigerated display cases - $1-2 thousand;
Table and chairs for the seller - $500.

In total, the minimum set of equipment for the seller will cost about $5 thousand investment in equipping the store.

Formation of assortment and selection of suppliers.

Only an experienced person in the healthy sports nutrition industry will be able to create the most complete range of products. Therefore, if you do not have enough experience in this industry, you should get recommendations from specialists.

Generally speaking, it is worth forming an assortment with a focus on the following product groups: proteins or protein supplements, amino acid complexes in different compositions, mineral and vitamin supplements, fat burners, creatine, cereal bars for snacking, energy drinks, complexes for ligaments and joints, food products low in calories, sports nutrition for vegetarians and so on.

The range of such stores is simply impressive and it is important to choose popular manufacturers. It is important to create an assortment for different customers so that everyone can choose something for themselves. Product suppliers can be searched on the Internet. If we are talking about domestic products, then it is worth trying to look for options for purchasing directly from the supplier.

To purchase goods and create an assortment, you should prepare at least $3 thousand.

Staff.

Only two salespeople are required to operate the store. It is advisable that these are specialists in the field of sports nutrition. The ideal option would be to hire those people who are themselves passionate about this area of nutrition and keep themselves busy.

The age of people does not matter, but friendliness, the ability to offer a product and tell them no will become an undeniable preference in the choice. Also, to control the financial situation, an accountant is needed at work. A specialist can be hired to work remotely. You can take on the rest of the work (marketing, purchasing goods), and later, as the business develops, you can invite a manager to work. Salary payments for staff will consist of a salary and a bonus part.

On average, you should count on $2 thousand.

Marketing.

Advertising of sports nutrition products will be effective in fitness clubs, sports complexes or gyms. To do this, you can agree on mutual advertising, when posters with your details are placed in the fitness center, and advertising for the complex is in your store. Business cards, leaflets or posters can be used for this. It is also important to create your website with further promotion on the Internet, which will help customers find a store in a nearby location. At the same time, it is important to properly design the shop window and sign, and put up signs for clients and potential buyers.

Attention is always attracted by the sight of a naked, pumped-up body, as one of the main desires of those who work out in the gym. It is important to get regular customers. Discount cards will help you return for goods, and if they give a good discount percentage, this means that the buyer will have a desire to return to the store to save. A wide product line will also be another key to success.

For the marketing part you need to prepare about $300.

Basic costs.

A business focused on creating a sports nutrition store will consist of the following expense items:

Premises rental - $700-1.5 thousand;
Equipment - $5 thousand;
Assortment - $3 thousand;
Staff - $2 thousand;
Marketing - $300.

To create such a business, you need to have a starting capital of $12 thousand.

Profit and profitability of business.

The store's income will directly depend on the number of purchases, as well as seasonal factors. During the cool season, the demand for such goods increases noticeably. We are especially talking about the spring period. And that’s when it’s most profitable to start your own business. The average check in the store is $17. With a favorable location, 15 to 20 purchases can be made per day. Then the daily revenue will be $255-340. The monthly revenue will be 8-9 thousand $. After deducting all monthly expenses, the net profit will be $1.5-2 thousand. Business profitability will be about 20%.

The initial investment will be able to pay off in 12-18 months.

Clients and development options.

The main clients in this business will be those who monitor their health and lead an active sports lifestyle. To develop your direction, you can try to open an online store and conduct business online at the same time. It is also worth looking for options for creating new store points.

Video - how to open a sports nutrition store:

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Sports nutrition is a fairly popular product. Today, a large number of fitness clubs are opening, people are purchasing subscriptions, and are increasingly starting to exercise seriously. Thanks to this, the sports nutrition market is expanding annually by approximately 20 percent, and in the capital by 10 percent.

Prospects for a business selling sports nutrition

There are very few sports nutrition stores in our state, and in cities with a population of less than a million people, there are often no such stores at all, but if there are, they are small retail outlets with a minimized assortment. Most athletes order sports nutrition via the Internet from foreign companies directly, after which they can wait for the order, sometimes for a whole month. Accordingly, this does not suit many people. Therefore, the business idea of opening a similar food store is quite attractive.

Popularization of sports nutrition by artificial means is one of the favorable criteria:

Experienced athletes understand the effectiveness of such nutrition. They treat training responsibly, so they are ready to purchase sports nutrition (creatine, protein, other supplements) as much as necessary. Approximately this category of people allocates up to 30,000 rubles monthly for this food.

Most fitness club owners are in partnership with sports nutrition dealers. They actively advertise canned protein among visitors to their training rooms. Most often, beginners listen to their advice.

Last year, online entrepreneurs appeared on the market who are actively offering protein on the Internet. Millions of people who until that time were not interested in sports at all learned about this nutrition. Of course, many will purchase protein on a regular basis, but it is safer and easier for them to buy it in a special store located near their home or sports center than to buy it on the Internet.

The business of selling such food in our country has a disadvantage. We have not yet established the production of high-quality sports products, so we mainly have to sell food produced abroad. The main suppliers are American and German manufacturing companies.

The purchase price is tied to the exchange rate. Another collapse of the ruble could lead to significant losses.

Investment in opening a sports nutrition store

How to open a food store and build your own business on it?

The first step is to decide on the method of opening a point - will it be a franchise store or created independently. To organize a franchise business you need to have about 150,000 rubles, but this option greatly simplifies opening a store.

How much money do you need to allocate for the first purchase of goods? In order to establish business partnerships with reliable wholesalers, the first transaction must be for at least 200,000 rubles.

Renting premises. Depending on the area of location, premises for a point can cost 30–40,000 rubles. In the city center, of course, rent is much more expensive, but setting up a store here is not necessary.

The average salary of a hired salesperson is 20–25,000 rubles. It depends on the region where the store is located. But, at the initial stage of launching a point, you can work as a seller yourself.

A business requires advertising costs, which will depend primarily on the region where the store is located, the chosen methods of promoting the product: printed publications, leaflets, business cards, posting advertisements on information boards around the city, on Internet sites, etc.

When drawing up a business plan and calculating expenses, it is necessary to provide for a reserve expense item.

Approximately, to create a business selling such food you will need 500,000 rubles.

How profitable is the business of selling sports nutrition?

When purchasing a product directly from a foreign manufacturer or distributor, a markup of 40–60 percent is possible.

In a small town with virtually no competitors, customers will appear quickly. In large cities, competition is stronger, so it is recommended to locate a store selling this nutrition, if possible, near fitness centers.

If you agree to supply your own goods to fitness clubs equipped with a minibar for selling sports nutrition, then the markup on the goods can be up to 130 percent.

It is also worth understanding that a large markup on products sold does not guarantee a large profit. The sports nutrition business relies heavily on regular customers. Therefore, you need to consistently monitor the quality of the product offered and its range.

The average profitability of a sports nutrition store is 20 percent. For example, if you reach a turnover of 500,000 rubles/month, then the profit will be 100,000 rubles.

A business selling sports nutrition pays off in at least six months, but can only pay off in two years.

Phased opening of a sports nutrition store

Registration of individual entrepreneur (LLC)

Both options for registering business activities have their own advantages and disadvantages. But experts recommend using the individual entrepreneur form to open a sports nutrition store. In this case, all profits received can be freely disposed of, without paying attention to tax issues. If you do not hire workers, but engage in sales yourself, then this option for entrepreneurial activity is the most impeccable.

Taxation

For small businesses there is a simplified taxation system:

one tax instead of three;
no paperwork;
the ability to choose the optimal tax rate

The standard tax system at the starting stage of a small business is very inconvenient and unprofitable due to too high deductions and a large volume of paperwork.

Key activities for opening a store

Registration of individual entrepreneurs with the Federal Tax Service.
Obtaining permission for trading activities from the state fire safety agency, district administration, SES.

Room

For a sports nutrition store, it is enough to rent a premises of 50 square meters. The product is quite compact, so there is no need to maintain a separate storage room, and several dozen additional cans of food can be kept at home. The main product can be freely placed on the sales floor. To save significantly, you can purchase used counters and racks to display goods.

shopping mall;
large sports equipment store;
the building in which the fitness club is located or nearby;
sports complex.

Important points

The quality of the products offered. Every athlete who consumes this nutrition first checks the quality of the product. You can't fool them in this regard. You can forever lose a potential buyer even because of a torn protective film. This is immediately an anti-advertisement for the store among familiar athletes.

Target audience of the sports nutrition store:

men 20–28 years old. The bulk are students who want to gain muscle mass in a short period, as well as former athletes who monitor their own shape. This category makes up 70 percent of all buyers;
men from 25 to 28 years old, whose average income is 35,000 rubles;
professional athletes over 30 years old. If they like the quality of the product and the service of the store, then they will become regular customers and bring about 15,000 rubles to the store every month.

Women buy such food infrequently.

After some time, the sports nutrition store should become a type of hobby club. Potential buyers will come to the store on the advice of regular customers.

The store’s assortment must include training programs and relevant literature. To effectively promote the outlet’s products, it is recommended to create your own website on the Internet and communities on social networks. As a result, many interested athletes will be able to order the product directly on the website. All that remains is to arrange courier delivery.

Conclusions: the niche for creating a business selling such food is promising. You can count on a monthly profit from one store of up to 80,000 rubles.

It is better to engage in the trade of this food for those who are involved in sports themselves, former athletes. Without understanding the work of sports supplements and the basics of building body texture, it will be quite difficult to choose the necessary range of products that would fully satisfy the needs of athletes.