How do I start a bigasan business? What are the things I need?
Rice is one of the primary food of Filipinos.
We eat rice every day as we partner it with different dishes.
This is why it’s a lucrative business as there’s a huge demand for it everywhere you go in the country.
In this post, we’re going to talk about the 9 things you need to know before starting one!
What is a Bigasan Business?
A Bigasan business or a rice-retailing business simply means a business that sells rice.
Since rice is a staple in the Filipino diet, you’ll find a lot of businesses like this in almost every part of the country.
But even if that’s the case, there are still a lot of locations where there aren’t any rice stores.
Because of this, there’s still a huge demand for this type of business especially for areas that are far from the city.
But starting a bigasan business isn’t as easy as other businesses.
There are strict rules and policies that you must know before starting one. Not to mention, the things that you need!
Thankfully, you’ll learn them all in this blog post.
Why Start a Bigasan Business Today?
We’ve mentioned earlier that rice is something that Pinoys can’t live one day without.
It’s become a staple in our every day food so we buy them in large quantities or as often as we need.
Because of this, there’s a huge demand for rice especially in rural places.
But why exactly would you start this kind of business?
If you’ve thought about starting a rice business but you don’t know if it’s worth it, here are the pros and cons:
Pros
- There’s a lot of demand for rice since Filipinos eat them daily
- You don’t need to have a lot of expertise or marketing to sell them
- High profit margins especially if you get your rice direct from suppliers or even farmers
- You can sell other related products along with rice such as corn or feeds
Cons
- Rice has a short storage life span, the quality can go down after just a few months
- You’ll need a storage place and the right techniques to avoid pests
9 Things You Need to Start a Bigasan Business
After carefully weighing the pros and cons of starting this business, you need to know the steps and things you need to start one!
In this section, we’ll list all the 9 things you need.
1. Secure an NFA License
The very first thing that you need to do secure a National Food Authority (NFA) license before you can operate.
This is because there’s a law that states that every rice business must be approved by the NFA first.
But don’t worry, you just need to fill up the application form in the NFA office in your area.
Then, submit it and pay the application fee (P100). Take note that there’s also a license fee which will depend on your capital.
2. Register Your Business
Next, you must register your business so that you will have license to operate.
First, determine if your business will be a sole proprietorship, partnership or a corporation.
For sole proprietorships, you’ll need to register with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
For partnerships and corporations, register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
We won’t include all the step-by-step process but there should be instructions on the internet or at the offices mentioned above.
3. Get a Good Location
As with almost any business, the location is one of the most important things to consider.
You may have the most delicious burgers but if people can’t easily see your business, then you won’t have sales!
The same is true with a bigasan business. You need to get a location where there are many people who go there every day such as the market.
Or, you can also consider setting up a rice business in rural places or downstream areas.
If you see that there’s a high demand for rice (which is almost always the case), you can set up a rice business there.
This works best if you’re the only one selling at that area, street or even a barangay.
4. Get the Necessary Capital
Of course, you can’t start a business without money. So, the question is how much capital should you have?
The good thing about a bigasan business is that you can adjust your scale of operations to your budget.
You can shell out as much money as you can or start one with as little as you have.
For just P60,000, you can have a decent bigasan store already.
But you should take note of the prices of rice you’re going to buy, the equipment you need and the people that you’ll hire.
5. Acquire the right equipment
As we mentioned in the cons of starting a rice business above, this type of business needs proper equipment and storage.
Not only because rice spoils easily but because NFA mandates every rice business to have them.
Be sure to have the following equipment:
- Weighing scale
- Rice boxes
- Signboard (45cm wide x 75 cm long)
- Price tags that show the price per kilogram of each variety
Aside from the important equipment, you also need to have a sufficient and clean storage space for your rice.
This will keep away pests so that you won’t have unnecessary expenses in the future.
6. Find suppliers
Next, you’ll need to figure out where to buy your rice from.
To do this, list down all the known suppliers and rice mills around your area.
You can ask around or do your research on the internet to help you.
Then, try to negotiate and talk with each supplier so you can get the best deals.
Select the best suppliers that you can find but don’t neglect the others.
You may need them as well when the time comes.
7. Find your target customers
Along with your location, you also need to think about your target customers.
These are the people that will be the majority of your customers so you need to think about this beforehand.
You can target people that frequent palengkes or even just your neighbors or those near your barangay.
Then, you just need to market to them!
8. Offer deliveries especially during the pandemic
One great thing to consider with your bigasan business this pandemic is accessibility.
As there are health protocols around, not a lot of people can go outside to buy rice.
You can consider offering a delivery service where you’ll deliver the rice straight to their doorsteps.
This is similar to what water refilling stations do so you might need a vehicle for this or you can use whatever you have.
But this offer is ideal only to those who will order one Cavan of rice or 50 kilos so that you’ll not lose money.
Or, you can just offer a flat delivery service fee of P10!
9. To Franchise or Not
Almost all types of businesses today have franchises.
For new business owners, franchises are a lucrative form of business since there’s already an established brand and products.
But if you’re not sure if this is for you, take a look at the pros and cons first:
Pros
- There’s already an established brand which will help you sell better
- You will have support from the company
- There’s more opportunities and you can utilize the company’s huge network of suppliers
- Easy to set up and market, you don’t need to build from the ground up unlike starting a rice business on your own
Cons
- Franchises are always more expensive. Usually, you’ll need to spend 5 times more than the average capital when you start your own.
- There’s still a lot of risks of your franchise business not doing well
- You need to find the right franchise for you
If you do decide that you want to franchise a bigasan business, here’s the most popular bigasan business franchise we can find.
Take note that you should also do your own research before venturing into anything!
Grainsmart Rice Business
Franchise cost: P298,000 – P598,000
Website: http://www.grainsmart.co
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/grainsmart.ph
Final Thoughts
Starting a bigasan business isn’t easy but we hope that we helped you a lot with this post!
But as with every investment, you also need to do your own research not just on the internet but in person.
If this post has been a big help, read these too:
