ForumsStarting a Business

Let me start by saying that I think your idea is a good one. I'm in Los Angeles and know that the market for your proposed business is one that is thriving and growing. There is an El Superior not too far from where I used to live, and it is constantly buzzing.

I used to work for a large grocery chain in Canada as a brand manager and can tell you that one of the most time consuming aspects you will face is finding, securing, and managing your suppliers. Since grocery stores carry such a wide and diverse line of products, it is challenge to establish good supplier relationships (which is especially important since the industry works off of such narrow margins). For the company I worked for, we had 30 or so people whose full time job it was to manage suppliers and product lines. You can expect to deal with this on a much smaller scale.

Anyways, I think your first step should be to write a formal business plan. You'll be amazed at how many of the steps and your questions become clear, since the business plan itself addresses many of them. It would also be a good idea to speak with store owners to get their input as well. There is no substitute for experience, and someone who has been through the process of starting a successful grocery store can provide you with invaluable advice. If you're worried about coming off as potential competition, just speak with an owner in another city OR someone who is not direct competition (for example an Asian grocery store in Alhambra or Korea town?)

Good Luck!