Popcorn Business in India: A Business of Tasty Treat

Popcorn business in India is a great way through which one can walk on the path of entrepreneurship. As popcorn is an easy-to-digest, airy, and scrummy snack, many people prefer to have it while watching movies, sitting in the restaurant, in the offices, as well as in fairs.

Popcorn is a healthy snacking option and leading foodstuff in the sphere of entertainment and comfort. Popcorn is high in fiber, low in sugar and fat and has also attained prominence due to its nutrient-rich value. Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin A, and calcium are present in air-popped popcorn. Popcorn has been labelled as economical and wholesome food.

The miraculous popcorn is capable of boosting romance in the life of young couples. Sharing popcorn is all about sharing the love. Nowadays, people prefer to have popcorn while watching stage shows and movies. One of the most significant advantages that popcorn business owners enjoy is that it’s a business of all seasons. Thus, the demand graph always shows an upward or even balanced trend.

The cinema has witnessed a major transformation, be it from black and white screen to 3 D. However, the tradition of consuming popcorn during movie time is a must even today. Are you looking for a lucrative small-scale business option? If yes, commence your popcorn business in India and mint a good amount of money in return for less investment.

Popcorn Market in India

The market for popcorn in India is all set to flourish at a CAGR of about 15% during 2018-2022. Due to the increasing number of multiplexes as well as the soaring popularity of popcorn, small-scale business enthusiasts are striving to commence a popcorn business in India.

How to Start Popcorn Business in India?

If you are aiming to start a popcorn business in India, you must follow the points showcased below-

Market Research

• If you are planning to start your new business without conducting any market research at an initial level, your business may face several troubles that you won’t be able to sort out easily.
• Underestimating the worth of market research is not good for any baby business.
• Market research will be helpful in determining your potential audience.
• By conducting a market research exercise, you will accumulate enough knowledge concerning your target audience, explore your existing competitors in the market, and thereby, you will be able to equip your popcorn making business with those resources that would let the business thrive amid all the circumstances.
• Proper market research would help you know the best platform to reach your audience for selling the products.
• It’s one of the most effective mediums that would let you understand that who may pose challenges and threats to your small-scale business.
• Before doing market research & analysis, you should define the intent behind market research. 
• Market research is not a one-time activity.
• It’s an ongoing activity that an individual should keep doing on a frequent basis to match with the evolving trends in the market.
• Market research won’t hamper the growth of your business at any point and would act in favour of your popcorn business in India.
• Initiate your market research activity from today onwards, and then only you can proceed ahead for drafting a popcorn business plan in India.

Popcorn Business in India: Business Plan

• In the era of entrepreneurship, running a business without an effective business plan won’t work out well for your popcorn business in India.
• The business plan is one of the most effective and authentic tools that all the small or big business players must consider with a mission to uplift the infrastructure of their business.
• Penning down the plan on paper is an ideal activity that all business owners should keep in their mind. Creating a business plan is of no use if you are not capable enough to formulate, execute, and implement a popcorn business plan in India.
• Drafting a sound business plan would help you focus on your business strategies & ideas.
• Your business plan is not restricted to one or two aspects of the business.
• It encompasses numerous aspects such as management issues, financial matters, technological changes and innovation-based methods, human resource planning, as well as composing value for your customers. Identification of pitfalls in one’s idea is possible only by having a worthwhile business plan.
• Creating a popcorn business plan demands a lot of thought process and the power of visualization.
• Try to maintain the simplicity factor in your business plan.

Arrange Capital for Popcorn Manufacturing Business

• There is no need to invest huge capital for commencing a popcorn business in India, but if you can run the business effectively and efficiently, you can generate a remarkable margin of profit.
• The equipment is likely to have a maximum share of your capital.
• All the small & big entrepreneurs must discover ways to get funding for their small businesses.
• Since the popcorn business in India is a low-investment based business.
• This form of business can be started with limited financial resources.
• Thus, self-funding is the most genuine way through which popcorn making business can be commenced.
• So, arrange the required capital for popcorn business and try to manage your small-scale business with what you have at the moment.

Decide a Perfect Location for your Business

• Opting for a perfect business location is a monumental decision that requires utmost attention. Choosing a business location is one of the vital aspects of commencing a small business.
• Picking the right location holds immense value as your location would be a major factor in determining whether your popcorn business in India would rock in the forthcoming period or fail to climb the ladder of success.
• It can dictate long-term success for your small business venture.
• Ascertaining the right location means comprehending the right set of qualities to look for in a potential space.
• Conducting an in-depth analysis of your area, acquiring information related to potential customer demographics, and finding out where competitors are running their business are all significant aspects to picking the right location for your business.
• Your choice in terms of opting for a business location would either make or break your business.
• The business location is responsible for establishing the tone of any business.
• In the case of the popcorn business in India, there is no need to spend much on picking a highly-priced location.
• You can start your popcorn manufacturing business in your village or city, depending on your choice and convenience.

License & Registration Required for Popcorn Business in India

At an initial level, license from the local authority is enough to commence the popcorn business in India. But later on, other license and registration will be required after the earnings would accelerate.

Given below is the list of licenses and registrations that can be a requirement for your business in the future course of time.

1- You can get your growing business registered with the Registrar of Companies.

2- As it is a food-related business, you should acquire an FSSAI Food License/Registration.

3- You may look for obtaining Trademark Registration by your brand name.

4- You must acquire the GST Registration as well. 

5- You would have to apply for MSME Udyog Aadhaar Online Registration.

Raw Materials Required

You must look for good suppliers in order to acquire raw materials of supreme quality. You can search on the internet about the raw materials used in making popcorn. Make a list that must include suppliers in your region.

 The raw materials required for commencing a popcorn business in India are mentioned below-

High-quality Corn

Corn is the chief raw material in the preparation of popcorn. That’s why it’s important to look for the best suppliers who can provide you the top quality corn without compromising with the quality. There are suppliers who arrange corns from foreign countries. Such suppliers ensure corn better in terms of quality.

Trio of Salt, Sugar, and Butter

These ingredients act as the taste enhancer in the popcorn. You need to look out for a local supplier who can deliver them in a substantial volume. Proceed ahead for a price analysis exercise and make comparison between the offerings made by the suppliers. Give your nod to a supplier with the level-headed price with flawless quality.

Other Ingredients

By adding flavours of numerous types, spices, as well as colours, you can easily prepare different variants of popcorn. Enhancing the flavour of popcorn won’t be an uphill task. All you need to do is to invest your creative part. Preparing a blend of your popcorn with caramel or aromatic flavours would enrich the quality of popcorn. Mixing is not enough; maintaining the accurate proportion while mixing matters the most.

Equipment Needed to Initiate Popcorn Business in India

• In order to initiate a popcorn business in India, you should have two types of machinery.
• The first and the most important machine that you must acquire is the popcorn making machine.
• The size of the machine entirely depends upon your need.
• You will have to acquire a bigger machine if you are aiming to furnish popcorn in numerous locations.
• Before purchasing such type of machine, you should check its operations, and you must get it from a well-established supplier.
• Another device that is not as important as the first one, but still, you can’t ignore the value that this machine also provides in the sphere of the popcorn business in India.
• The second machine about which we are talking is known by the name- sealing machine.
• Selling packed popcorn would become a charming activity by proper usage of a sealing machine.
• In case you are planning to sell packed popcorn in cardboard boxes, then there is no need to acquire a sealing machine. 

Allure the Customers through Attractive Packaging

• The packaging is the art of fabricating a cover for the product in order to protect the product from numerous external factors such as moisture and sunlight.
• Attractive packages draw the attention of customers and tempt them to go ahead with purchasing the product.
• In the sphere of marketing, product packaging is labeled as an ultra-important activity.
• Good packaging is concerned with a memorable presentation, and it’s all about retaining your product in the mind of customers.
• The logo, the materials, and the design used in the packaging part of the product are the unavoidable aspect when it comes to increasing the value of your product and brand in the eyes of your regular and potential customers.
• Packaging grants a unique identity to the products.
• If the packaging boxes are designed in an eye-catching manner, you can expect a major boost in sales.
• Place your logo as well as the brand name on popcorn boxes to upgrade the value of your products and furnish them with a rich look.
• In brief, we can say that winning the heart of customers is a possibility by enhancing your product’s external look, and it can be achieved by devoting some precious hours to the packaging activity. 

Shedding Light on the Investment Needed to Start a Popcorn Business in India

Although the popcorn business in India is a game of small capital and limited expenses, there are few resources that are termed mandatory in this segment of the business. These resources can play a valuable role in accomplishing handsome profits. A significant and crucial portion of your capital will be engrossed in purchasing the machinery or equipment. As the popcorn manufacturing business is a small-scale business, there is no need to reach banks and other financial institutions for financial support. You should try to manage your finance-related needs by utilizing your financial resources, or you can take help from your family members, relatives, as well as friends.

Based on the business scale, the cost of the popcorn machine varies, starting from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 1 lakh.

Resources	Amount
Popcorn Machine	Rs. 10,000 – Rs. 1,00,000
Raw Materials	Rs. 10,000
Packaging Costs	Rs. 10,000
Miscellaneous Costs	Rs. 10,000

Popcorn Manufacturing Process

• The popcorn making process with the help of Popcorn making machine is not a big deal.
• In case the entrepreneur purchases maize directly from the farmers, he can gain more benefits. For this, the entrepreneur should initially look for separating the corn grains from maize and then can move to the next step of drying them under the sunlight.
• After drying up of these grains, the present corn kernels will be eliminating impurities like corn hair, etc.
• After that, ghee and salt are adjoined to the heating section of the machine.
• After that, the corn kernels are poured in such a manner that the grains are being converted into popcorn because of heat.
• The machine is solely responsible for producing popcorn well.
• After the popcorn becomes ready, the entrepreneur must march ahead for moisture-resistant packaging of Popcorn in order to preserve the quality of popcorn when it reaches the hands of ultimate consumers.

Small-scale Popcorn Business in India: Profit Margin

• The profit margin in the popcorn business in India is generally high.
• Also, there is enough scope for accelerating the profit margin.
• Pricing is one of the most crucial factors that an individual must pay attention to as it is something that one can’t ignore in any form of business.
• Establishing the popcorn business in a crowded area would yield better outcomes.
• You can get your target customers in sightseeing areas.
• The profit or loss in any business depends on the hard work and effort an individual put in on a continuous basis.
• If you make the desired efforts in the popcorn making business, you can generate good revenue.

Focus on Brand Promotion & Clasp on a Large Customer Base

Before commencing the popcorn business in India, you should pick a unique brand name to hold a major chunk of the customer base and retain the customers in the long run. After starting the business, you must go for brand promotion and focus on activities related to the promotion of your brand. Brand promotion is beneficial in setting a business apart from its rivals in the market. The successful implementation of a brand promotional campaign would lead to an increase in sales.

 All small-scale businesses & medium-scale businesses must understand the worth of promotional and marketing strategies. A well crafted promotional strategy ensures profitability and long-term success. It’s a way through which brand awareness will be done to strengthen your customer base.

Role of Aatmnirbhar Sena  

At Aatmnirbhar Sena, we are rendering a supportive environment to enhance the skillset of business enthusiasts who are striving to prove their mettle in the world of entrepreneurship. Also, we are granting capital assistance to small-scale business owners and playing our significant part in the expansion of the popcorn business in India. We believe in creating the roadmap for future corporate leaders and self-reliant entrepreneurs in different domains.

At Aatmnirbhar Sena, we are continuously encouraging female entrepreneurs of the nation and acting as their mentor so that they can also take their businesses to new heights in the forthcoming period. They will be getting business and compliance-based training to uplift their businesses. Those who are willing to commence their popcorn business in India can bank upon us for any form of assistance.

The Final Words

The popcorn business in India is a recession-proof business. The future seems to be promising for business enthusiasts who are planning to commence popcorn making business in India. The popcorn snack is prevalent among folks of all age groups. Popcorn is the ultimate happy food that has seized a permanent spot in the heart of people all over the world. At Aatmnirbhar Sena, we are all set to help you in starting a popcorn business in India.