Shawarma is originally a Middle Eastern cuisine made of meat cut into thin slices, stacked up in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Shawarma was originally made of lamb or mutton but today shawarma is made of chicken, turkey and beef. The Nigerian shawarma however has been revamped to appeal to the typical Nigerian person’s taste bud and it is usually made with beef, chicken, Frankfurters (Sausage) and not to mention some spice to give it that extra zing.
Shawarma is now one of the most sought after meals by both adults and children, male and female in Nigeria. The fact that shawarmas are loved by most means that it could be a very lucrative business that can earn you a really good income if you do it correctly. Unlike many other meals, preparing a shawarma is actually quite easy as it requires not too much skill or complicated ingredients. However before you think of venturing into the shawarma business there are certain things that you need to know and also put into considerations. Some of these things include;
- Where you will position your Business (location).
- Whom you intend to be selling to (potential buyers or target market).
- Who else is doing the same business around you (competitors).
- How much you intend to invest (cost).
- How much you intend to sell (price).
Whichever city you reside in and decide to start your business from, the requirements are pretty much the same. So before you start, we would advise that you consider writing a business plan in order for you to stay on track and not deviate from the plan. A business plan is important because it is basically your business on paper and seeing the business on paper helps make it more of a reality. It will help you stay focused on all aspects of your business which will eventually result in your success.
The shawarma business is very profitable because it is easy to start and people love a tasty shawarma. As long as your recipe is on point, you will have no problems selling. The profit you make in the shawarma business depends on how many pieces of shawarmas you are able to sell a day. The more you sell, the more you earn. You will make a profit even if you sell only 10 pieces a day however, it is important that you aim to sell much more. How you operate and manage your business and your customers will determine how well your business does. Ensure that your shawarma is tasty, affordable but most importantly you always treat your customers right. As your business grows in time, you can also add other things to your menus such as potato chips.
What You Need To Consider Before You Start
Training
Although this may not be completely necessary, it may be a good idea to get some sort of training from an expert on how to prepare tasty shawarmas. This training may take approximately one week because a shawarma is not a very difficult thing to make.
Location
It is very important to find a relatively busy location for your shawarma business. A place where there is a lot of foot traffic will be most ideal. It could be a commercial area i.e. an areas with lots of offices, outside a busy supermarket, church, school or bar. Try looking for such Places and ensure that there is no competition around then speak to the owners of such establishments in order to negotiate rent so that you can setup your business in that vicinity. In time and as you grow, you can have more than one shawarma stand and employ staff to help run them whilst you generally manage all of them by visiting each stand regularly.
Your Target Market
Who are you selling your shawarmas to? You need to consider your target market prior to setting up as this will tell you exactly where you need to be located. Not everyone can afford the luxury of buying a shawarma so you cannot set up your shawarma stand in a low income or rural area. You need to consider the kind of people you intend to sell to and ensure that such people live or work around the area you are looking to set up your business. Determine who your target market are and ensure they have the capacity to buy because your success is dependent on these buyers. In other words, the more buyers you have, the more profit you make.
Competitors
Because of how lucrative it is, there are so many people in the shawarma business and as such these people are your competitors. In order to stay competitive you need to look into their businesses so as to determine what it is they are doing right or wrong; that you can improve on them in your own business. What this means is you will have to visit your competitors stands and buy/taste their shawarmas so as to know how best to improve on your service and product. The better your service and product, the more you will sell. The more you sell, the more profit you make. The whole idea is to enter the market with a product that is better than what is currently the best in the market.
Marketing
Advertising your business is also very important because no matter how great your product is, if people do not know you exist, they cannot come and buy from you. The good thing about advertising this business is that it can be as cost effective as you want it to be which means you can advertise within your budget. You can advertise Wetinuneed, Facebook, Instagram and any other free social media or online portals. If you have some money to spare, for as little as N100 a day you can also do some paid adverts on Wetinuneed or for a pity more on any of the other platforms to further boost your advertising reach. You can also print fliers and distribute them to people around your business location and tell friends and family to also spread the word.
Your Marketing Strategy
Your marketing strategy is extremely important because it will help make your business a success and your brand popular. When you draw up your marketing plan you will need to consider something known as the marketing mix (The 4p’s)
- Product: What are you selling?
- Place: Where are you selling it?
- Promotions: How do you intend to promote it?
- Price: How much do you intend to sell it for?
If you are able to answer all these questions, effectively, you are on your way to becoming a successful Shawarma business owner. Once all of this is in place then find out what documentation is required from the government, local government or the premises you intend to sell from.
As you start to make money, you will need to name your Shawarma Business and register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). There you go…you are now a proud business owner, optionally you can contact us at BEST SHAWARMA Nigeria for franchise opportunity. BEST SHAWARMA Nigeria can partner with you to set up your own SHAWARMA Shop either through franchise, partnership or consultation, get in touch with us now.
