Thinking of a Grocery Store or Pharmacy Business? We will be happy to help you.

Some people categorize grocery stores as small supermarkets. But there’s far more to it than that. Grocery stores often stock products that cater to specific communities. Small grocery stores can better position themselves to change their inventory to match the needs of shoppers from their neighbourhoods

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    PROCESS OF STARTING A GROCERY STORE BUSINESS

    • Decide the Type of Grocery Store

      Before starting, decide on the business model that suits your budget and goals like such as General Kirana Store, Supermarket, Hypermarket, Online Grocery Store (E-Grocery) etc.

    • Conduct Market Research

      • Identify the target audience – Families, working professionals, students, etc.
      • Analyse customer needs, Check competitor store & Pricing.
    • Register Your Business & Obtain Licenses

      • Business Registration – Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, LLP, or Private Limited.
      • GST Registration, FSSAI License, Trade License, MSME Registration, Shop and Establishment License etc.
    • Secure Investment & Funding

      • Personal savings or family restraint.
      • Bank Loans & MSME Loans (Mudra Loan, Startup India scheme) and Investors Funds.
    • Choose a Suitable Location

      • Consider Families & Residential Areas, Working Professionals & Students, High-Income Areas.
      • Choose a location with high daily footfall and avoid isolated areas with low visibility
      • Store Space: Minimum 200-1000 sq. ft. for a small grocery shop, more for a supermarket
    • Set Up the Store & Infrastructure

      • Shelving & Storage: Racks, refrigerators for dairy & frozen items, storage for bulk stock.
      • POS & Billing System: Install billing software like Marg ERP, Vyapar, or GoFrugal.
      • Logistics & Delivery Setup: For home delivery (tie-up with Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit).
    • Find Reliable Suppliers & Stock Inventory

      • Partner with wholesalers & distributors (local markets, FMCG brands like Nestlé, HUL, ITC).
      • Tie-up with farmers & vendors for fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
      • Manage inventory smartly – Avoid overstocking perishable items.
    • Hire Staff & Manage Operations

      • Cashiers & Billing Staff for smooth transactions.
      • Stock Handlers & Delivery Boys (for supermarkets & online grocery stores).
      • Customer Service Team (if offering home delivery).
    • Marketing & Branding Strategy

      • Online Presence: Register on Google My Business for online visibility.
      • Online & Offline Promotions: Promote offers on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Distribute flyers, offer Festive discounts.
      • Collaborations: Tie-ups with housing societies for bulk orders.

    TYPES OF GROCERY STORE BUSINESS

    GENERAL KIRANA STORE

    A “general Kirana store” is essentially a small local shop, often referred to as a “corner store” or “convenience store”, that sells a wide range of everyday household items like groceries, personal care products, and other daily necessities, similar to a general store, but with a particular focus on Indian staples like rice, pulses, spices, and more; “Kirana” being the Hindi word for groceries.

    SUPERMARKET

    A supermarket is a large self-service store that sells a variety of food, drinks, and household items. Supermarkets are typically larger and have a wider selection than a traditional grocery store.

    HYPERMARKET

    A hypermarket is a retail store that combines a department store and a grocery supermarket. Often a very large establishment, hypermarkets offer a wide variety of products such as appliances, clothing, and groceries. Hypermarkets offer shoppers a one-stop shopping experience.

    WHOLESALE GROCERY STORE

    A “wholesale grocery store” is a business that buys large quantities of food products directly from manufacturers and then sells them in bulk to other businesses like smaller grocery stores, restaurants, or hotels, rather than selling directly to individual consumers; essentially acting as a middleman in the food supply chain, allowing retailers to purchase items at lower prices due to the bulk buying power. 

    ONLINE GROCERY STORE (E-GROCERY)

    An online grocery store, or e-grocery store, is a supermarket or grocery store that allows customers to order groceries online. Customers can choose to pick up their order or have it delivered.

    FRANCHISE-BASED GROCERY STORE

    A “franchise-based grocery store” is a grocery store that operates under the brand name and business model of a larger company, where the individual store owner pays a fee to use the established brand and systems, essentially buying the right to operate a store under that company’s name, allowing them to benefit from brand recognition and established practices while managing their own location. 

    REQUIREMENTS OF GROCERY STORE BUSINESS

    SIZE

    The required area size for a grocery store varies depending on the type of store, product variety, and location, but generally, a small grocery store might need around 300-500 square feet, while a large supermarket could require 2,000-5,000 square feet or mor

    FINANCE AND CAPITAL

    Evaluate the financial requirements and determine how much capital you will need. Generally, the financial need depends on the size and scale of your business. So, look at your savings and assets and see if they are enough to set up a grocery store. If not, apply for a new Business Loan from Hero Fincorp and get the required funds instantly without any security or guarantor.

    OWNERSHIP

    An “Ownership document” for a grocery store typically refers to the “Sale Deed” which legally proves the ownership of the property where the grocery store is located, essentially demonstrating that the owner has the right to operate a business on that land; this document is usually accompanied by other legal documents like property tax receipts and land registration certificates depending on the jurisdiction.

    HIRE THE RIGHT STAFF

    When it comes to a retail grocery store, your staff is the key to securing repeat customers. Positive customer care provided by your staff is directly related to customer retention. Therefore, ensure hiring candidates who are pleasant, friendly, and know how to deliver great customer service. Moreover, they should be comfortable working in a team and learn how to calm unhappy customers. Since your employees are the face of your grocery business, ensure they contribute to a pleasant atmosphere inside your store.

    INVENTORY

    A grocery store’s inventory requirements include: a comprehensive list of all stocked products with details like product name, SKU, quantity on hand, unit cost, sale price, supplier information, expiration dates, and reorder points to ensure proper stock levels, prevent shortages, manage costs, and optimize sales by accurately forecasting demand and tracking inventory movement through a point-of-sale (POS) system with barcode scanning capabilities.

    PICK A SUITABLE LOCATION

    Picking a suitable location for your grocery store is half the battle won. The best idea is to avoid far-off places, but opening a store in a crowded market is not a good location either. Moreover, ensure the store has a decent floor and storage space to accommodate several customers at a time. Also, give attention to the parking space, as most people will come for grocery shopping in their vehicles for easy commute and transportation. A place close to offices and commercial spaces is good as people come here daily.

    DOCUMENTS FOR GROCERY STORE BUSINESS

    BUSINESS REGISTRATION TYPE

    Your business is required to be registered as a sole proprietorship, partnership firm, LLP, or company are as applicable.

    LEASE AGREEMENT

    To rent a space for your grocery store, you must follow a proper registration process. A lease agreement with your landlord is mandatory to keep the deal intact and safe.

    FSSAI LICENSE

    You will need an FSSAI license if your store deals with food-related activities. Apply for one with your local state or government office.

    SHOP AND ESTABLISHMENT LICENSE

    You must submit a shop and establishment license that includes your employment terms and worker services in your store. Get one from your state authorities.

    GST REGISTRATION

    GST Registration is an essential compliance for every Indian business. It becomes mandatory if your annual turnover is over Rs 40 Lakh.

    MSME/UDYAM REGISTRATION

    Consider registering your business as a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) or Udyam. This can provide various benefits and incentives.

    TRADE LICENSE

    Municipalities issue exchange permits in various Indian states. While setting up a grocery store, you must obtain these permits from municipal bodies. The process is simple and takes only 5-7 days to complete.

    PROFESSIONAL TAX LICENSE

    Professional tax is a direct tax levied by state governments in India on salaried and self-employed individuals. A person who gets a salary each month from his employer or earns income from his own business, profession or trade needs to pay professional tax.

    LEGAL METROLOGY CERTIFICATE

    Grocery businesses in India that sell goods by weight or volume, a Legal Metrology Certificate (LMPC) is crucial to ensure compliance with standards of weights, measures, and labeling, protecting consumer interests and ensuring accuracy.

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    Compare with other Grocery Store Business

    Pick a Business Structure That Works Best For Your Business

    • Initial Investment
    • License & Approvals
    • Profit Margin
    • Target Customers
    • Operational Complexity
    • Revenue Potential
    • Competition Level
    • Stock Requirements
    • Staff Requirement
    • Risk Factors
    • Best for Entrepreneurs Who

    General Kirana Store

    • 2-10 lakh
    • Trade License, GST, FSSAI
    • 5-20%
    • Local residential customers
    • Low (simple setup)
    • Low to Medium (limited local market)
    • High (many local competitors)
    • Basic groceries, FMCG products
    • 1-2 persons
    • High competition, price-sensitive customers
    • Want low-cost, easy-to-run business

    Supermarket

    • 10-50 lakh
    • Trade License, GST, FSSAI, Fire & Safety
    • 10-25%
    • Middle-class & upper-middle-class customers
    • Medium (multiple product categories, staff needed)
    • Medium to High (diverse product range)
    • Medium (competes with supermarkets & online stores)
    • Grocery, dairy, household goods, packaged food
    • Allowed5-10 staff for billing, stocking, cleaning
    • Inventory management, stock wastage
    • Can manage inventory & provide customer experience

    Hypermarket

    • 50 lakh – 2 crore
    • Trade License, GST, FSSAI, Fire & Safety, Pollution Control
    • 10-30%
    • Mass consumers, large families, businesses
    • High (large inventory, logistics management)
    • High (large sales volume, high-end customers)
    • Medium (competes with supermarkets & hypermarkets)
    • Grocery, electronics, home essentials, apparel
    • 20+ staff for operations, security, logistics
    • High setup cost, operational complexity
    • Have high capital & want large-scale retail business

    Wholesale Grocery Store

    • 20 lakh – 1 crore
    • Wholesale Trade License, GST, FSSAI
    • 5-15%
    • Retailers, bulk buyers, restaurant owners
    • Medium-High (bulk storage, supplier tie-ups)
    • High (bulk sales, retailer network)
    • Low (fewer wholesale suppliers)
    • Bulk stock of food grains, pulses, oils, packaged goods
    • 5-15 staff for warehousing, billing
    • Storage issues, customer credit risks
    • Want to sell in bulk & build a wholesale network

    Online Grocery Store

    • 5-50 lakh
    • GST, FSSAI, E-commerce Compliance
    • 15-40%
    • Tech-savvy customers, urban households
    • High (logistics, warehousing, online platform)
    • High (low overhead, high scalability)
    • Very High (competes with big e-commerce players)
    • Curated stock based on demand & delivery model
    • Minimal staff for operations, delivery management
    • High logistics cost, platform dependency
    • Prefer online business with delivery model

    Franchise-Based Grocery Store

    • 20-50 lakh (franchise fees included)
    • Franchise Agreement, Trade License, GST, FSSAI
    • 10-25%
    • Brand-conscious grocery shoppers
    • Medium (brand compliance, inventory control)
    • Medium to High (depends on franchise brand)
    • Medium (competes with local and online grocery stores)
    • Standardized stock as per franchise agreement
    • Depends on franchise agreement (5-10 staff)
    • Profit-sharing with franchise brand, location dependency
    • Prefer brand recognition & structured business model

    Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about Grocery Store Business

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