Experience Running A Verduleria?

[Rich One]

One of the things I was blown away about was how the verdulerias made a lot of their money, and how. One of the brothers mentioned that, using a kilo of tomatoes as an example: the farmer sells the kilo to the central market for 3 pesos. The central market sells to the verduleria for 40 pesos and the verduleria sells to the individual at his store for 80-90 pesos. But (here's the kicker to me), they sell to restaurants and other "bulk" buyers for $180 pesos, supposedly because the tomatoes they sell to the bulk customers are "premium". But he tells me that's crap, what's actually sent to the restaurants and such is pretty much the same thing that's sold to individuals. Often the owners even try to send some of their "more ripe" tomatoes to the restaurants because after all, they're going to cut them up for salads and sauces anyway.

We were planning on buying or renting a couple of "cámaras" (big fridges) to keep the vegetables fresh and not go to the central market every day.

I didn't realize the Bolivians would grow their own produce. One of the things we were actually discussing is one day actually buying a truck and trying to make some deals out in the province with growers, but I don't know how likely that scenario is.

Also, the verdulerias for whom the brothers work for throw out a lot of produce when it gets unsaleable as whole veggies or fruits and they were thinking that we could make salads, fruit salads, juices and such and sell those as well in an attempt to get the most out of the unsold produce.

With all due respect , please take a serious look at your numbers . you mention tomatoes sold at the verduleria to the public at 80.-90 pesos prices are per Kilo ??....!! are these 2015 prices....? Prices to restos of $180 pesos ?

 

[RodalfoWalsh]

The easiest way to be successful in business is to find a need and provide it. A more difficult way to be successful is to anticipate a need and be ready to provide it. Even more difficult is creating a need and providing it. The most difficult is to try and provide for a need that is already being met.

The city is completely over populated with crappy verdularias. Why would you get into a business where the supply vastly exceeds the demand? Verduleros work incredibly long hours to scrape by a poor existence. There is not going to be enough return to justify your investment.

If you really are dying to get into the verdularia business check out Zucchini in Barrancas de Belgrano

or La Vision which has just opened their third location

The air-conditioned interior not only makes it a pleasant shopping experience but prevents the instant damage that most produces suffers on the sidewalk in BA summers. The products are always of good quality, never wilted bruised or discolored. For that level of quality customers pay a negative premium, with prices almost always inferior to that of the common verdularia. The low prices and high quality bring lots of customers (I must pass at least 20 on my 5 minute bus ride to get there) which in turn means faster product rotation which makes it easier to keep the prices low and the quality high.

Here are some photos of la vision:

That is how you should do a verdularia. These guys are doing great business and expanding. The 4-per-block verdularias are going the way of the dinosaur and all I can say is good freaking riddance.