How to Make Money Selling Fruits & Vegetables From a Produce Stand

Selling fruits and vegetables from a stand can be profitable.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables is rewarding, especially if you've got a natural green thumb. If you find yourself with a big supply of delicious, fresh produce every season, then selling it is an ideal way to take care of the surplus. It's important to follow the laws when you're selling any food items, but opening a produce stand can be one way to sell your fruits and veggies easily and legally.
Step 1
Pick a location for your stand. Better yet, pick several locations, in case your first choice isn't available. How much money you make selling fruits and vegetables depends largely on where you place your stand. You want your produce stand to be visible to your customers, preferably in an area with lots of foot traffic. You want those people to buy your produce, so it's a good idea to place the stand where people are already shopping for food, like by a supermarket or a farmer's market. Remember, local laws may not allow you to operate a produce stand right where you want it, but drive around and get an idea of where you'd like to place it.
Step 2
Check with your city or county to see what their laws and regulations are concerning the sale of fresh produce from a stand. Since local governments can make their own rules, you have to check with the courthouse and acquire any necessary permits or inspections before you start selling. They might have laws on what hours you can operate, what material your stand must be constructed from and other details you hadn't considered.
Step 3
Plan how you'll operate your business every day. You need a place to wash all the produce, and you need to transport your produce to your stand. Do you own a truck or a van, are you going to borrow or rent one or will you get help from family and friends? Are you planning to wash the produce with a garden hose, or do you have access to a commercial kitchen? These details are important to plan out before you open a produce stand.
Step 4
Make a plan for storing the fruits and vegetables you don't sell. You can't make money with a produce stand full of bad or rotten produce; they have to be kept fresh until you can get them back to the stand. Fruits and vegetables are perishable, so you need access to a large refrigerator or freezer.
Step 5
Build your display. It's fine to sell your produce out of cardboard boxes, but you'll get a better response from customers if you put a little effort into how your product looks. People like clean, attractive displays for their food. Get some shelves and group your produce together by color to make it more attractive.
Step 6
Manage your money effectively. In any business, you have to put some of your profit back into the business if you want to keep making money. Budget half to 3/4 of the money at first to set up your display and pay for permits, and after that, keep putting money into your crops. This will ensure long-term success instead of a one-hit wonder produce stand.

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