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Business plan for a mini-workshop for the production of dumplings. Dumpling business, homemade handmade dumplings Sales of handmade dumplings

Despite its prevalence, the production of dumplings at home as a business does not lose its relevance. There are several reasons, and they are all understandable: the dish is filling, quick to prepare and very tasty. Everyone loves dumplings, especially with sour cream, but not everyone has the patience to make them after a hard day or on the weekend.

Advantages of a home business

When engaging in this type of business, you don’t need to immediately dream of huge incomes. Every personal business, and not just making dumplings at home, goes through the following difficult stages:

  • search for start-up capital;
  • search for places of sale;
  • developing your own handwriting;
  • accumulation of financial reserves for further development.

And only when all the stages have been completed, if the owners remain true to their goals, the business begins to generate stable and even considerable income.

One of the significant advantages of producing dumplings at home is that the costs in the first stages will be limited to several thousand. This, in turn, allows you to save significantly at the stage of developing your business.

The main thing is to find the very recipe that potential customers will really like, and when you start making a delicious dish, even with a strong desire, do not skimp on ingredients.

After all, what is the reason that, seeing a huge amount of factory-made products on the shelves, buyers are looking for analogues made at home? Large manufacturers, undergoing enormous competition, spend a large amount of money on advertising, colorful packaging, are forced to purchase advanced equipment and maintain a staff of people involved in more than just sculpting.

And, as always, the costs are compensated either by a very high price, unjustified from the point of view of the average person, or by the quality of the product: reducing the volume of minced meat, the amount of meat, the use of soy and other little tricks. The result is the absence of a base of regular customers: only casual buyers purchase a product that lacks in taste.

How to start a dumpling business from scratch

To create your own business, you don’t have to work yourself: you can involve your household members in the business. Wife, children, and other family members dreaming of the delights of home-based earnings and improving their financial condition will happily get to work as soon as they understand its promise.

What do you need to purchase to start a dumpling business from scratch? First of all, products, because other components necessary for kneading, rolling and storage are already in every home.

Initially, it is necessary to clarify a few points:

At first, when trying to attract buyers, you should not inflate the price too much: a premium of 15–20% is enough. Over time, when the situation gets stronger, prices can be raised by about 50%.

Search for sales locations

When the first tests for finding a recipe have been passed, in other words, the recipes have been tried and the most delicious ones have been selected by the family council during the tasting process, you can start looking for places where your dumplings can be sold. Of course, you need to take your own performance into account here.

You can sell homemade dumplings as a product of your own business in the form of semi-finished products, which can be accepted for sale at various retail outlets located not far from home:

  • factory canteen, plant, office;
  • grocery kiosk;
  • in a small station cafe;
  • large store.

Organizing your own mini-workshop will require:

  • who will need to be paid monthly;
  • development of branded packaging and its order;
  • renting premises of suitable size;
  • Availability of a vehicle for product delivery.

The costs are huge. The only consolation is that dumplings, like bread, belong to products that do not have a seasonal focus. Everyone consumes them all the time.

When looking for people for your own mini-workshop, it is preferable to choose those who have already worked in this area and know how and love to handle products. If a small production is equipped with the necessary automation, and its productivity is from 80 to 200 kg, then for uninterrupted operation it is enough to ensure the presence of five people. It is much more profitable to work with family members, continuing to develop the business with them.

Profit will only be maximum when all participants in the home-based business are aimed at success. And it doesn’t matter whether the business has grown or remains at the level of a home enterprise: the main thing is to feel financial independence and be able to realize self-realization.

Production of dumplings. Dumpling machine: Video

Dumplings are considered instant products and are in great demand among the population regardless of the season, so their production will always be in demand. Often businessmen combine the production of these semi-finished products with the production of dumplings, manti, pancakes, cutlets and other products, which allows them to expand the range and increase profits from the operation of the enterprise.

The production of dumplings at home can be organized by anyone who wants to open their own business without large investments. Despite the great competition, this type of activity is profitable, however, the enterprise will be required to produce tasty and high-quality products, as well as the optimal selling price.

Pros and cons of a home-based dumpling business

The great popularity of dumplings is easily explained, because anyone can buy them inexpensively and quickly prepare them. Let's look at the main advantages and disadvantages of this product, which will allow novice entrepreneurs to understand the needs of customers and the intricacies of production.

To begin with, we note that in the consumer market today there is a huge demand for high-quality semi-finished products, so entrepreneurs should not have any difficulties with sales. In addition, dumplings bring significant income to many retail outlets, and their managers are interested in manufacturers who do not skimp on raw materials. The advantages of doing business in the production of dumplings also include:

  • the possibility of organizing an enterprise with minimal investment;
  • high profitability of the dumplings business;
  • a wide range of manufactured semi-finished products;
  • year-round demand for the product;
  • moderate costs of production, depreciation of equipment and advertising;
  • long shelf life of finished products.

Starting a business is quite simple, since at the start you do not have to rent production premises and purchase expensive equipment. You can make dumplings at home at first, and for preparing minced meat, every kitchen has knives and a meat grinder.

Despite the obvious advantages of this business, there are still some negative aspects. First of all, they include great competition, because with a certain skill, anyone can make dumplings.

It is also worth considering that the premises for the production of semi-finished products are subject to special requirements from the sanitary and epidemiological station, fire inspection and other structures, which must be observed for the smooth operation of the enterprise.

Since this type of business has many advantages, the production of dumplings should be considered as a promising business. In addition, it is important to know that with a certain amount of effort and high quality products, income will not be long in coming.

Over time, you can expand production by increasing the range of semi-finished products produced. Effective marketing and competent business management are the main components of success.

Dumpling making technology

Let's consider the features of the technology for producing dumplings at home and in the workshop. In the first case, they can be made in the kitchen using hand modeling, and the output is about 8-10 kg per 1 working day.

Preparing semi-finished products at home does not require special preparation and equipment of the production premises, as well as the purchase of expensive equipment. The technology for making dumplings in a home mini-workshop consists of several main stages. These include:

  • processing of ingredients;
  • dough preparation;
  • minced meat layout;
  • making dumplings;
  • freezing of products;
  • packaging of finished semi-finished products.

At the raw material processing stage, meat is cleaned and washed, eggs are disinfected, after which a water-salt solution is prepared. Then peel the onions and garlic and start preparing the minced meat. To do this, a meat grinder is used, through which meat preparations, onions and garlic and other vegetables (for example, potatoes) are passed. To ensure that the filling has a uniform consistency, the crushed ingredients must be thoroughly mixed. This is done using an electromechanical stirrer or manually (the use of rubber gloves is mandatory) for a quarter of an hour.

Important: To reduce the cost of production, a large amount of onion is added to the minced meat. Potatoes are also used to compose the minced meat, which gives the dumplings a good taste.

The dough should be prepared by first sifting the flour. This can be done manually or using a dough mixer. When all the ingredients are ready, proceed directly to sculpting the dumplings. The minced meat is wrapped in dough by hand or a machine is used to make dumplings. Prepared semi-finished products are laid out on trays and placed in freezing chambers. If you use a machine, you can prepare a much larger quantity of products at home.

Dumplings are packed in colorless plastic bags weighing 1 and 0.5 kg. If you plan to produce small volumes of products, you will not need to purchase a filling machine. Dumplings of various colors are in great demand among consumers, especially if there are several of them in one package. Juices of spinach, beets, black currants and other natural ingredients are used to color semi-finished products.

The technology for making dumplings in workshop conditions has some difficulties. First of all, this is due to the significant volumes of manufactured products, which require a certain amount of raw materials. Meat for production can be purchased in frozen blocks or prepared manually through special processing, for which trimming and deboning are used. To prepare the dough in a workshop, use flour with at least 30% gluten. In addition, the dough must have a strictly defined humidity, which ranges from 38-42%.

All components are thoroughly mixed using an automatic dough mixer for at least 20 minutes, while, depending on the technology, the dough can mature from several hours to a day at a temperature of +3°C.

To prepare minced meat, the meat is cut into small pieces, after which it is crushed mechanically (special cutters are used for this). After this, salt, onion, garlic, spices, vegetables and water are added to the resulting mass, then everything is mixed for 10 minutes. The finished minced meat is unloaded into steel tanks, from where it is removed for further sculpting.

The workshop uses machines for making dumplings with a certain productivity. Such equipment has bunkers for loading finished minced meat and feeding dough, which are sent to the production conveyor automatically. Ready dumplings are packaged using special equipment. There are certain requirements for packaging in accordance with GOST R 51074-2003. It must include information such as:

  • name and location of the manufacturing company;
  • production date of semi-finished products;
  • name of the finished product;
  • compound;
  • best before date.

Finished products are packed in transparent plastic bags in cardboard boxes. The manufacturer's label must be present on the container. It indicates the total weight of the container and the number of packs.

How to open a dumpling shop at home?

To open a dumpling shop at home, you will need minimal equipment. To do this, you should get a meat grinder (preferably electric), a freezer and a dumpling maker (a mold for making semi-finished products). As production increases, it will be necessary to invite assistants to work.

If you use a machine for making dumplings, in 1 hour of work you can prepare 10-12 kg of ready-made semi-finished products. The presence of small equipment for the production of dumplings, ravioli and homemade noodles will expand the range of the enterprise and increase profits.

The purchase of automatic devices will make it possible to increase production volumes. So, with the help of 1 piece of equipment you can sift flour, knead dough and form dumplings, while in 1 work shift you get about 350-400 kg of semi-finished products.

For such a quantity of dumplings, you also need to purchase a packaging machine. Beginning entrepreneurs should know that to open a small home workshop, it is enough to select compact equipment with which you can make about 100-150 kg of workpieces per hour.

Business registration

The process of registering an enterprise for the production of dumplings and other semi-finished products does not present any difficulties. To legalize his activities, an entrepreneur must contact the tax office and submit an application for registration of an individual entrepreneur. There you can clarify the OKVED code, which will be required for maintaining records and statistics in the Federal Tax Service. You will also need to obtain the following documents:

  • license to open food service production;
  • permits from the fire inspection and Rospotrebnadzor;
  • SES certificate;
  • permission to use a cash register.

If production is initially planned with the involvement of hired employees, they will be required to have a health certificate. This legalizes their access to the production of food products. You should be prepared for the fact that it will take several months to register your business. Its cost will be about 7-10 thousand rubles.

Preparing the premises

For a full-fledged operation, it is important to choose production premises that will comply with sanitary standards and fire safety, and are also equipped with proper communications (water supply, electricity, ventilation, etc.). To organize the work of a mini-workshop, you will need to find production space from 50 m². If you plan to open an enterprise with a medium-capacity production line, then you should look for premises of 250 m².

The sanitary station places special requirements on production premises, which, in addition to cleanliness, must have clearly defined areas or separate areas for storing raw materials and finished products. Also, the enterprise needs to allocate a separate place for the installation of freezing equipment. This should also include the presence of a room for cutting meat products. The floors and walls in it should be tiled, which can be easily cleaned.

The enterprise should allocate a room for staff, as well as equip a sanitary room and showers. Please note that the equipment for the production of dumplings operates on an alternating power supply, so it must be possible to connect to 220 and 380 V. The workshop must be equipped with a supply and exhaust ventilation system, sewerage and powerful lighting.

When searching for a suitable place for the production of semi-finished products and dumplings, you should pay attention to public catering establishments (kitchens, public canteens), which are initially adapted for the production of products and comply with the standards of state regulatory authorities.

If you try to convert inappropriate areas into a dumpling shop, this undertaking will be too expensive. You should also pay attention to the availability of good transportation, which is a necessary condition for the smooth delivery of raw materials and export of the company’s products.

Equipment purchase

How to decide on equipment and equip production with it? Beginning entrepreneurs should know what they will need to purchase:

  • automatic dough mixer – 70 thousand rubles;
  • machine for rolling out dough – 35 thousand rubles;
  • equipment for sifting flour – 20 thousand rubles;
  • electric minced meat mixer – 30 thousand rubles;
  • industrial meat grinder – 28 thousand rubles.

Since the raw materials for preparing dumplings and other types of semi-finished products, as well as finished products, require certain storage conditions, a refrigeration chamber (for raw materials), a blast freezer and a freezer for storing finished products must be installed in the workshop. You will have to spend about 170 thousand rubles to purchase them.

To reduce costs when purchasing equipment for a small workshop, you can purchase a table-top flour sifting device. It is compact in size and allows you to quickly obtain a lot of raw materials for high-quality dough. You should not save on purchasing an industrial meat grinder, since the smooth operation of the production process depends on its quality. It is worth paying attention to those models that are equipped with reverse, which allows you to quickly remove stuck cartilage and tendons.

As for devices for mixing minced meat, there are table-top and floor-mounted devices. Their cost varies depending on the type of drive, which can be electrical or mechanical. If you plan to independently deliver products to customers, you need to spend about 600 thousand rubles on the purchase of a used refrigerator.

Purchasing ingredients

To ensure uninterrupted operation of production, it is necessary to organize the supply of raw materials. In addition, you should calculate the supply of ingredients for making dumplings. To minimize costs, it is recommended to purchase raw materials from supermarkets, wholesale warehouses and markets.

As for meat, different varieties are allowed and it must always be fresh. You cannot use by-products to reduce costs, as well as cartilage, tendons and other production waste. Please note that some entrepreneurs use poultry and animal skins to make minced meat. This should not be done, since dumplings with such filling are not in demand among buyers.

To purchase fresh meat, you should contact the management of the livestock farm and enter into a supply agreement with them. This option ensures the availability of always fresh products, the quality of which will be confirmed by appropriate quality certificates.

If farms are located far from the production location, you can purchase meat in large supermarkets at wholesale prices. To do this, you need to find out when fresh batches are delivered and buy them strictly at a certain time.

Attracting working personnel

Often, the production of dumplings is a family business, where all work responsibilities are distributed among all relatives. However, specialists who are well versed in the specifics of the process may be required:

  • shift adjuster of electromechanical equipment;
  • production technologist;
  • accountant;
  • director.

Depending on the volume of production, kitchen workers will be required who will be involved in the process of preparing minced meat and dough. It is mandatory to hire cleaners, loaders and a storekeeper, as well as a sales department manager.

Important: if family members work in production, its head can take on the responsibilities of the head of the company, accounting and master the distribution channels (sales) of finished products. This will allow you to save on employee remuneration costs.

Conducting an advertising campaign

How to advertise your products to a large number of consumers and build a marketing campaign correctly? First of all, you should understand that the start-up enterprise is unknown to anyone, and the quality of dumplings and semi-finished products will be a big question for many.

It makes sense to contact a professional advertising agency, whose specialists will develop a strategy for promoting the company’s products. Quite often, fairs are held in populated areas, where you should take part and introduce consumers to the quality of your dumplings and other goods.

To independently promote your company's products, you can use various effective methods. First of all, you need to create an information resource for the company on the Internet, where the entire range of products will be presented. You should also indicate prices, contact information and commercial offer for buyers. It is very important to place high-quality photographs on the site, which can present samples of dumplings and other products in all their glory. In addition to the above methods of promoting your own brand, the following will be effective:

  • placement of advertisements on television and other media;
  • promoting products through personal communication with potential consumers;
  • sending commercial offers to public catering establishments, supermarkets, markets, shops.

Please note that before launching sales, you should carefully analyze competitors' prices. Typically, a trade margin of 20% is applied to products. The purpose of the advertising campaign is to convince customers to buy the product and evaluate the quality of the products offered. The main thing is to keep the brand, and information about the product will spread among people instantly, which is guaranteed to attract a large flow of regular customers.

Sales of finished products

The issue of selling finished products is relevant for every entrepreneur who has decided to organize a business in the production of dumplings and semi-finished products. Sales mechanisms can be very different, and their effectiveness depends directly on the volume of production.

So, if dumplings are prepared at home and their quantity is relatively small, they can easily be sold to private buyers, as well as individual requests can be fulfilled. As a rule, such methods are good if the enterprise produces about 10-12 kg during the day.

Excellent results can be achieved if you sell semi-finished products using advertising on social networks, as well as by posting offers for users on free message boards.

If you open your own store, you can easily sell finished products through it, and this method will also allow you to quickly attract a large number of regular customers. To do this, the entrepreneur will need to register a food trading enterprise with the Federal Tax Service and hire a salesperson. You can find many interesting offers for renting out shopping pavilions and small shops. As practice shows, such retail outlets bring good income if they are located in residential areas, near shopping centers, educational institutions, large industrial associations and other places with a large number of people.

Cafes and fast food outlets readily buy frozen food. Particular attention should be paid to inexpensive canteens and catering establishments located at train stations and markets. When communicating with managers of catering enterprises, it is worth emphasizing the fact that homemade recipes are used in the production of dumplings. Cooperation with a network of small stores that operate under a single brand and with wholesalers gives good results.

Business plan for the production of dumplings

Let us give an approximate calculation of the estimate, which will allow us to present the approximate amount of profit, provided that the dumpling shop will produce 700 kg of products in 1 working day. So, the volume of investment will be:

  • purchase of equipment – ​​350 thousand rubles;
  • repair of production premises - 40 thousand rubles;
  • advertising campaign costs – 30 thousand rubles;
  • business registration – 7-10 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of raw materials – 65 thousand rubles.

Also, the production enterprise will have mandatory monthly expenses. These include:

  • rental of industrial premises – 40 thousand rubles;
  • utility bills - 10 thousand rubles;
  • employee salaries – 100 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of consumables – 20 thousand rubles.

The cost of 1 kg of dumplings is 65 rubles, and the average selling price on the market is 92 rubles. The profit from 1 kg of product is 27 rubles, and the income per shift is 18.9 thousand rubles. If we take into account that the enterprise will work seven days a week, the total amount for the month will be 567 thousand rubles. Now it is necessary to subtract the costs of staff salaries, the purchase of consumables and the rental of premises in the amount of 170 thousand rubles, and we will get a profit of 397 thousand rubles.

How to withstand competition with other enterprises?

Unlike factory-made dumplings, homemade products have a unique taste, since they are made using a unique recipe, as well as high-quality and fresh ingredients.

The best way to produce delicious dumplings that will be in great demand among customers is to cook them the way it is done in every family - with special love. Under production conditions, soybeans are added to minced meat (to reduce costs and increase profits), which significantly reduces the quality of the product. In order to compete with other companies, you should offer the buyer dumplings of the highest quality. An honest entrepreneur will always find a way to intelligently minimize production costs and the cost of dumplings. For example, you can expand the range by releasing new types of semi-finished products with the open use of natural ingredients.

In conclusion, we note that the return on investment in business development for the production of dumplings occurs after 1 year of operation of the enterprise. If the company remains afloat during this period, it means that its organization and marketing were carried out correctly, and the possibility of expanding production capacity can also be considered.

On store shelves there is a wide selection of dumplings products (dumplings, manti, dumplings), which differ in quality, composition and technologies used. But even high competition in this niche does not make this business less profitable. If you buy equipment for the production of dumplings and start producing high-quality products, you can quickly gain the trust of consumers, thereby ensuring that you receive consistently high incomes.

Dumplings are products made from dough and minced meat. The product is extremely popular among Russians, which greatly simplifies the problem of marketing the products. And this is the main advantage of organizing a dumpling business!

Our business assessment:

Starting investments – from 2,000,000 rubles.

Market saturation is high.

The difficulty of starting a business is 6/10.

The main advantages of this direction are the simplicity of the technology and the ability to organize a business producing dumplings at home. And even home-made products can eventually compete with those made using industrial equipment.

But there are also significant difficulties that will await an entrepreneur on the path to success, one of which is the difficulty of registering and further running a food enterprise. Obtaining all permits, regular inspections by supervisory services, accompanying documents for finished products - all this is ahead.
Experts advise starting small - by launching a migi workshop. And this is quite justified - small investments in business will reduce all financial risks, because not a single analyst can give a 100% guarantee that the planned enterprise will ultimately turn out to be highly profitable.

Let's look at how to open your own dumpling production. What business options are available to an entrepreneur here?

Machine or hand-made dumplings: what to choose?

When developing a business plan for the production of dumplings, the first thing you have to decide on is the method of obtaining the finished product. When making a definite decision in favor of a particular business development scenario, it is worth taking into account the available investments. And there are 2 options:

  • hand-made dumplings,
  • machine-made dumplings.

The decision made at this stage on the direction of the business will have an impact on all further steps - registration and organization of the business, investments.

A hand-made dumplings workshop will require significantly lower costs, since you will not have to purchase expensive equipment. But there will be additional expenses for hiring employees who will do all the work manually. This approach significantly reduces productivity, but makes the manufactured products more expensive. And a certain segment of consumers is ready to overpay for natural, high-quality products. As a result, it turns out that sales revenue can be almost the same as in the case of an automated mini-workshop.

Opening a dumpling shop with high-performance equipment will allow the output to be large volumes of finished products, and its cost will be slightly lower. But the high costs that will have to be incurred when equipping the plant, with established distribution channels, will pay off quite quickly.

The ideal option is to use 2 methods at once in the workshop, where the machine method will be the main one. And hand-made dumplings will be an addition to the existing product line. This way you can reach a larger circle of consumers.

Range of products

An automated dumpling production line makes it possible to produce different types of products. However, this also applies to products produced at home. And the main classification here is based on the type of meat that is involved in the process. Most often, dumplings are prepared from the following types of meat:

  • pork,
  • beef,
  • mutton.

In addition to the filling, the shape and size of the final products may differ. And here there is real scope for “imagination” - square and oval dumplings, standard and crescent-shaped.

Market analysis shows that it is better for an entrepreneur to produce 5-6 types of dumplings in different price categories.

The recipe and assortment must be developed by a technologist. And it is very important that the enterprise carries out constant developments in this direction - the range must be constantly supplemented by introducing new raw materials and technologies.

Registering a future business

And if dumplings of our own production, which will be sold to neighbors and friends in the future, do not require certification and quality control, then, if we talk about a full-fledged workshop, we cannot do without it.

The production of frozen dumplings and dumplings can be registered in the form of an individual entrepreneur or LLC. The second option is preferable if you plan to wholesale the manufactured products in the future. OKVED, which this area falls under, has the number 52.22.1 (Retail trade in meat and poultry, including by-products).

An entrepreneur will have to spend a lot of time and money collecting all the necessary papers and certificates. And before starting activities, the following package of documents should be submitted to Rospotrebnadzor and SES:

  • Business registration certificate.
  • Registered technical specifications.
  • Recipe.
  • Conclusion from the veterinary service on the supplied raw materials.

After all analyzes of product samples have been carried out and the premises have been inspected, the production and sale of hand-made dumplings can begin.

Without time and relevant knowledge, at this stage you can attract a qualified lawyer who would take care of all the “paper” issues.

Even before purchasing equipment for a dumpling shop, you will need to think about the brand name and packaging design. This will also take some time, since it requires a thorough approach to identifying consumer preferences. However, the production of homemade dumplings as a business can be carried out without packaging the finished product. Frozen dumplings, in this case, are delivered to retail outlets (usually large retail chains) in plastic bags or cardboard boxes, and are packaged or sold by weight directly on the spot.

Used raw materials and technology

The dumpling making machine processes the following main raw materials:

  • meat,
  • flour,
  • water,
  • eggs.

A specific recipe contains a certain amount of ingredients. To reduce the cost of the product, bacon and offal can be added to the minced meat. Spices and onions are used to give it flavor.

Both mini-production of dumplings at home and a powerful workshop require constant supplies of basic raw materials. And the main attention here should be paid to meat. It can be supplied in the form of carcasses, half-carcasses and meat blocks. If you purchase whole carcasses, they should be processed before use - deboning and trimming. This will require additional personnel and special equipment. Meat blocks, although more expensive, do not require preliminary preparation. The main requirement that must be met in the process of obtaining finished products is that only high-quality meat should enter the dumpling machine, and therefore incoming control is mandatory.

Meat can be purchased at a lower price from local farmers. But not every region has a farm that can supply the required quantities of raw materials for production - usually these are private entrepreneurs who keep small numbers of livestock and pigs and sell products to the market in small quantities.

When agreeing on cooperation with suppliers of raw materials, it is important to familiarize yourself with all the conditions specified in the contract. As a rule, all transportation costs for the delivery of ingredients are borne by the mini workshop for the production of dumplings. Therefore, it is better to find suppliers that are located geographically closer to the enterprise.

Technological diagram for the production of dumplings

As soon as the first batch of raw materials arrives at the workshop, commissioning of the line can begin. The technology for producing dumplings, in general, can be presented as follows:

  • Kneading the dough.
  • Preparation of minced meat.
  • Making dumplings.
  • Freezing of products.
  • Packing of dumplings.

And the production of dumplings at home, in terms of technology, differs little from the process carried out in a full-fledged automated workshop - the only difference is in the speed of production and its final form.

Location of the future workshop

And if home production of dumplings can be carried out directly in your own kitchen, then a full-fledged workshop will require much more space - 100-300 m2. And this is only the area of ​​the main workshop. On the territory of the enterprise there should also be rooms for staff and warehouses for storing finished products and raw materials.

The workshop where the equipment for making dumplings is installed must meet the following requirements:

  • Supply of water, electricity and sewage.
  • Good ventilation system.
  • Climate control in separate rooms.

Each room in the enterprise must comply with all fire and sanitary standards.

The production is not harmful, and the equipment for making dumplings does not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere, and therefore the workshop can be located right within the city. But to save money, it is better to choose a building outside the populated area.

Technical equipment of the enterprise

Dumpling machine AF-150

There is a wide range of dumpling equipment on the market, and each entrepreneur will choose those machines that are suitable in a particular case - taking into account the chosen business option and available finances.

The operation of a full-fledged production workshop involves the use of the following machines and devices:

  • Equipment for obtaining dough - flour sifter, dough mixer, dough sheeter.
  • Equipment for obtaining minced meat – meat grinder, minced meat mixer.
  • Automatic machine for forming dumplings.
  • Equipment for storing finished products and raw materials - refrigeration chambers (low and medium temperature).

The price of a machine for making dumplings varies in a wide range, starting from 600,000 rubles. But such equipment is not characterized by versatility and high power - some operations here must be carried out manually. If we talk about a multifunctional line, which will also make it possible to produce dumplings, we will have to spend about 3,000,000 rubles on equipment. And to work at home, you can buy a mechanical dumpling machine - and there are a lot of such machines on sale today. They form finished products from prepared dough and minced meat, which greatly facilitates the process. You can buy a sculpting machine for no more than 10,000 rubles.

To save money on equipping your workshop, you can purchase used equipment. There is another good option to save money - order Chinese machines. Their quality, at a relatively low cost, is excellent.

But the issue of equipment cost should not become fundamental when equipping an enterprise. Experts do not recommend equipping a “young” workshop with a high-performance line until sales channels have been established - it will remain idle. For the first years of work, it is better to buy a machine for the production of dumplings of low or medium power - 100-200 kg/h. This will cost ≈1,000,000 rubles.

Profitability of the planned business

The price of equipment for dumplings and dumplings will begin to pay off when the finished products are immediately sold to customers - and it’s great if these are wholesale buyers. You can establish long-term cooperation with wholesale customers by drawing up a commercial offer that is beneficial to them. Will be ready to buy dumplings:

  • private shops,
  • large retail chains,
  • wholesale food warehouses.

It will be difficult for a novice entrepreneur to come to an agreement with federal retail chains - they impose rather strict requirements on suppliers of products for sale.

The specific payback period will depend on sales volumes and the funds required by the press machine for preparing dumplings. You can start a home enterprise without spending more than 10,000 rubles on the purchase of raw materials. - that's all you need at first. And then, you can automate the process a little by purchasing an automatic product forming machine. But a full-fledged workshop can be set up if you have at least 2,500,000 rubles. This will include the costs of equipping the workshop, preparing all the necessary documents and production premises, and purchasing the first batch of raw materials.

If the machine for dumplings produces ≈500 kg of products per shift, then the entrepreneur can sell up to 15 tons of products monthly. And the average wholesale cost of 1 kg of dumplings is 70-150 rubles. As practice shows, active sales of frozen dumplings can bring an entrepreneur up to 200,000 rubles per month.

Anything is possible: how an IT recruiter, disillusioned with life in the capital, launched a dumpling production in Bryansk

The biography of Ella Vetlugina is rich in sharp turns. Here she is making progress at school - Olympiads, music, gymnastics - and suddenly she puts off her studies at the university and goes to work as a laboratory assistant at the Department of Social Physiology of Chelny State University. So she enters the journalism department - and a year later she is transferred to “anti-crisis management”. Gives up journalism and becomes a recruiter in the IT field. He gets the post of HR director in an international company - and after three months he leaves for nowhere because he’s bored. Finally, after the capital, offices, IT and HR - suddenly Bryansk, a dumpling shop, its own business. What will happen next?

30 years old, owner of the company. Born in Chelyabinsk, studied at SUSU (journalism, crisis management). After moving to Moscow, she worked in IT recruiting. In 2015, she moved to Bryansk, where in September she opened the production of hand-made dumplings. Since September 2016 he has lived in St. Petersburg. Raises a daughter.


Here's a new twist

“As a child, I didn’t want to do business,” says Ella, “although my dad was a classic entrepreneur of the 90s, a strong “buy and sell” entrepreneur. Alas, that experience does not work well in the current realities - my father recently closed his butcher shop in Chelyabinsk, unable to withstand competition with chains. In high school, I also resold some cosmetics and lingerie, but it could hardly be called a business, I just earned pocket money. I also washed cars.”

Ella was going to become a journalist. From the 11th grade I interned in the Chelyabinsk press. By her second year of journalism, she realized that they weren’t teaching her anything new at the faculty, and, continuing to work in the media, she transferred to “crisis management.” Studying here was carried out by correspondence, so the young student found herself in the company of older, as it seemed to her, classmates - mostly entrepreneurs and top managers. In a strange and alien environment, Ella was lost. The first foray into the entrepreneurial path ended in melancholy.

“I wanted to study management, and we were taught basic economics,” explains Ella. - I wanted to write investigations, but they offered me PR. When they didn’t take my text about arms trafficking in the Chelyabinsk region, I just took the train and left for Moscow. I had a laptop, a cat, an air rifle given by my dad, and 1.5 thousand rubles. Over time, this set has changed - now I also have a daughter and a car, but the rifle was stolen.”

In the capital, Ella did not have success with journalism - the vacancies came across one more sadly than the other, it all ended with an offer to write horoscopes

“I then staged a ritual farewell to journalism,” our heroine recalls, “I asked that all my texts be deleted online, and I burned newspapers with publications. Now, as an HR specialist, I understand that I was meddling in the wrong place, but there was no one to tell me.”

From journalists, Ella became a secretary, and from there - a legal assistant. Most of her friends worked in the IT field, that’s what happened in Chelyabinsk. She even got several of them jobs at a large company that was looking for programmers. “At some point, the company called and invited me to pick up the money. I don’t understand, what money? They say: you are entitled to a commission for recruiting. I was then given an amount equal to four secretary salaries. I thought about it and switched to searching for employees for IT companies.”


Over the course of several years, Ella went from a freelance recruiter to an HR director in an international company. Despite the fact that the field seemed interesting to the girl, from time to time she wanted to do something of her own, different, useful. So, while working for a system integrator, Ella proposed to the management to open a corporate university - to earn money by training narrow IT specialists not only for her company, but also for the foreign market. The management “blurred” the idea, then 26-year-old Ella became an HR director in her hearts. And three months later she dropped everything and left for Bryansk.

From Moscow - to Bryansk

Ella came to Bryansk for personal reasons; she didn’t know anything specific about the city or the region. But even at the entrance I decided that I would open my own business here.

“I wanted to do something definitely useful. Not a recruitment agency, not a website, not trainings. And something that a person really needs - I thought about sewing and furniture. It turned out that the Bryansk region has a good environment, tasty products, and, moreover, cheap labor. The city is not that poor, but there is simply little money in it, and prices and wages are low.

I decided to grow champignons. Firstly, it’s simple - and I didn’t understand anything about agronomy. Secondly, they are in very high demand. But champignons are ammonia, work in gas masks. Production will have to be moved out of the city - that means going to the countryside, driving people there. It’s long and expensive.”

“And so I sat, as usual, making dumplings for myself from delicious Bryansk meat, and suddenly I began to count the cost of minced meat and dough. This, I think, is what we need!”

According to the entrepreneur, the market for hand-made dumplings in capital cities is absolutely empty. Such products can only be found in markets and restaurants. Grocery chains sell machine-made semi-finished products, and this is a completely different product.

Lyrical digression No. 1:
difference between store-bought and home-made dumplings

“The difference between manually and automatically made dumplings is very big. This does not mean that all the dumplings in the store are made from bad raw materials. There are good brands that actually contain real meat, no veins or cartilage - as far as this is possible in mass production. Real eggs are put into the dough, and here and there there is even a glimpse of non-gray flour. But despite all this, the modeling remains automatic.

And in order for the dumpling to come out as a dumpling, and not as a cutlet in the dough, the minced meat must be a bit runny - then there will be broth inside. When molding by machine, this will not work; dumplings with liquid minced meat simply do not stick together - 90% of them will be defective. There is no machine that can replace hands.

Yes, you can set the dough to any thickness on the machine, but it will not be the same as it was rolled by hand - homogeneous, without lumps or holes. We tested the dough sheeter for several days and abandoned it. Suitable for a mass product, not for a premium one.

50% of the quality characteristics of a dumpling depend on the dough. People usually ask: what kind of meat is there? And at least one would think: what kind of dough is there? Because if the dough is gray, it means the flour is rotten, sour. The dough should be slightly yellowish, this indicates the presence of eggs in it.


But the reputation of dumplings is especially spoiled by the cheap segment of store-bought products. There are “horns and hooves”: by-products, sinews, soy protein, egg powder, melange, flour from the year before last, preservatives. These dumplings can be stored for years. But they have a cheap cost.

If classic dumplings cost less than 300 rubles per kilogram, I have doubts about their naturalness. This is the minimum cost that related industries can afford in their stores. As a rule, butcher shops have passable dumplings at a fairly low price. This is a local production: so that the meat does not go to waste, it is ground, made into dumplings - and frozen. And in chain stores I have never seen hand-made sculptures.”

Through Bryansk - to Moscow

According to initial calculations, the pure raw material cost was about 110 rubles per kilo of classic dumplings; the real cost was one and a half times more. “And so I sculpt and think: if this product is thrown onto the Moscow market, it will probably be in demand among wealthy residents of the capital. Despite the fact that the price will be quite human.”

Ella didn’t think about any home delivery at that time. She was going to sell dumplings wholesale - to stores, preferably large ones. It was planned to stand out in the market precisely through hand-sculpting. The main message: we make a high quality product.

“I turned to entrepreneur friends who were close to grocery chains and asked to connect me with stores that were ready to buy such goods,” says Ella. - One network agreed to try it. I quickly opened an LLC, and while we were waiting for the contract, I launched production. The strategy was this: we go to the Bryansk stores of this chain, increase turnover, make capital and go to Kaluga, then follow the same pattern. But the network started having problems, the contract was first postponed, and then forgotten about it.”

“If I started all over again, I would still start this story. The question is that what I set out to do is not at all what happened.”

Home delivery has appeared in the range of services out of desperation. Ella has already rented a workshop, bought freezers, stainless steel tables, knives, rolling pins, and an electric meat grinder. Bryansk prices for labor, raw materials and rent allowed us to start at 100 thousand rubles. On average, renting a workshop costs an entrepreneur about 10 times less than in the Moscow region.

Ella was waiting for a contract from the store - and did not look for other buyers, concentrating on production. The business owner made the first 70 kg of dumplings with her own hands, testing raw materials and testing the technology.

“I looked at what flour and what meat was better. I calculated how much raw material was needed per kilogram, how much could be put together in an hour, etc. I mixed a bunch of dough, tried different eggs, different ratios. It just seems - sculpt and sculpt. But if you are making a premium product, be prepared to take into account a lot of nuances.

For example, I spent a long time trying to make the dough stronger - then we could make it thinner. Thick dough in store-bought dumplings is made not because they spare meat, but so that the dumpling does not fall apart during cooking. We eventually figured out how to make a tight dough, and in our dumplings it is thin. True, due to this, the time for rolling has doubled, and this is money.”


The second person in the team was the administrator with a wide range of responsibilities - from organizing the supply of flour and meat to recruiting employees. Ella took two modellers on board next. At the peak season - the winter of 2015-2016 there were six of them, and the total number of employees in the company was nine.

Over the course of the year, the staff has contracted and expanded more than once. Today the company employs two molders, one of whom is a chef. The position of administrator has been abolished. Courier drivers, accountants, and website technical support have been outsourced. Ella herself manages the production remotely - in September she moved to St. Petersburg to establish sales here.

However, we are somewhat ahead of the curve.

Home delivery

“We sat and waited for the contract. I had some business in Moscow, and I wrote on Facebook that I had launched a startup, I was making dumplings, and I could bring them. The people responded - in the end I brought a whole truckload of goods to Moscow. Word of mouth began to work, orders came from friends of friends. I thought: while we are waiting for wholesale, we can make money on this. We made an order form on Google, Facebook group"- recalls the entrepreneur.

The company’s website appeared only in November 2016. Before this, a form was enough, but it was impossible to attach online payments to it, and the range had grown so much that it needed to be shown in all its glory.

“Online payment is our insurance. When it didn’t exist yet, customers paid small orders in cash to the courier. Each time it was a risk - if the buyer refuses, the dumplings can be thrown away - the freezer bag has a certain operating time. By the way, this happened - and it’s good that the next client simply took more. Now we work only on prepayment.”

When it became clear that the promised contract with the store would not happen, Ella tried to break into other chains. Economy format stores disappeared immediately. But even those that position themselves as premium asked for an astronomical discount: “And I already offered them a product with almost no profit, just to get on the counter. But it didn’t work out. As a result, I decided not to waste time shopping anymore. Since then, home delivery has become the main principle of sales."

Delivery times to Moscow range from three to eight days; the car goes to St. Petersburg once a month.

Assortment as a marketing tool

Initially, the company relied on only “classic” dumplings with minced pork and beef. But when it became clear that there would be no stores, and that we would have to work directly with the end consumer, it was logical to give him a choice. The second item in the assortment was the “Men’s” dumplings.

“My man suggested making them,” Ella recalls, “he said: “Make big dumplings so that the man can eat them and feel good.” This is the same classic, only three times larger. And then the buyers got involved and started offering: I want it with cottage cheese, I want it with fish. I introduced Dagestan kurze - a rare product in our area. There is a different sculpting, pure lamb, whey, and its own set of seasonings. The calculation was also that Muslims would respond to the Kurz. Well, off we go. Dumplings, manti, cutlets, rolls, kupaty, dolma, stuffed vegetables, fish dumplings, berry dumplings, with squid, cuttlefish ink, etc.”

“We came up with vegetable dumplings especially for fasting people. Unfortunately, they were overcooked - after all, the dough is without eggs. The problem was solved thanks to a vegan client - experienced in these matters, he told us the secret ingredient.”

Today, the “Pelmeshki” assortment includes 94 products, including 56 types of dumplings themselves. All products are made in one workshop by the same craftswomen.

During the year, only one item was withdrawn from sale - dumplings with cheese and olives. No one ever ordered them. For other exotic species, buyers are found from time to time. The next contenders for elimination are pink dumplings for children: the beet broth that is added to the dough is boiled down.

“I don’t focus on my taste at all. I love dumplings with meat, but I don’t understand dumplings with sorrel. But people order, it’s delicious for them, so we’ll do it.”

Each new product is a marketing ploy, a reason to talk about a new product, remind about yourself on social networks, and interest a potential buyer. The company does not incur any costs or risks, since it does not hold inventory. Raw materials are bought to order - that’s how much they pay, that’s how much they sculpt. Made, frozen, sent for delivery.

“Of course, you won’t be able to work with wholesalers like that,” agrees Ella. “But our business is scaling quickly. If necessary, we will make half a ton of dumplings in 10 days: three days to gather molders and buy additional freezers, and a week for production.”


Between Miratorg and farmers

Volume for a business like Pelmeshka is a lifeline; it allows you to significantly reduce the share of non-product cost, which is slightly less than half of the total cost. We are talking about salaries, logistics, communications, workshop rental, etc.

More than half of the costs come from the cost of raw materials: meat, flour, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, seasonings and other ingredients. Modest turnover does not allow the company to purchase raw materials at wholesale prices, which greatly affects production costs.

“In the premium segment, product quality is the number one factor. We cannot afford gray flour, the dough from which will crack. We cannot use powdered eggs - only selected eggs."

The company buys pork and beef from Miratorg - the main capacities of the agro-industrial holding are based in the Bryansk region. Flour - Chelyabinsk manufacturer "Makfa" (Ella Vetlugina's grandfather worked at this factory). The remaining products - lamb, chicken, turkey, eggs - are supplied by local farms.

“At first I thought that we would cooperate exclusively with farmers, but not all farmers had tested meat. That’s why I buy pork and beef from Miratorgov – their meat is both tasty and proven. But, alas, they don’t do lamb,” says the owner of Pelmeshki.

The company buys seasonal goods - vegetables, mushrooms (for example, chanterelles) and berries - at farmers' markets as needed. But the truffles are from our partners, the Moscow store “Mushroom Place”. “We basically have nothing frozen, only fresh ingredients.”


The cheese in Bryansk dumplings is produced by the cheese factory of Oleg Sirota, a well-known apologist for import substitution. Ella was visiting him and brought 100 kg of Imeretian cheese from there. Following this, several new types of dumplings appeared in the assortment - with cheese and potatoes, with cheese and cottage cheese.

Ella selects suppliers herself. During the first year of Pelmeshka, she changed suppliers of turkey, chicken and cottage cheese: “We have a rule: two complaints from a client - and we stop cooperation with the supplier. It's tough, but otherwise we won't be able to maintain our reputation. Two clients complained of heartburn, so we started working with another poultry farmer. We initially used factory-made cottage cheese, produced by a local enterprise, but switched to farm-made cottage cheese. And the price for it immediately increased.”

Delivery is outsourced

The advantages of Bryansk are not limited to tasty meat and cheap labor, it is also close to Moscow. The distance of 350 km allows us to deliver goods to the homes of customers in the capital.

“We tried to carry it ourselves,” says the entrepreneur, “we worked with a partner, but it turned out to be most convenient to use the YouDo service - there will always be someone who will do the task quickly and well. If he doesn’t, it will affect his rating.

Now we use the services of private drivers, dumplings are delivered in freezer bags. In the summer, it happened that the dumplings arrived a little melted, but this was not critical. We put extra batteries on St. Petersburg flights. For now, we have enough cars, but if we need to deliver half a ton, we’ll hire a refrigerator.”

At first, delivery applied to orders over 2 kg, but given that the client always pays for it (it costs 350 rubles), this restriction was lifted. You can order as much as you like.

A sundress works best

So far, the best month in sales for Pelmeshki was April 2016, it brought in 15% of annual revenue (turnover - 1.3 million rubles), about 400 kg of dumplings were sold to customers in a month. This was partly due to the rapid recruitment of a loyal audience - there was active growth at this time, and partly due to seasonality.

In the summer, dumplings are rarely ordered - in May, diets, summer cottages, and vacations begin. Demand increases as customers return to their apartments. High season – autumn-winter. November 2016 was good. Although December and January are worse than last year - perhaps because prices have increased.

The initial investment in the business was recouped after two months of the workshop’s operation; the company ended the year in a small, but positive way

“I noticed that of all the promotion channels – and we tried different advertising – only personal recommendations work. The neighbor praised it - the neighbor bought it. A famous blogger wrote that he liked it - and customers came running to us. This phenomenon affects demand more than seasonality,” the entrepreneur assures.

The lion's share of Pelmeshki products is supplied to Moscow, about 10% to St. Petersburg. Bryansk as a market turned out to be unpromising. “We tried to supply our dumplings to local stores, but the directors simply took them home,” Ella recalls. - This is too expensive a product for the local market. Yes, there are rich people here, but to reach them, you need to invest heavily in advertising - these costs are impractical.”

Prices: can't be lower

“When I calculated the price, I started from the cost and a small profit. In fact, most of our clients don't even look at the price, unlike wholesalers. Any wholesaler wants a price 100% lower, but then I will work at a loss. Wholesalers are guided by the discount price of automatically molded dumplings - about 205 rubles per kilo. We must include raw materials, labor, delivery, and profit in them. This is unrealistic. In addition, over the year, meat has risen in price by 25%, and the price of flour has increased slightly. Transport costs have increased. And we raised prices."

Today, in retail sales, hand-made Bryansk dumplings cost from 649 rubles per kilo of “Tender” (with chicken) to 1,500 per kilo of “Truffle” ones. Classic dumplings are sold for 799 rubles per kg, “Siberian” - for 999 rubles. Manty - from 899 rubles per kg, chebureki and kupaty - from 699 rubles, dumplings - from 499 rubles.



At the current pace, there is not much that the enterprise can save on, except that ordinary freezers are used, and not for emergency freezing.

“We tried to cut costs, tried other flour, local producers - nothing worked. The molders asked to return the Chelyabinsk one,” says Ella. “They tried beating the onions with a blender to speed up the process. As a result, about 40 kg of dumplings were ruined. When you beat the onion in a blender or food processor, it produces juice and greatly softens the minced meat. To make it tasty, you have to cut the onions by hand - we still do that.”

Lyrical digression No. 2: about the reputation of dumplings

“As far as I understand, the market for hand-made dumplings turned out to be empty because it’s hard to make money on it. Manufacturers eventually turn a blind eye to quality and begin to cut costs, cutting costs. It’s easier for cheese makers, they have more investment, more advertising, and, surprisingly, their product is clearer.

The city audience is with great difficulty ready to try our product, because over the last ten years people have become accustomed to the idea that dumplings are an unhealthy food that is kept in the refrigerator just in case. Food that should not be fed to children. And we retrain the buyer, change his attitude towards dumplings. There are people in the capitals who have never eaten homemade dumplings, and this is a surprise for them.

It turns out that in order to accelerate demand, you need to change your attitude towards the product. This, I repeat, is expensive - advertising works very poorly here. But for those who have already tried it, this is a completely festive product - they order dumplings from us for events and birthdays.”

Sales markets

The first stores that began selling hand-made Bryansk dumplings were the Molochny Dvor chain - a significant event happened in July 2016. But after Ella raised the price following the meat producers, retailers stopped cooperating.

“According to the plan, another person was supposed to handle sales in the company, but it turned out that this is also my function. All contacts with restaurants, markets, shops go through me,” says the entrepreneur.

When it became clear that it would be difficult to enter the stores, Ella tried to take Moscow markets by storm. Since June 2016, Pelmeshki products have been sold at Petrovsky Bazaar. But I couldn’t go to the Danilovsky market - they make their own dumplings there.

Business centers did not live up to the entrepreneur’s expectations: for top managers, chefs make dumplings themselves, and catering services of lower ranks are not at all interested in such a product.


The cooperation with a Moscow restaurant that offered Bryansk dumplings on its menu could be called successful, but the restaurant closed. However, this experience has shown that restaurants are a potentially attractive category of partners, since they understand the cost of handmade products. That is why, having moved to St. Petersburg, Ella first of all set her sights on getting to know the premium catering industry.

In addition, Ella likes St. Petersburg's appetites - residents of the northern capital, on average, order more per person than Muscovites. For example, the last shipment weighing about 70 kg was intended for nine customers. But the largest purchase - 21 kg of dumplings and semi-finished products - was made by a Muscovite.

Demand: from bachelors to those losing weight

The audience of “Pelmeshki” is divided into several categories, which are united only by wealth - not below average. The first category is family people over 30 who have many children. The second is bachelors. The third are businessmen who, in principle, love “everything good.” The fourth large category is girls who are concerned about healthy eating. “Dietary” (beef, chicken), “Fitness” (turkey) and sugar-free berry dumplings have been specially introduced for them. By the way, the first two types are often taken by diabetics.

The most popular products in the “Pelmeshki” assortment are classic dumplings (pork and beef), Siberian (beef), dumplings with potatoes and mushrooms, Dagestan kurze (lamb), dumplings made from three types of meat, with red fish

“Everything else is for assortment. Usually a person takes 5 kg of “classics”, and one kilogram of some unusual ones to try. For example, dumplings with squid. Or with cuttlefish ink - they’ve only been ordered twice so far.”

It was the customers’ idea to expand the range towards semi-finished products - some asked for manti, others for kupat, and still others for chebureks. All these products could have been on sale earlier, but Ella waited until the fall to show the entire range on the new website with a “screwed-in” online payment.

Marketing comes with experience

“If I were starting a business now, I wouldn’t count on wholesale, I wouldn’t waste time on it. I would not delay the website and take marketing much more seriously - from labels to social networks. And, perhaps, I would find a partner who would do sales. Because there was a moment when the business took off, which we did not work to its full potential - we had to promote this moment, and then “it would have come by steam,” Ella is sure.

The packaging of Pelmeshki has changed several times over the past year. Initially, with an eye on stores, it was a plastic box with a sticker. However, it turned out that it cracked in the freezer. The box was replaced with durable freezer bags with a branded sticker. It turned out that the stickers in the freezer were peeling off. Then the stickers were replaced with a cardboard label with a hole, and they began to tie them to the bag with linen rope.

“Despite the fact that this is a premium product, it turned out to be unprofitable for us to make the packaging more expensive. This would make sense for supply to stores. But any box with a window will add 30 rubles to the cost. A private buyer will overpay them, but why? And the wholesaler will strangle himself for them - in wholesale people bargain for pennies!”

Pelmeshka lured new customers with partner discounts (for example, buyers of a fish store get a discount from Ella, and vice versa) and promotions (mushroom and berry dumplings as a gift). Everyone who brings a new client receives a kilogram of any dumplings as a gift with their next order. According to the entrepreneur, these events do not bring any visible results - this is not important for the audience. But the database of reviews is accumulating.


In the summer, Ella tried selling “dumpling passes” for a period of three months to a year. The longer the period, the higher the discount: 3 months - 5%, 6 months - 10%, 12 months - 15%. The price included delivery once a month.

Thus, the “On a Diet” set (3 kg per month) included three types of dumplings – “Dietary”, “Phyto” and “Summer”. A three-month supply (9 kg) cost 5,040 rubles, and an annual supply (36 kg) cost 18,480. There were also sets “Bachelor” (four types, 4 kg per month) and “Family” (four types, 5 kg per month). In absolute terms, the most expensive set was the family set - 60 kg per year for 34,800 rubles. It was an experiment - the offer was valid for several weeks. Two subscriptions were sold for 6 and 12 months. Most likely, the experiment will continue in 2017 - there are no subscriptions on the website yet.

Foggy future

“Frankly speaking, everything is not so rosy,” admits Ella. - If our client base does not organically grow exponentially or investments do not appear to increase it, then it will be difficult. We are at the stage when we need to reach a new level, but there are no resources for this.”

To launch a large-scale advertising campaign, an enterprise needs investment. For Ella, this is a sore point: “I don’t really want to let investors into the business. Because after some time the investor will say that we need to switch to automatic modeling and go online. This is a different idea, a different business. In this sense, I would prefer to take out a loan - it will be my responsibility and I will not have to report to anyone.”

“Later, when Pelmeshka becomes a big enterprise, perhaps we will have both an automatic machine and a budget line of dumplings, but not in the near future”

A year ago, Ella tried to take out a regional loan to start a business under a government program at 7% per annum. With this money she was going to make the first batch for stores.

“They told me that if I want to take out a loan of 1.5 million rubles, I must own two apartments: if I don’t pay off, one will be taken away, but I will not be left without housing. Then I went to commercial banks, but the vast majority of them lend to already operating businesses - from a year and up. So this year I’ll go to banks again - maybe something will work out. By this time, you need to understand the advertising strategy so as not to waste money.”

In mid-2016, Ella decided to cut back on advertising budgets, focusing on free promotion on social networks - Facebook and LinkedIn. Activity on VKontakte, according to her, did not bring clients, nor did paid advertising in groups. “Only recommendations worked,” the entrepreneur repeats.

Promoting Instagram and Vkontakte is this year’s task. The company does not plan to expand its range in the near future. For complete happiness, all that remains is to introduce khinkali: “But you need to learn how to make them impeccably.”

The business idea is good for those who know how to cook quickly and tasty, and most importantly, love this business. You can start producing handmade dumplings with a minimum of starting funds. But the success and development of a business depends on conscientiousness and love for it.

Business benefits

Despite the fact that the world strives for a healthy lifestyle, dumplings do not lose their fans. Many people are familiar with this product from childhood, and store-bought dumplings made on special equipment on an industrial scale are completely far from these memories.

To reduce the cost of the product, industrial manufacturers dilute minced meat with various additives. At best it's potatoes or onions. At worst, there are various fillers that resemble meat in structure. As a result, minced meat actually contains no more than 25% meat, not to mention its quality. All this helps set a competitive price for the final product, but greatly affects its taste characteristics.

Therefore, the production of homemade hand-made dumplings will be a long-awaited alternative for real gourmets. Moreover, this niche is practically free. You can start a business at home without the additional expense of expensive equipment. You can involve household members in hand-sculpting, and think about expansion and investments after the business gets on track. If you approach the production of dumplings conscientiously and make them from high-quality minced meat, they will definitely find their fans.

Features of preparing minced meat for homemade dumplings

As already mentioned, to start making dumplings at home, it’s enough to purchase the necessary products. Traditionally, making dough requires eggs, flour, and water. For minced meat - meat and spices. It is in the meat and its preparation that the secret of the amazing taste of homemade dumplings lies. It can be prepared from beef, pork, chicken, and turkey meat. The more different fillers are added to it, the worse the taste. But few people know that the taste of meat is seriously influenced by the way animals and poultry are raised. Features of feeding, physiological characteristics of the animal, disease - all this affects the raw materials. Therefore, if you want your dumpling business to flourish, find a reputable supplier of quality meat.

Another difficulty that beginner producers of homemade dumplings face is the dryness of the minced meat. Through trial and error, they eventually find their signature recipe. But during this time you can lose all possible clients. The ideal option is to hire a competent technologist. He will help you find a good meat supplier and also develop a technology for preparing minced meat. The specialist knows exactly what additives can be used and how they will affect the taste. It focuses on what processes occur in certain muscle tissues of the animal and how they affect the taste of the raw material. He will also help you assemble and properly configure the meat grinder so that it produces perfect minced meat. But his knowledge is expensive - at least 1 thousand euros.

If your business cannot afford the services of such a specialist, you will have to act at your own discretion. You can make dumplings from different minced meats and check which one your customers like best. You can improve the taste of dumplings on your own. According to GOST, the test content in one product should not exceed 50%. But the less it is, the tastier the dumplings are. True, their cost is more expensive. Although practice shows that if dumplings even remotely resemble the taste of those that your mother or grandmother made in childhood, customers are willing to pay a high price for them.

It is important to find your own strong point in recipe or form. For example, the dumplings we are familiar with weigh 10 g. If you make them 2-4 g heavier, people will be more willing to pay more for them, even if this is a disproportionate markup. And all because the larger the dumplings, the more minced meat they contain, the tastier they are.

Manufacturing equipment and other details

Again, home production does not require special equipment, especially at the initial stage, when a network of clients is just being developed. It will be enough to work in a home kitchen at a cutting table. To make a product at home, you will at least need:

  • rolling pin;
  • dishes;
  • cutting board;
  • knives;
  • spoons;
  • meat grinder.

You can use glasses to cut out the dough. It’s a good idea to have a household scale to regulate the amount of minced meat used. The initial production plan may be limited to a home freezer, where you will store hand-made semi-finished products. When your business grows a little, it makes sense to purchase a separate freezer. The wider the production, the more additional equipment will have to be purchased. For example, it would make sense to purchase a dough mixer or dough sheeter. Also, if you are going to cook dumplings from different minced meats, you need to have separate knives for meat, fish, and vegetables.

Of course, home production with its own distribution channels can do without the participation of SES. But at least out of respect for your clients, you need to follow basic hygiene rules. It is also advisable to conduct production in accordance with its requirements. For example, before adding eggs, they must be treated with special means in three baths. Then you will eliminate the risk of contracting salmonellosis to your clients.

Business and advertising

Any business plan contains a section on advertising and marketing. And dumplings in this sense are no exception. Of course, if your plan is to sell products to friends, then there is no point in developing a sales strategy in depth. It’s enough to make a good product and positive reviews will expand your customer base. But in general, the sales plan depends on your target audience.

For example, if you are focused on the nearest grocery or clothing markets, where traders will become your customers, you can proceed from the number of retail outlets in them. Additionally, traders can order frozen dumplings to take home. In another case, the sales plan can be focused on delivering lunches to offices. In this case, the average bill will be significantly higher, but the requirements for quality and its consistency will also increase.

We recommend including service to nearby catering establishments in your plan. Delicious homemade dumplings can be an additional opportunity for them to attract and retain customers. Of course, if you maintain the level of quality.

In any case, it is important to draw up a clear financial plan and carry out competent business calculations. If you first lower the price and work at a loss, and then raise it after a couple of months, you can lose a lot of clients.

It's also worth developing a marketing plan. If you decide to start delivering lunches, it makes sense to develop your own website. Social media pages always work well in this regard. For regular customers, it is worth developing a system of discounts or offering new customers a portion to try.