Seeking Advice on Common Pitfalls in Microgreens Farming Business

[u/cloud--kitchen]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking to start a microgreens farming business and wanted to reach out to the community for advice. I understand there can be some challenges when it comes to growing and selling microgreens, and I want to avoid common mistakes.

What do you think are the most common reasons people fail in the microgreens farming business? Whether it's market research, growing techniques, or any other aspect of the business, I’d love to hear your insights and suggestions.

Also, if you have any tips for someone just starting, feel free to share!

Thanks in advance!

[u/Remfire]

Marketing, finding customers, keeping customers, constant sales cycle for never enough money, finally get some customers and increase production capacity to meet new demand only for customers to go out of business, all while managing rising seed and utility costs at scale. The dream

[u/feets4gaze]

Growing was the easy part and even selling wasn't too tough for my area. I only did farmers markets but had chefs from restaurants ask me if I would commit to selling to them. I never went that route.

The hard part for me was the commitment. You can't really take time off especially if a restaurant or grocery store is relying on you. If you want to take a week off and you have no one to water for you, that will set you back like 3 weeks. I also was not willing to invest in an automatic watering system.

The other thing that was tough for me was not realizing the time it took to harvest and package. I'd spend a good 2 to 3 hours the day before a market to harvest, package, label, and clean up. Not including washing trays. Followed up by a 5 hour market the next day. I'd make anywhere from $150 to $300 depending on the day/weather.

Overall you can definitely be successful but it's a commitment. You get out what you put in.

[u/Beautiful-Ad-2155]

There’s a reason why they’re so expensive even though they only take 8 days to grow, despite the videos online it’s very difficult and if one of the 30 variables fail in any of those 8 days your tray is ruined, each of those variables require something you don’t know you need yet so you’ll keep failing till you have it all, there’s a very large learning curve with planting and unless you truly enjoy it you’ll never learn everything that’s needed

[u/InCregelous]

Not doing the electrical math

[u/cuberhino]

Great thought experiment, I think the pitfalls of this business will be demotivation. You have to have motivation, a high amount of it to succeed with being a farmer of any time. It is a constant commitment, you don't really have time off so you always need to be ready to react to issues or concerns you just didn't think of as a self employed business person. Think of owning a house like working for your self and renting an apartment like working for someone else. The landlord is "owning" your existence at the base level.