How to price your microgreens

[@heyricksander]

Nate, this is a great video - frank discussions of the economics are rare here. While you're accurarely describing your break even and profitability factors, only supply and demand determine price. Your costs have nothing to do with the price of something - but as you say so well, they have everything to do with whether you have viable business.

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

Thanks for stopping by Rick! You are right that supply and demand are the force that ultimately determines the average market price when you are talking about commodity goods like food crops, but what I'm talking about here is coming up with your pricing. Especially your initial pricing. So yeah, you are right costs don't have to do with the actual price of a good, but they are useful for determining your initial asking price and long term viability of a business.

[@Morris-q6p]

It's my first month of growing microgreens. I love it . I wasn't at all interested in trying to make a living doing this UNTIL I TRIED THESE MICROGREENS!!! THEY ARE INCREDIBLY GOOD! This is not a bogus product!! 🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@Rvbcaboose714]

I don't even eat greens, or like them, but WOW are they tasty for those who do. Sunflowers ill absolutely eat haha the rest not so much. I enjoy greens but green beans peas not leafy. It's weird I know lol but to sell? Gosh the best haha

[@brianschreech]

I am trying to find an "average" price for something like 2oz of salad mix. I know how to calculate a profit. But what are others selling for (avg)...

[@TheSingingCelebrant]

Thank you for this. You mention price per tray but I did not hear you say how much is on each tray or tray size.

[@MichaelVandeburg]

Better to start out as a hobby and work your way into a full time business. Learn the ropes as they say. That will give time to adjust and change or add other profitable items to make a go at it, like tomatoes for example. Go shopping at all the farmers markets and visit all the restaurants and talk to the chefs. Let them know what you are looking at starting. Once you have a product available give them a free tray for a sample. Follow up with their opinion of your product. And don't get mad if they didn't love it. Improve if necessary. Make sure you love the product you are growing. I think a great thing to do would be to buy every competitors product first and compare it with yours. Knowledge is King and wisdom will be your gold.

[@JSunGrowAlot]

Thank you with great ideas this will save me a lot of time going into my second run now and it's been getting orders from Neighbors and they loved it and so they kind of building and I love it I started black oil sunflower peas broccoli mild and spicy mix salad mix and wasabi any others you think I should try all of them came out good except for the mild mix because I tried to add less soil which was about three quarters of an inch in that didn't do very well I'm starting to experiment with different things I do like the two cups of water and water from the bottom up pretty cool

[@rojack1947]

Michael. Thank you for your insight. I did think about starting slow. But Boston is only 35 miles away and there are lots of high classed Restaurants there and all the surrounding areas. Now isn't the time but I will be thinking about it 4 or 5 months from now.

[@guyeshel9316]

My thoughts exactly. Enjoy the learning process and gain experience first

[@themarkofl1649]

@@rojack1947 How has that worked out for you? I'm curious to see how you are progressing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@jackassvalet]

How many .oz would u put in one clamshell to sell at a farmers market? Lets just say radish.

[@pablowall]

another vid claimed 2OZ. 10 months has gone by now, so not sure it's still relevant

[@BhushanPatil-oo4mq]

I sowling microgreen seeds also Like sunflower,radish,beet root, it's a very helpful to our body

[@ryanwillett728]

Something to consider is market value. If a chef can get it cheaper mail order, he will. Pricing was something that took me a lot of time to develop and I started too high. Backed it down based on some advice from John Dowie. I price stuff by the flat for the most part now. I sell some things by the ouce, but my advertised price to a Chef is what I KNOW the flat produces. IE Cilantro is 20$ a flat or 4 oz. Cost me 5-6 to make and the rest goes back into the biz. You can't charge more than your market will bare. So, if it's your sole source need to boost output. Yes, costs to consider are: Labor, Hardware, Soil, Seed, Electricity, Insurance, packaging, taxes, and consumables. But you have to have a profit margin too. My average profit margin over six months has been 50%. I only do a limited amount in sales each month though. So, i need a higher PM to keep it running.

[@geodeaholicm4889]

if you consider & sell the added quality in your product and your added flexability compared to the old stale wilted stuff from the big distant sellers you can justify a higher price.

[@MrBgood84]

Are you still doing it?

[@dominiccarpin5651]

Do you think it's best to have a standard price for a 2 oz. retail unit regardless of seed cost/days to maturity? My peers in the business in my area seem to be doing that.

[@rojack1947]

Hi. I'm in New Hampshire. I doubt the market here is too hungry for those greens. hahaha Doubt at first glance. My interest is that it is easy. I'm 72 and do office cleaning and it is very tiring when I do 3 to 4 places a day. So I am truly interested in this. Thank you for your video's and what info you have put out free. That's enough to want me to start my venture.

[@ltandkholbrook9555]

Hi there , have you managed to get started with Microgreens ?

[@OldManAsh73]

Hi Nate Do you sell the cheat sheets. If so where do I find then. Cheers Ash

[@PabloTBrave]

This explains if your business is profitable not what price you should charge . Price is not determined by how much it costs it is determined by demand and supply.

[@BJ-xm6bi]

Well yes, demand and supply determine the price but costs, partially determine the supply. How much can you supply with a set amount of resources (costs) such as equipment, labor, and time?

[@kayeses4122]

with inflation since you posted this video, could you do an update on pricing?

[@SpearChuckUngawa]

In a tight market I'd try to sell close to home with printed yard signs on every corner advertising to the elderly, not with scare tactics, with nutritional value and delivery. The only time thy go out any more is to play bingo and to Walmart's grocery side. They're into good health, they don't eat potato chips and coke. I'm one to talk though, I'm hooked on juicing and need to expand into growing a personal stash first. A 16 tray shelving rack cost some bucks to set up. Add in a filter to remove chlorine from the water and nice shelving you're quickly running up a bill. Add 6 LED lights...

[@chadpowell715]

Great videos Nate! Thanks for putting these together.

[@hotpepper7782]

How much seeds to turn a lightbulb on, multiply by microgreen?

[@Stkaczyk2019]

Love it. still good info. just straight good advice

[@its_notta_cedar]

are microgreens and grow lights the new shopify and affiliate links?

[@bbetros]

Question, do you need a licence, permit or anything of that nature to grow and sell microgreens, or can you simply just grow and sell them ? I live in Los Angeles California and I would really love to get into this. Thanks

[@johnniewalker4212]

No answer? Rude

[@cheery-hex]

LOL if you live in California, you for sure do need a license. just a guess.

[@nancyfahey7518]

And insurance in case you poison someone.

[@Zimbant]

@@nancyfahey7518 Very funny :)

[@brianandlynphilippines]

The Wonderer it’s not funny at all, a lawsuit will devastate you even if you have the proper paperwork and insurance in order. Welcome to the real world of grown up serious stuff.

[@muhammadminul4178]

How can I start this business?what kind of license i need.

[@djnemesis82pluss1877]

I’ve watched so many videos on this and I still have no idea what a little thing of some micrgreens cost lol

[@Zaycream21]

You almost never hear...I only found one video where the people told us they charge $25 a tray.

[@shaquiscott33]

Right!!! Whats up with that!!! I just need someone to lay something out like in PA.... in the city of butt.... I charge $10 per 3 oz of broccoli shoots etc....

[@ltandkholbrook9555]

@@shaquiscott33 Hi there, how have you got on with price info? :)

[@shaquiscott33]

ltandk Holbrook, hey man! My partner and I just built out a super extensive excel spread sheet from scratch! We first determined all of our cost (this was tricky because you have to design some very non-intuitive variables like grow cycles to capture direct and indirect cost for things) then we made our first stab at a price based off of how much we wanted to make on each sell (keeping in mind all the cost and how long it would take us to cover the initial manufacturing cost) then after we came up with our price we sloppily created another sheet in our excel doc looking at all the prices we could find all over the country to compare... when we did this we tried to focus on our state... but we also pulled info from other states as well. Then we settled on prices from there. I can send you the excel sheet to reference is you want ? Just let me know.

[@rojack1947]

@@Zaycream21 Most trays have 6 beds. You charge 5 dollars per bed so 6 times 6 is 30. So you would charge 30 per tray.

[@dominiccarpin5651]

My competition only charges $1.62/oz. to restaurants. That seems below my cost.

[@dougascalon104]

Hi how do you sell the finished product? by weight, cut and what container? If not sold can they keep for how long?

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

Sell both by weight and container. depends on variety how long they keep, but all can be dried and turned into a greens powder for smoothies, etc

[@waragainstmyself1159]

Someone teach me.. Im a SAHD whos introverted af and just looking to make a little side hustle. This would also be a sweet family thing we all do.

[@guardiandogoargentinos1385]

Grow pot

[@carloscolon1279]

Did you jump in? I’m also sahd looking desperately for an interesting and slightly profitable hobby .. I have a lot of unused space too, seriously considering trying to grow micro greens.

[@Ihaveausernametoo]

Just do it. Need no teaching but some YT videos.

[@moneymotivated_io]

What is the electric knife you are using to harvest?

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

I use the sun joe handheld trimmer - look up my other video "harvesting microgreens with hedge trimmers"

[@oraclenetworks]

Hi Nate! I cannot express how much I identified with your back story. I felt like you were talking directly to me in the video on your website. I am a start up farmer and wondered what your opinion on investing in the CityHydro system is? $1,500 for the system including instructions. Thank you so much!! I’m so excited to get my business going. 🙏

[@mknair6]

Hi Nate, I am from India. Can I join your course online. ??

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

You sure can! Here is the link: microgreensbusiness.com/enrollnow

[@OldManAsh73]

Hi Nate Ash here from Queensland Australia. Can I buy the cheat sheets off you please. Thanks Ash

[@Housebarons]

Hi Nate, just getting into the microgreens arena, and it seems promising. We need a dose of reality. Curtis Stone says that a person can earn $100,000 per quarter acre selling microgreens. We suspect that he is talking gross income, not net income. So, after deducting expenses, what is a reasonable expectation? Curtis would have a person believe it is $50 per hour, working a 40 hour work week to earn $100,000 on a quarter acre. In this video you mention a hypothetical amount of earning $30 per hour. Which is more accurate in reality? Also, if a person had massive acreage, could they scale this up, or is the work too labor intensive, requiring many man hours per acre?

[@acoatofgold5627]

HouseBarons Curtis talks in Canadian dollars so that’s closer to 75k usd. This is closer to the amount this grower talks about with that conversion so it’s about the same, plus or minus a couple k. The point of micro greens is also that it’s on a small scale. The cost of lights, seeds, soil etc doesn’t scale up accurately in that sense if you can’t a) get it cheaper in bulk, which if you’re buying online isn’t going to be great, b) bulking to sell doesn’t always work.

[@rummysworld7531]

Rather than try to reverse engineer sales price based on some target income, look at what others are charging in the market and see if your numbers will work before you make the investment of resources and time.

[@ruwan591]

Exactly what I am struggling with rn! Thank you so much!

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

You're welcome!

[@justyoutv3210]

Thanks for inspiring me! I'm planning to start my microgreens business in the philippines.so you it well grow?

[@rojack1947]

Sibol. I don't want to discourage you but The Philippines just doesn't seem to be the palce to grow and sell Microgreens to restaurants there. Now if you was in Singapore or Hong Kong or japan then I would say go for it. But the Philippines, no.

[@Kat_ZeroTheOne]

Ron J curious as to why you think it wouldn’t work in the Philippines?

[@savannah011]

Where can I get the cheat sheets you mentioned? I couldn't find them on your website.

[@bonniehoke-scedrov4906]

Thank you so much for this informative video! I got so much out of it.

[@gentlemanx7987]

Interesting. Thank you.

[@samuelgaldieri8212]

So pretty much unless your buying seeds in bulk by the 10lb bags you will be lucky to break even

[@ludaprojects8379]

Samuel Galdieri I think your calculator is broken, or your seed supplier saw you coming

[@guyeshel9316]

@@ludaprojects8379 you could elaborate on this instead of this unhelpful comment

[@Pabkojdim]

Where dp you get your seeds fro

[@Pabkojdim]

Where do you get your seeds from?

[@peggygilbert4702]

@@Pabkojdim I believe Matt gets his seeds through True Leaf Market (www.trueleafmarket.com). That's where I get mine and several growers do as well. They sell GMO-Free Certified Organic seeds. I've just got my system about set up to start to growing and excited to start marketing in my area. Good luck on your adventure too.

[@livingblackbusinessnetwork2725]

great videos...can you do a video on your labeling?

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

Thanks for the suggestion! I do sell a Branding package kit that includes video if you are interested: go.microgreensfarmer.com/brandingsale

[@marioorecchio2432]

Hello, sorry for the inconvenience.I take this opportunity to congratulate with you. I want to make a plant factory in my country (Italy). I would understand, what kind of building is possible to use in your country beyond of farms? (labor, warehouse,Office...) I am having really difficult with my municipality. Thanks in advance for your replay.

[@jasonreeve661]

this still didnt make sense to me

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

watch it a couple more times! You basically add up expenses, determine what you need to earn, then calculate your labor

[@AmeerulIslam]

lol

[@l-trainzero1451]

Were do you get your seeds?

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

mostly from True Leaf Market

[@samuelgaldieri8212]

I figure I’d price at 20-30$ a lb...

[@shaquiscott33]

This is around the avg number I've been able to eyeball through reading and lots of vids!!!

[@EmergingEvents]

When you say 10-20 tray, is that in inches, centimetres. I have 60-30cm trays. Thanks....

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

inches!

[@gdj777]

step by step guide on how to start a microgreen farm business?

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

Yes, you can download the guide here: go.microgreensfarmer.com/home

[@zhorky]

I heard today the first time of micro greens. I don't know for now how things are in Germany, but I'm kinda hyped. As a programmer and hydroponics fan I guess I figured out a way of automatic planting and harvesting. So I won't have to bother too much about my personal wage.

[@senseisteve3374]

Great video

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@tangobayus]

I recommend getting a cheap tripod to make the picture more stable.

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

I'll see what I can do!

[@fledgling5616]

Bruh it’s fine

[@sharonmizell8463]

So, you don't have a simple formula that sums up your explanation?

[@MicrogreensFarmer]

I think it's pretty simple - not easy per say, but simple. Add up expenses, determine what you need to earn, calculate your time and your good to go!

[@jokerbobcatfish7981]

If business were easy there would be no employees. Think about it.

[@mofomoco]

He is acting like an artist with hos pricing. Your microgreens are worth as much as the market with bear. Whatever your market is... If he wouldnt bs around the video may be worth watching. Not this way though.

[@kurtcooper3699]

Your @ the stage where every time, dick & Harry is in the do it yourself business & it's much more profitable to sell your knowledge than it is to run the micro business. It happens with many cheap startup businesses which require little formal education. Difference now is someone does something for 1 week or month & all of a sudden there geniuses in the business & make videos about how smart they are about what they talk about even know most are idiots & should be held liable for offering business information without a proven profitable operation. We are focused on the click bait videos of the future just so long as some will watch all these videos of folks claiming to be knowledgeable about just about everything & yet in many cases are putting your health @ risk. All for the mighty dollar! I've never seen it so bad as it is these last few years. It's seems greed has no bounds. Quite sad this is how we value our fellow man vs the $! Although I believe this business person is genuine the majority are not! Keep that in mind next business model u decide to copy.

[@dustinccochran1]

Lol just emailed you about this

[@ryancap1188]

all you had to do is say : I sell soya greens for $ 4 a pound our what ever you F sell them for jesus

[@eeshtee5342]

I hate these guys, they keep throwing calculations at us when all we want is a price example like how much for a clamshell with 2 oz of radish mix. i know how to make some calculations, i want to see how much are other charging for them, jesus christ

[@histoiretraduite]

the world is becoming pathetic and full of bullish teaching! Bro seriously microgreens courses???

[@jitkakoskova3953]

Great video