Summary

Strawberry farm with an established customer base and low overheads

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How long has the business been established?

The owner initiated the setup of the business 5 years ago.

How does the business operate on a daily basis?

The business activities can be summarized as planting, picking and supplying supermarkets and private clients with strawberries.
The owner arranges and organizes the day-to-day operations according to the daily workload - whether it be planting, maintaining or picking the strawberries for customers.

Once the workers are on site, the owner assigns the work and oversees everything in a fairly hands-off manner.
The delivery of the strawberries to the supermarkets and private clients is done by the owner per orders received.

What Advertising/Marketing is carried out?

No specific marketing plan in place.
The owner is of view that the current demand form existing customers are more than ample

What competition exists?

There are 2 competitors currently in the market selling similar produce.
One is located Okahanja and the other near Rehoboth

The business' competitive advantage is that it is able able to produce strawberries 12 months of the year.

How could the profitability of the business be improved?

The business operates with very low monthly overheads
Implementing some workflow systems and automating some of the daily operations can improve the bottom line.

How could the income of the property be increased?

The profitability of the business can be improved in numerous ways, namely:
Increasing the production of strawberries by planting on the available hectares
Increasing the sales of the business through marketing and strategic partnerships
Increasing the number days where the business is open to the public for strawberry picking.
An entertainment area can be developed, coffee shop and a bar
Horseback riding, family fun events and the like

Give a breakdown of staff/ functions/ length of service?

There be no need for highly skilled / trained labour force.
The business merely requires the workers to plant, maintain and pick strawberries

How involved is the Owner in running the business?

The owner is involved in the daily running of the business.
Main activities of the owner is to pick up of the staff that will be working for the day, general oversight of their work and arranging for the delivery of the produce to the retailers / supermarkets.

When does the current lease end?

The current lease ends in 2029.

What are the trading hours?

6 days a week, 9-5pm and on Saturdays to the public for picking.

What are the main assets of the business?

The main assets of the business are the infrastructure and setup consisting of the tunnels and netting for the strawberry plants, the picking house, the pump house and the equipment.
The strawberry plants is seen as Stock - value at around R1 500 000.

Strengths?

The Strawberries are disease resistant.
All year round production (not seasonal)
The Namibian Agronomic Board regulates the importing of strawberries.

Opportunities?

Currently the business is not meeting the market demand.
Acquiring the property.
More weekends for Joe-Public to visit the strawberry farm
Expanding the family-fun activities