Main challenges facing wines and spirits business in Kenya
About 15 million Kenyans are regular drinkers who spend an average of 100 Kenya shillings on drinks. This tells you that starting a wines and spirits business wouldn’t be a bad idea. The ease to start and run this business depends on how one is prepared for the task that comes with it. This article highlights the main challenges facing wines and spirits business in Kenya.
Hiring a sales team
Hiring a sales team is one of the biggest challenges wines and spirits businesses in Kenya face today. Business owners want to pay sale representatives through commission. This is difficult because new brands don’t give many sales and every employee out there is out to make money. Paying sales workers through commission does not bring a commitment to workers.
Building a wine portfolio
Even businesses with bigger brands will tell you that building a wine portfolio is a tedious job. Building a portfolio that makes your sellers sell without experiencing difficulties and generates profit at the same time is never easy.
New wines and spirits businesses experience more difficulty in building a wine portfolio because their brands are still new and therefore not recognized by many people.
Competition
Competition is a challenge that almost all businesses face. There is a rise in the number of wines and spirits businesses in Kenya which makes competition stiff among owners. To survive, you need to ensure play your games well. Ensure you hire a quality sales team who know how to engage customers well.
You need to provide quality services with fair prices to win more customers and retain your current ones. You can also advertise your brand online to help market your services.
Opening and closing times
Once you have established a wines and spirits business, you need to accept the challenge that your business opens at 8.00 am. and closes at 11.00 pm on weekdays. During weekends and public holidays, you open at 2.pm and closes at 11. pm. This is a challenge that you must be ready to meet in the market and cope up with.
Setting up the business
Setting up wines and spirits business can be challenging. You need to find a location that is easily accessible by regular drinkers. You need to set your business in an area with high traffic. Determining the proper location to set up your business is a tedious job. This is because you may find a good place but just not fit for this business.
Costs incurred in making this business work is a lot. You need licensing amount of about 50, 000 Kenya Shillings. You should also look for a spacious room because you need a space that can fit all the facilities you require. The total starting capital you need to start wines and spirits business is about 300, 000 Kenya Shillings.
Conclusion
Starting wines and spirits business is a great idea if you ready for the job. You should be ready to face the challenges and come up with ways to overcome them because your business needs to thrive. You can easily do this by abiding by the rules put in place by the government. This means that you can only operate on the accepted days.
You should also ensure that your services are quality as this will help you build a good customer base. You need to market your business online to improve your brand awareness and business visibility.
More:
- How to start a wines and spirits business in Kenya
- Set aside a cash reserve to cushion your wines startup
- Start a Wine and Spirits Business in Kenya – Legal and Licensing Requirements