Karin001:

This should have been posted last night but I wasn’t bargaining with typing fatigue and of course my primary obligations which include hubby and kids among other things.

My sincere apologies.

I will ensure that you get all perspectives today and this stage will be done unless there are reservations, comments and further suggestions which could lead to a realignment.

So after seriously considering all positions, I decided to incline to the option of re-enacting my experience through others in the thread. I will guide the interested participants through the sales of snacks. Two snacks will be adopted here. For those in the outlined locations above we will start with Doughnuts and chin-chin.

For people who are interested from other locations in Lagos, I suggest you start with Chin-chin; details will follow subsequently.

Now, I will quickly add that the information I intend to share here will be anchored on universal principles and as such can be adapted to suit other products especially those of the fast moving variety. Apart from the direct participants whom I will prefer choose exactly the same product for uniformity in the guidance others can simply adapt the model and use it to suit their own peculiarities.

The basic requirement here will be that you apply the principles to the letter.

Now you may want to ask; why doughnuts? Why chin-chin.

The most practical response to this question among other responses is that I have experienced these products very well. Both of them I sold in Lagos and one of them here in Port Harcourt with some measure of success.

In my next post (coming very soon) I will do a proper analysis of both products.

I will show how we will approach the sales of these products with small wins every day.

I will demonstrate how participants in the different locations in Nigeria can also benefit from this plan almost immediately.

Finally, I will share with you what I assume this entire exercise can transform into. It can be so big, really big if we can stand firm and avoid pettiness. Explanations may not be today but before the weekend runs through.

Doughnuts, Karin, our dear igbo brothers are situated is strategic densely populated areas in Lagos. You can get it hot from them. Chinchin, yes but doughnuts? I really doubt that.

My humble opinion though. I stand to be corrected.

Eddodoh:

I thought I was the only that noticed it

After the response she gave and her subsequent updates, you still made this comment of yours? I blame your headmaster.

egopersonified:
Firstly, this moin moin story is a naija version of the book Acres of diamond. I always laugh when people say motivational books by international writers don't work in Nigeria, they always work anywhere.

I really wish I could write like you, a four year old would understand everything you have written here.

I also moved to business section about two years ago from family section, and since then, a month has not passed without me making money outside my salary. From fixed deposit to treasury bills to group importation to properties to forex to farming to distribution. They were all hits back to back, all from ideas and thoughts gotten from this section.

I would like to be involved with whatever you are up to. It would be an honour to work with people who has the same thought process as I do. I love you already.

Cc newways2

Madam ego, I just started on the journey on this business section. I will love to share notes with you. Can we?

Madam Karin, How far?? I didnt hear about me in Ajah? how far?

nnennaluv:
Madam Karin, How far?? I didnt hear about me in Ajah? how far?

I was about yo type the same thing
Madam Karin pls don't forget me here. I rep ibeju lekki to epe

I'm just coming back from some shops I visited in my area this morning.

I showed them the samples...

They said nutrientrich doughnuts is not well done/prepared but it is okay, it taste good in the mouth and it a doughnuts. But it not well done as in, it has done well.

And then for fairy, it is breaking as in dropping in pieces when eating it and seems more like bread.

They preferred nutrientrich doughnuts more but it hasn't done well that's the complain they had.

They advised I should first start with the chin-chin first and then add doughnuts to it because they will buy more of the chin-chin than the doughnuts.( This is just the research on few shops)

I wish I could get to some schools today but it the weekend.

I have like 10 doughnuts with me, if you are interested in the samples you can mention me, and you stay around alimosho axis.. (iyana-paja, ikotun and egbeda etc)

Happy Independence Day and Happy new month

Cc. karin001

lexaydfg:
I'm just coming back from some shops I visited in my area this morning.
I showed them the samples...
They said nutrientrich doughnuts is not well done/prepared but it is okay, it taste good in the mouth and it a doughnuts. But it not well done as in, it has done well.
And then for fairy, it is breaking as in dropping in pieces when eating it and seems more like bread.
They preferred nutrientrich doughnuts more but it hasn't done well that's the complain they had.
They advised I should first start with the chin-chin first and then add doughnuts to it because they will buy more of the chin-chin than the doughnuts.( This is just the research on few shops)
I wish I could get to some schools today but it the weekend.
I have like 10 doughnuts with me, if you are interested in the samples you can mention me, and you stay around alimosho axis.. (iyana-paja, ikotun and egbeda etc)
Happy Independence Day and Happy new month
Cc. karin001

Hmmm so it's not done well.Well point understood.Is there a way you can convey this feedback to the producers ??
In all,well done @lexaydfg, you got all the relevant feedback expected from a market survey and you threw in a good recommendation to boot.Kudos

I'm impressed and encouraged by what I've seen on this thread.Big kudos to @karen

lexaydfg:
I'm just coming back from some shops I visited in my area this morning.

I showed them the samples...

They said nutrientrich doughnuts is not well done/prepared but it is okay, it taste good in the mouth and it a doughnuts. But it not well done as in, it has done well.

And then for fairy, it is breaking as in dropping in pieces when eating it and seems more like bread.

They preferred nutrientrich doughnuts more but it hasn't done well that's the complain they had.

They advised I should first start with the chin-chin first and then add doughnuts to it because they will buy more of the chin-chin than the doughnuts.( This is just the research on few shops)

I wish I could get to some schools today but it the weekend.

I have like 10 doughnuts with me, if you are interested in the samples you can mention me, and you stay around alimosho axis.. (iyana-paja, ikotun and egbeda etc)

Happy Independence Day and Happy new month

Cc. karin001

The insufficient cooking could be the outcome of her not using the conventional deep frying method, as she said.
This may also negatively affect the shelf life, not a good one.
If this is truly the case, some clarifications need to be done here by nutrientrich herself.

To be able to break into and sustain the market, all loose ends must be tightened soonest.

Karin, please look into these observations.

Very smart observations and equally apt responses.

I check this thread every hour. Thats the level of my addiction.

Great things will emanate from here if we can sustain this momentum.

Great work guys and happy independence day.

Latestarter, please get on the thread. I need to hear from you.

Rose75, thanks for your objectivity. Very unbiased outlook.

Nutrientrich, c an you please explain?

Karin, whats up?

Get on the thread and provide some guidance.

Allstrasse:
Very smart observations and equally apt responses.

I check this thread every hour. Thats the level of my addiction.

Great things will emanate from here if we can sustain this momentum.

Great work guys and happy independence day.

Latestarter, please get on the thread. I need to hear from you.

Rose75, thanks for your objectivity. Very unbiased outlook.

Nutrientrich, c an you please explain?

Karin, whats up?

Get on the thread and provide some guidance.

Hey Brother,
I lack the appropriate adjective to qualify you.
I stand in awe of you!

rose75:

The insufficient cooking could be the outcome of her not using the conventional deep frying method, as she said.
This may also negatively affect the shelf life, not a good one.
If this is truly the case, some clarifications need to be done here by nutrientrich herself.
To be able to break into and sustain the market, all loose ends must be tightened soonest.
Karin, please look into this observations.

Allstrasse:
Very smart observations and equally apt responses.
I check this thread every hour. Thats the level of my addiction.
Great things will emanate from here if we can sustain this momentum.
Great work guys and happy independence day.
Latestarter, please get on the thread. I need to hear from you.
Rose75, thanks for your objectivity. Very unbiased outlook.
Nutrientrich, c an you please explain?
Karin, whats up?
Get on the thread and provide some guidance.

Thank you so much Rose and Alltrase.

I wish I had the required time to be explicit but I am presently in the process of interviewing some prospective employees for our new branch at Ikotun.

However, let me quickly chip in this: the 'wetness' and elasticity of dough (as a result of which it doesn't break into pieces) is not because of insufficient cooking but the presence of melted butter and 'vital wheat gluten' since a percentage of white flour is substituted with unrefined whole wheat flour (part of the reasons why the doughnut is heart healthy, apart from the frying method). This is an information I wouldn't have shared ordinarily, but it's okay.

Please take time to find out more about vital wheat gluten on the internet.

The shelf isn't compromised in any way. The way sugar attracts moisture to itself in any sugar laden product inorder to increase shelf life is thesame way VWG attracts moisture from the dough, so shelf life isn't compromised.

I must also say that this is the first time we are having a feedback of insufficient cooking, I guess that's what a lay man will describe what I've explained above.

All in all, if we want the conventional doughnut, that would imply removing the claim of it being heart healthy...

nutrientrich:




Thank you so much Rose and Alltrase.

I wish I had the required time to be explicit but I am presently in the process of interviewing some prospective employees for our new branch at Ikotun.

However, let me quickly chip in this: the 'wetness' and elasticity of dough (as a result of which it doesn't break into pieces) is not because of insufficient cooking but the presence of melted butter and 'vital wheat gluten' since a percentage of white flour is substituted with unrefined whole wheat flour (part of the reasons why the doughnut is heart healthy, apart from the frying method). This is an information I wouldn't have shared ordinarily, but it's okay.

Please take time to find out more about vital wheat gluten on the internet.

The shelf isn't compromised in any way. The way sugar attracts moisture to itself in any sugar laden product inorder to increase shelf life is thesame way VWG attracts moisture from the dough, so shelf life isn't compromised.

I must also say that this is the first time we are having a feedback of insufficient cooking, I guess that's what a lay man will describe what I've explained above.

All in all, if we want the conventional doughnut, that would imply removing the claim of it being heart healthy...

Thanks ma'am for finding time to make the explanations, it's well deserved.

However, it's worthy of note that we don't just want doughnuts, doughnuts abound. Nobody is in dispute with the heart-friendliness of the doughnuts, the removal of that claim is tantamount to forsaking your trademark, would you really want to give a try?

In a nutshell, give us quality, durable, pocket-friendly and healthy doughnuts.
Thank you.

Another observation from two different shops...



Fairy's Doughnuts
* It is good and they like it so much.
* It well packed, the taste is okay.

Nutrientrich Doughnuts
* It is also good and they like it.
* The packaging is not too good, if water touches it, it will be exposed to air which is not too good for this type of business. They shouldn't use gum seal but heat seal.

Generally, the two are both okay.

lexaydfg:
Another observation from two different shops...



Fairy's Doughnuts
* It is good and they like it so much.
* It well packed, the taste is okay.

Nutrientrich Doughnuts
* It is also good and they like it.
* The packaging is not too good, if water touches it, it will be exposed to air which is not too good for this type of business. They shouldn't use gum seal but heat seal.

Generally, the two are both okay.

Thanks for your efforts.

In actual fact, perfection is only found in God.
There's nothing completely without a grey area. Moreso, choices vary. All we need do is to focus on the important properties that will promote the biz ' cos if we keep digging, we'll definitely continue to find more cons. This will impede/ complicate the decision making.

Wish Karin will address these issues for good.

rose75:


Thanks for your efforts.

In actually fact, perfection is only found in God.
There's nothing completely without a grey area. Moreso, choices vary. All we need do is to focus on the important properties that will promote the biz ' cos if we keep digging, we'll definitely continue to find more cons. This will impede/ complicate the decision making.

Wish Karin will address these issues for good.

For me I prefer the nutrientrich but anyone karin001 and others choose is okay by me.

Hi Guys,

Sorry I've been out of touch for about 18 hours but I'm free now though I need to prepare for tomorrow.

I've read Lexadfg's comments. I stand by my earlier observations of the products in question. Since it's a weekend & I needed to confirm my earlier comments or otherwise, I gave both products to 3 adults of over 18yrs & 3 kids of under 14yrs. And the result confirmed that the kids loved Sob's & wanted more but the adults ate Fairy's but couldn't finish Sob's because of the sweetness.

If our focus is on kids then Sob's will do well. Otherwise she may have to reduce sweetener.

The packaging is what could be improved but if we're looking at 3 days duration then it'd do. I stated earlier that both products are not exceptional apart from the heart friendly claim of Sob's which she had explained.


You cannot satisfy every retailers expectations. A. Salesman needs to be convinced himself of the product he's offering. Only then can he market the product. No product can be accepted 100% without a negative observation. If Lexadfg continues we'll dwell more on the negatives than the positives.

To clinch this, let's get AstuteJay's reaction. I gave him some samples as well.

If you ask me, Karin should conclude negotiation with the producers on the gray areas & as we go on greater feedbacks from the field could be addressed.

Please note that Sob's is the same as NutrienRich.

And I was just wondering why vendors will recommend Lexadfg to supply them chin chin which they had not seen than the doughnuts they could access?

Nnenaluv and Dosht we will attend to Lekki and Ajah very soon.

Let’s just get it right with those on the mainland first and then we can replicate for those in Ajah, Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe and even Abeokuta.

I am happy about the observations made in terms of the finishing and the general presentation of the goods/products. I am also happy that Nutrientrich is also here to justify whatever shortcomings may arise from here.

I must state here that rose75 and latestarter have captured the very essence of business in their individual responses. We live in a most imperfect world and even a more imperfect circumstances in Nigeria but we must never let that slow us down.

Let’s work with what we have and I tell you while we are improving or sales and entrepreneurial skills the producers will be acting on our input and developing further. Everybody thus wins; the customer, the retailer, the distributor, the manufacturer and the economy at large.

I sometimes buy a truck load of chin-chin and guess what, in the process of offloading and reloading I lose a few bags here and there. It used to pain me seriously but now I have overcome it. Sometimes the product tastes differently but then for us we women I guess your partners have told you before that the soup didn’t just click this time around. Whenever you find these obstacles, rather than let them wear you down, don't concentrate on the drawbacks and the cons for too long, what you need to do is to ensure that you re-position your focus to enable you close that cycle and put that phase behind you.

Never dwell on obstacles, see them as a hurdle that must be crossed and start the wholehearted attempt tom put it behind you. Brace up, analyse, decide, take action and move on immediately. Turn that point into a comma rather than a period signalling the end of the road.

I have been a quite busy this weekend but there are a few fundamental things we must discuss before the commencement of sales on Tuesday.
I will contact both today via producers today via email and whatever responses I get I will put them up here.

Among the issues to be thrashed are products, pricing, payments, logistics and exclusivity. Other issues will be taken as the need arises.

I will be holding fort in Bariga.

Karin001:
Nnen..aluv and Dosht we will attend to Lekki and Ajah very soon.

Let’s just get it right with those on the mainland first and then we can replicate for those in Ajah, Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe and even Abeokuta.

OK madam

I so much appreciate all the contributors of this thread, I have been silent and reading your individual responses from the start till now. Actually, I was searching information on how to start making chinchin and doughnuts by oneself and the minimum cost require to set it up, but eventually, I stumbled upon this thread, though, this thread is mainly on retailing.

I stay in Ikorodu and don't know when it will reach Ikorodu turn, Ikorodu was not yet among the test-run areas.

I have been following this thread since a came across it in the early hours of today and i must commend the op.

Actually I reside in Ilorin which means I cannot be a part of this program. However, I believe i can benefit from this thread and use the model for another product in my location.

I am following bumper to bumper.

Still following as it's getting more interesting. Any idea on chin chin producer around unuahia?@Mrs Karin

Karin,


Is tomorrow still feasible? We have less than 24 hours & details are not yet available.

Are producers not forthcoming with agreements?

The wait is eerie.

latestarter:
Karin,


Is tomorrow still feasible? We have less than 24 hours & details are not yet available.

Are producers not forthcoming with agreements?

The wait is eerie.

Sir, you just spoke/wrote down my mind

Having gone thus far, this suspense is not pleasant.

Karin, feedbacks please.

My sincere apologies for the silence. It wasn't intentional.

Some personal issues became a major distraction. I am however dealing with all the issues concerning the thread and will bring them to the fore later this evening.

I intend to be online between 5.00pm and 7.00pm and then later by 11.00 pm till 12 midnight to attend to all issues that have arisen so far regarding product and market.

I have received an email from Madam Nutrientrich and spoken with the owners of Fairy.

Both of them have offered to give guarantees on territorial exclusivity.

Nutrientrich is seeking to know what quantities we are off-taking everyday and how consistent the purchases will be?

Fairy is wiling to review the prices downwards but the goods must be picked up at their factory or in Pen Cinema, Agege.

Nutrientrich is willing to drop only at Ikotun and Ojodu,

Fairy is willing to adopt a flexible delivery plan, he will provide details later.

I am still in talks with both parties. We will conclude tonight.

After very careful thought this is my proposition for both producers and distributors;

The doughnut is best enjoyed when fresh. Interested participants should therefore limit their orders they are certain they can sell within a 12 hour day. They will also encourage their re-sellers to buy just enough to sell within that day. Where it is unavoidable that the product stays beyond a day, it must not exceed 2 days from the date of delivery. this implies that the producers will only deliver well made and hermetically sealed doughnuts to you in quantities that you can exhaust within 12 hours. They will not be bound to accept unsold doughnuts from you whether they be good or bad. On the strength of this I advise that we start small.

On our very first day we can start with as little as a 25 pieces pack or a maximum of 50 pieces which is two packs. The producers must at this point be willing to collect cash on delivery. There will be no prepayment at this point.The goods will then be delivered to the retailers as early as possible (and in small quantities too as they may not be wiling to pay cash this first time)and then we will check on them later in the day just to see how they fare.

Their performance on this first day will reveal a number of things one of them being the products acceptability in that market.

Normally one or two customers can provide these answers. What I may add here from my personal experience is that you must listen to the heart of the retailer and not his words. All manners of answers can come from his/her mouth and those answers in many cases may not necessarily reflect the actual performance of the product.

I recall when I first started out and a particular lady customer around FGC Abuloma, PH kept complaining about the small size of the chin-chin and yet any week I didn't go there to supply she would call me unceasingly and her order volumes just kept escalating .......and yet the story was that she wasn't selling then the story turned to she is just managing.

Summarily, you have to be very discerning when dealing with responses from retailers. Its a very selfish and self-serving world we live in.

On the second day we will develop vertically and horizontally but this will of course be dependent on the feedback of the previous day. On this second day we will double we sold the previous day. Vertical growth will require that we provide more goods to our first customer while a horizontal expansion will simply mean adding more customers. I suggest that on this second day payment will be provided the producers on delivery.

So, the producers will naturally bear the cost of transportation at this stage.

By the third day we will repeat the horizontal and vertical growth effort. My thinking is that with aggressive salesmanship, we would have hit 10 pack minimum sales target. This will be the last day that the producers will oblige us free delivery. After this a number of things will change.
The deliveries will have to be more centralized and we will provide the company with cash backed pre-orders. my thoughts are that weekly orders would be placed based on perceived demand and then backed by cash deposits reflecting the ordered volume every Friday. The goods will then be provided daily from Monday through Friday next week. I think Nutrientrich and Fairy will consider this gesture and give us a further discount on the pricing to cushion our logistic costs and shore up our profits thus making our efforts worthwhile.

PRICING[b][/b]

This is a very delicate area.

There are two angles here.

The prices we get it from the producers and the pricing we give it out to the retailers.

The difference is what we appropriate.

Both producing companies have offered to provide the doughnuts at 1000.00 per 25 pieces. This translates to 40.00 per piece. the recommended retail price is 50.00. So the difference is 10.00. Now if we had a stall or stand in a high traffic location like Oshodi, Ikeja bridge or Agege that would not be bad because just selling 500 pieces hundred pieces to passersby will give us a profit of 5000 Naira.

But that isn't the case here. We are positioning ourselves as intermediaries between the producers and the customers through the retailers. We bring significant value to both the retailer and the producer. for the producer we as a team, expand his scope, market and turnover which shoul also translate into a higher profitability while to the retailer we provide the products to them without they as much as moving from their locations.

We deserve to earn from being this important bridge. So I propose that we approach it from two ends. We strengthen our team and buying power and negotiate for steep discounts from the producers and also ensure that what we sell to the retailers with consideration for our profitability. I think that the price for this doughnut per pack should be sold at 1,050. while we get it form the producers at 950.

So far, fairy appears willing to sell at this price but I am yet to receive the best price offer from Nutrientrich. I await her response. to make it attractive we can ask for a further discount immediately we reach a particular mutually agreed benchmark.

Guess you should conclude before we react

latestarter:


Guess you should conclude before we react

Please react. Lets make it as interactive as possible.

Lets be going along as I have to disembark for about three hours(between 8.00pm and 11.30pm) tonight.