A simple source of additional income can be to grow sprouts to sell. This could be as a hobby or it could grow in to a profitable business if you find a suitable market and customers. 
It is also something that is so simple, your kids may want to start growing sprouts themselves or they may like to join in and help you, as they certainly love to learn and watch the growing process . It is also a fantastic way for them to see the actual process of growing vegetables instead of just seeing them come from a packet or the store. Whatever the reasons are that draws you to growing sprouts for profit, you don’t need to do this on a commercial scale to make some money and you certainly don’t need an elaborate or expensive set-up to get started. There are however two aspects that are critical for success:
1. Customers to buy your sprouts
2. An inexpensive sprouter or growing method suitable for larger volume production
Where do I find customers?
This is of course a critical part of the process but it just requires a little thinking and observation. Basically you just need to think about where sprouts are consumed in larger quantities and who is likely to eat them. Some suggestions for where sprouts are used to help get your thought process started are:
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Sandwich shops
- Any other food outlet that provides healthier options and salads
It is of course best to approach your potential customer first and if you do, be sure to take some of your delicious sprouts for them to taste! You can also discuss what type of sprouts they use the most of , how much they use and how often they will need you supply them. If you think about who consumes sprouts, the answer today is just about anyone! They are becoming an increasingly popular food in any household due to their amazing health benefits and they are especially popular with organic food consumers, raw foodists, vegans and vegeatarians, so anyone supplying foods to these markets may be interested in your sprouts.
Local markets and especially food markets are a great place to find customers as people will love the fact that your sprouts are so fresh and locally grown and supplied. You will need to package them up in to smaller containers or bags but this is not a particularly difficult process. With sprouting jars, trays and automatic sprouters, your sprouts could be quite wet and will need to be rinsed and dried out a little so they do not spoil in the bag or container. This step needs to be planned in to ensure you have adequate time to complete this. Sprouts grown using the Marche Method, will not require rinsing and drying back as they come out dry to touch and last remarkably long in the refridgerator.
The next step on your journey of growing sprouts for profit is choosing a suitable sprouter to ensure you can meet the needs of your customer…! The last thing you want to do is let them down if you lose a batch of sprouts that have spoiled and you do not want the growing process to be time consuming, as it is a much more enjoyable opportunity if it is fun!
