6 recession-proof small business ideas with investment as low as Rs 50K
Even during toug economic times, there are a few businesses that are recession-proof and are considered essential. SMBStory has listed down six such business ideas that can be started with a minimum investment of Rs 50,000.
The last two years have been difficult for the world economy. Amid the economic and financial uncertainty, people are now working towards establishing businesses that are safe even when the economy takes a dip.
There are a few industries that survive and thrive during the economic downturn and SMBStory has listed out six recession-proof small business ideas that can be started with an investment of Rs 50,000. These businesses need not have a large manufacturing setup or huge capital investment. You can work through an online medium or even in a small set-up.
Food business
Food is the basic necessity of life and very recently, during the COVID-19 induced lockdowns, we saw that the government permitted food businesses to operate following certain restrictions. Food businesses were the first to get a green flag for online deliveries too.
According to an IMARC report, the market is currently witnessing growth in confluence with the growing working population and inflating income levels. Although existing players are mainly concentrated in the urban regions of the country, many vendors are now also targeting smaller cities, as they have strong growth potential.
This shows that food businesses, started anywhere, have great opportunities. A food business can be started at any scale. You can set up a home kitchen to offer tiffin services in your locality or even start a cloud kitchen for online deliveries. The business can be started with an investment of Rs 50,000 or even less than that.
Apparel
Clothing is a major product in both online and offline sales. Though the trend and style of apparels keep changing, it is a product that would always be in demand.
The textiles and garment industry in India is also a significant contributor to the economy, both in terms of its domestic share and exports. It contributes about 7 percent to industry output, 2 percent to the GDP and 15 percent to the country's total export earnings.Therefore, starting up an apparel business is a profitable one and evergreen.
Depending upon the capital you want to invest, an apparel business can be started with Rs 50,000 or more. To try your hands, maybe initially you can pull out less inventory and then circulate the money earned to scale up the business.
Baby products
According to various data reports, every day, more than 67,000 babies are born in India. This data itself tells that there’s a lot of scope in the baby products industry right from toys, baby clothes, baby food, baby toiletries and a lot more.
You can start the baby products business even at home by outsourcing the products from the manufacturers. To set up a small scale business, you don’t need to put heavy investment into setting up a factory.
Hygiene products
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a lot about hygiene. From ensuring that face masks are always pulled up, to the use of sanitisers and disinfectants, the hygiene products market has boomed in the last two years. Even the use of tissue papers, gloves etc., has seen a spike.
The global personal hygiene market reached a value of $$ 55.7 billion in 2020. Looking forward, IMARC expects the market to grow at a CAGR of 5.80 percent during 2021-2026.
Starting up a hygiene products' business is not very challenging. You need to have connections with certified manufacturers who can make products for you.
Spices
India is a home to a variety of spices. The medicinal or health properties of spices are so well known now that western countries too are adopting the usage of traditional Indian spices like turmeric, kesar, cinnamon, etc in large quantities.
India is the world's largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices; the country produces about 75 of the 109 varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and accounts for half of the global trading in spices.
Hence, if you are thinking of a business to kickstart with low investment, dealing in spices would be one of the best options to go with.
Sanitary napkins
Another profitable business idea that can be started with low investment is sanitary napkins.
There have been rising concerns of feminine hygiene and even the government is taking initiatives to promote the awareness of the same.
According to EMR, rising awareness about menstrual hygiene is contributing to the demand for sanitary napkins. Furthermore, in India, the consumption of high-quality and environment-friendly raw materials to produce these sanitary pads is further propelling the growth of the market.
A business of sanitary napkins can be started with a minimum investment of Rs 50,000 and can be further expanded depending upon the technology you want to bring in into the product.
For some of these businesses, the government is extensively extending its support through various schemes like PM Mudra Yojana, Annapurna scheme etc. Therefore, let not your entrepreneurial spirit dwindle in thoughts - start your small business to turn it into a big one.
Edited by Anju Narayanan