Licence Starting Points

Considerable capital investment is required to establish a new Wholefood Planet business. There is also likely to be a relatively small staff team, all of whom require training. It is therefore recommended that in the early stages the business is run along fairly basic lines. The minimum requirements for this kind of ‘basic’ Wholefood Planet would be:

• at least one packing room;
• a warehouse;
• a shop, including a small coffee shop serving beverages and cakes;
• a basic product range, none of which requires refrigeration;
• one or two basic tills;
• two or three computers, equipped with Microsoft Office.

In time, computerised systems such as Electronic Point of Sales (EPOS) and other software such as Sage can be purchased to facilitate online VAT tracking, a larger product line and more extensive financial recording. Over time, the Store will expand on what it offers to customers. This might include:

• fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables;
• selection of chilled and frozen foods;
• a delicatessen, selling prepared and fresh processed foods;
• organic and vegetarian wines and spirits;
• a café, offering a wider range of food than the drinks and cakes offered by the coffee shop.

Clearly each of these would require further investment in facilities, such as refrigeration, chillers or more extensive catering equipment.