Anyone who wants to open a general store in India has many things to consider. Besides the license and shop, the store owner needs to consider the general store items list that are important for running the business better. However, it is the most profitable and reliable business in India. There are more than 15 million general stores in India. So if you want to be on this list, you must have a proper insight into products you need to sell and other aspects.
Once you are aware of the list, you can go ahead to open your own Kirana store. However, this general store items list may vary according to the vendor where they can sell items, including wood, kitchen grocery items, food & drink, etc.
List of Grocery Store Items
- Rice and Flours
- Turmeric powder –
- Sugar –
- Jaggery –
- Idli rice/Boiled rice/Salem rice –
- Steamed rice or Raw rice/Sona masoori –
- High-quality raw rice for Pongal
- Dosa rice ( optional)
- Basmati rice
- Brown rice(optional)
- Pressed rice / Poha(thick or thin)
- Wheat flour – (North Indians, please increase atta to 5 kgs and reduce rice)
- Maida –(For cakes and snacks)
- Ragi flour
- Millets varieties & oats
- Rice flour –
- Besan –
- Bombay Rava/ Semolina or Chiroti rava
- Wheat rava / samba rava / bansi rava
- Idli rava (optional)
- Rice rava
- Vermicelli / Semiya
- Instant rice sevai
- Sago/Javvarisi
- Tamarind
- Red chilli
- Ready-made rice mix
- Sambar powder
- Rasam powder
- Garlic powder / poondu podi
Pulses/Dals
- Toor dal
- Round urad dal
- Yellow moong dal
- Chana dal
- Split urad dal
- Rajma, peas, brown/white chana, green gram dal, Peanuts
- Fried gram dal / Pottukadalai
Edible Oils and Ghee
Cooking Oils- Sunflower Oil, Groundnut Oil, Mustard oil, Olive Oil, Coconut oil
Ghee: Cow ghee, Buffalo ghee, Vanaspati gee
Beverage Items
You won’t find any home that doesn’t have a pack of tea/coffee powder. So, you need beverage items like-
- Tea: Black Tea, Green Tea, Herbal Teas, Masala Chai
- Coffee: Instant coffee, Filter coffee and Coffee Beans
- Health Drinks: Horlicks, Bournvita, Boost, Complan
- Soft Drinks and Juices: Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Frooti, Real Juice Tropicana
Spices and Nuts
There are different types of spices and nuts you can consider adding in your store. Some of these are-
- Mustard seeds
- Pepper
- Cumin seeds
- Poppy seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Dry ginger piece or powder
- Black or white sesame seeds
- Split urad dal
- Ajwain
- Peanuts
- Dates
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Biryani spices packet
- Vanilla essence
Snacks and Namkeen
For tea or coffee drinking sessions, having a pack of snacks and namkeen is a must at home. So, adding some of the popular and fast-selling snack items in your store can be profitable.
- Biscuits and Cookies: Parle-G, Marie developed by Britannia, Oreo from Cadbury with around 20–30 calories per cookie based on the flavour Good Day
- Namkeen: Aloo Bhujia, Sev, Mixture, lays, Peanuts Chips
- Sweet: Chocolate, Candy and Indian Sweet (Laddoo, Barfi, Gulab Jamun)
Dairy Products
If you want to focus only on dairy items, then you can open a store with only dairy products. Some of the items you can sell are-
Fresh cream, milk, curd, butter, paneer, cheese slices/block, and fresh cream.
Miscellaneous Items
Along with diary and snack products, you can keep miscellaneous items including-
- Papad
- Cocoa powder
- Health drinks
- Noodles
- Pasta
- Macaroni
- Spaghetti
- Tomato Ketchup
- Jam
- Mayonnaise
Personal Care Products
Personal care products are a common and high-selling category. You can keep a wide variety of items so that customers can have choices to buy. Some of these are-
Soaps, shampoos, Toothpaste, Deodorants, and others.
Household Cleaning Products
Stock your general store with some essential household cleaning products including-
Detergents, dishwasher, floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, and other cleaning items. These are quite high-selling items.
Toiletries
Some toiletries are of everyday use and should be available at your general store. These are-
Toilet paper, shaving products, hair care, sanitary pads, and others.
Frozen Food Items
Nowadays, in many households, you find different types of frozen food items that carry longer shelf life.
Peas, mixed vegetables, French fries, spring rolls, ice creams, and others.
What are Things to consider when opening a General Store in India?
When you plan to open a general/Kirana store in India, there are certain aspects you need to consider. Some of these are-
1. Size of the Store
The size of the store completely depends on what items you are going to sell. Choose whether it should be a small, medium, or large business. Consider the kind of store you are interested in.
Would it be a small general store that carries essentials? Or would it be a massive store with numerous shelves filled with a wide range of products, brands, and styles?
2. Ownership
Are you going to be your boss? Or are you going to be with someone? Is your shop going to be a corporation? Is it better to launch the business alone or with others? Every type of ownership has advantages and disadvantages of its own. Therefore, considering ownership is important.
3. Capital
How much money would you need, and how would you obtain it? Do you anticipate requiring a loan?
If your credit score is high, you can get business loans at reasonable interest rates. Always budget a certain amount of money for unforeseen operating expenses, and then handle your money wisely.
4. Location
Location is crucial when managing a small firm. You may set your prices and cultivate your own customers more easily if you have less competition. Where you want to focus on your customers, attention is one of the most crucial things to think about.
If a general store is located near your home, it will be simpler to oversee the operation. Selecting a site close to a store with a well-known brand would be illogical. The rentals are varied in several regions. Because more clients are likely to be drawn to prime sites, rent is frequently higher there. However, areas with lower rents could not have as many customers.
5. Staff
The size of your shop will define how much staff you will be needing. If you are opening a small Kirana store with limited products, then you won’t need more than 1-2 staff. No matter how big or small, a good general store should have friendly employees to help customers. Your store’s sales will increase as your customers feel more comfortable. It’s easy to find employees for a supermarket store. Anyone decent and kind can receive training in customer service and product expertise. To motivate them to serve the customers, you can also monitor bonus schemes for each employee’s sales.
Also Read: How to Start a Kirana Store (Dukaan) in India – A Comprehensive Business Plan
Conclusion
Kirana stores or general stores carry all types of products needed for regular household needs. You will have a successful local store if you are aware of your unique needs! This extensive list of general shop items helps you ensure that every customer will locate what they need as soon as they enter.
The best option is to invest in accounting or billing software that will help you run your grocery store properly. This will also allow you to manage your finances in case of high-volume monthly revenue and expenses. You can even have a properly aligned grocery invoice format to send to your dealer or clients.
This list of Indian grocery items can help you build your cases and fill in your gaps so that you never run out of those best-selling items, whether you’re a newbie starting a new Kirana store or optimizing any of the things listed here.
FAQs
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What is the difference between a general store and a niche store?
Ans: General stores are drop shipping businesses that sell products in hundreds of categories. There may or may not be any connection between these categories. They don’t have any branded products, and no product of any kind bears their name.
Drop shipping stores that specialize in a particular item or niche are known as niche stores. These are a mid-range option that is more comprehensive than a one-product company yet more focused than a general retailer.
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Is running a general store in India profitable?
Ans: It depends on different factors like location, products sold, and customer service. In India, general stores have a fairly good profit margin, ranging from about 5 to 35%. The fact that Kirana shops are a lucrative business is one of the factors contributing to their abundance in India. If you want to have an organized store, you can invest on accounting or GST billing software for seamless business.
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What is a one-product store?
Ans: A one-product store is made to sell just one item. Your mainstay product is the foundation of your entire firm. Though the product line is quite small, you may still offer several variations (such as colours and sizes). The front landing page of a one-product store is typically configured to function as a little sales funnel.
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How much investment would I need to open a Kirana or General Store in India?
Ans: If you want to open a good grocery store, the overall investment would be around Rs 50,000 to Rs.3 lakhs initially.
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How can I establish a general store in India?
Ans: Here are a few things to consider for establishing a general store in India-
- Decide on a location.
- Identify and study your customers.
- Think about the investments.
- Obtain necessary documents and licenses.
