Business An E Commerce Platform Organic Farm Fresh Ltd - 3850 Words

Business An E Commerce Platform Organic Farm Fresh Ltd (Research Paper Sample) Content: BUSINESS PLAN Students NameStudent NoUnit NameWord Count Business PlanOpportunity/GapThe idea is to start an e-commerce platform- organic farm fresh LTD- that provides a wide selection of natural and pure merchandise to customers. The platform will link the buyers with the farmers. In addition,, the venture will also help farmers get access to the market by buying from them and selling under its brand. The growth of the organic movement is believed to have started in the 1970s and 1980s due to increases in cancer cases and an awareness of food as a possible cure (Organic Trade Association, n.d.). The current demand is tied to health and fitness concerns, environmental concerns, and the need to promote the local economy by buying from local farmers. The company to be launched will use technology companies to offer same-day grocery delivery thus eliminating the barriers of inconvenience and time for many buyers (Watrous, 2016). More consumers want convenience. The auth or adds that grocery is the most unexploited e-commerce opportunity. In the US, it is the largest retail category yet less than 1% of the purchases occur online. Moreover, organic food preference is in most countries and for this reason, theres a big opportunity for entrepreneurs to invest in this sector.As an online food store, the aim of the business would be to provide people with healthy, nutritious and wholesome products. The general wellbeing of people would be improved when they consume safe and effective natural organic foods that have the necessary nutrients for their health. Currently, consumers access organic food through conventional grocery stores, and direct-to-consumer markets.The organic market is expected to increase as more consumers demand clean food. Chait (2017) writes that the demand of organic food is expected to increase in the coming years. She says this is driven by four factors that are the:The expansion of organic products beyond the natural channelGrowth of the food service serving natural organic and specialty foodsIncrease in environmental concerns: there is an increasing demand for clean labelsA study conducted in 2017 by organic trade association found out that parents in the 18 35-year-old category are the main group of organic consumers in United States (Organic Trade Association, n.d.).The Australias organic food exports have a huge demand that producers fear that they cannot keep up with the demand. Two in every three Australian families report having bought organic items in 2016 (Parkes, 2017). Parkes adds that globally, the market for organics in 2015 was worth US$ 81.6 billion. The biggest market for organics is in the US which accounts for 44% of the organic food and beverages sold. However, Denmark, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Sweden have the biggest consumers of consumers.Australia is ranked the 16th highest spenders on organic products. The most common organic items purchased by Australians include fruits and veget ables (Parkes, 2017). However, more people are now choosing organic eggs as well as dairy foods, red meat, and poultry.The number one reason why a person chooses/switch to organic products is health related. The growing consumer consciousness around health and wellbeing, as well as growing demand for clean produce, provides a huge market for organic foods. Although organic sales make up 1 % of Australias national food and beverage total, the number is expected to increase to 3 -5 % in the next 5-10 years (Parkes, 2017). According to Australian Organic Market Report 2017, Australias organic exports to other continents increased in 2016. Organic beef was the top seller also in high demand were but also organic fruit and vegetables, dairy and wine. Currently, Australia has close to 2100 accredited organic growers, more than 1100 processors and more than 500 accredited handlers (Parkes, 2017). Organic crops are those that are nurtured without the use of artificial pesticides, petroleum -based fertilizers, bioengineered genes (GMOs), and sewage manures. In addition, Organic livestock raised for meat, eggs, and dairy products must have access to roam freely outside and be feed on organic food Chait (2017). Additionally, they are not given antibiotics, artificial fatteners, or any animal by-product. There are many benefits of organic food that make it attractive to consumers. Organic foods have fewer pesticides. The chemicals used in normal agriculture often remain on and in the food that people eat. Some of the chemicals are harmful to the health of people. Foods grown naturally are often fresher because they do not contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic farming practices help protect the environment by reducing toxic waste, preserving water and using less energy. Naturally grown food is GMO-free thus is good for human consumption. Therefore, the suppliers of the business will be certified to ensure that their product is from artificial fertilisers and pesticides, are GMO free and are devoid of added hormones or antibiotics. Most of the products will be sourced from farmers who have already been accredited by the government. Besides, Organic farm fresh LTD will work closely with certified organic farmers, app developers, marketers, investors, and government agencies. The certified organic farmers will be the main suppliers to the market. Website and app developers will be responsible for designing, creating and maintaining the business app and website. Since it is an online shop, major operations will be online. Marketers will be required to market organic farm fresh products and create more awareness about its activities. Investors will help fund the initial costs of starting and running the business. The business will also be required to meet all the licensing requirements before starting operation.Management Skills Needed to Make the Business SuccessfulSeveral management skills are required to run the business. Solid manag ement skills will enable the organic fresh farm to be successful. Foremost, financial management is a necessary skill as managing finances is critical for every organisation. The skill will enable the managers to monitor the business profit and loss.Marketing and sales skillsMarketing skills will be useful in creating awareness about the products and services that the business offers. The right marketing skills will be useful in knowing where to place the goods, and how to package the products/services. In addition, marketing skills are crucial for coming up with strategies for promoting the services and coming up with the right processes to facilitate the delivery of service.Motivation skillsIts a requirement that the founder of the business has a clear vision. He/she is then required to assemble a team that works towards attaining the vision. However, the attainment of the vision is only possible when the team remains focused on the same goal. The team can only remain focussed whe n they are highly motivated and committed to achieving both short term and long term goals of the business. To maintain a well-motivated team, flawless communication is needed. The employees also need to feel appreciated thus recognition of their efforts is required. They should be appreciated for their efforts through being given annual bonuses and promotions. Communication skillsCommunication skills are important for the successful running of a business. Ideas and vision of the company will be communicated to investors and employees through communication. For this reason, the communication should be very effective. Also, the day to day activities of the organisation is carried out through communication. The manager of organic farm fresh thus is required to be a good communicator. Organisations that tend to successful allow for open communication where employees are free to air their grievances and views.Delegation and time management skillsAll managers are required to have delegat ion skills. Since theres a lot of work involved during the start of the business. Delegation helps in time management has it allows tasks to be completed efficiently within the required schedules. It also saves money as a task is handled by a staff instead of outsourcing from outside. When a manager delegates, he/she multiplies/divides work with his/her subordinates. Delegation also helps subordinates be given an opportunity to prove their worth which can be a source of motivation for them to keep working for an organisation. Through delegation, the manager-employee relationship becomes meaningful. When the work of a manager gets over his capacity, it is important that the work is shared following a laid down formula.Innovation skillsThe technology industry changes every now and then. One of the essential skills required for this business is innovation skills. The processes of the businesses must always be in line with the latest technology and trends in consumer habits. The failur e to innovate in the technology sector means death. The managers of the business must not only be able to predict the future but also be able to manage change. Problem-solving skillsProblems are also present in day to day running of a business regardless of the preparation. Problem-solving needs two types of mental skills that are logical and creative (Fawcett and Borck-Jameson, 2014). Logical thinking requires skills such as comparing, contrasting, evaluating and selecting. Through analytical thinking, an individual is able to select the best alternative from a variety of options. Creative thinking, on the other hand, requires people to use their imagination to come up with unique solutions. The elements of creative thinking include the ability to produce many ideas, the flexibility to produce uncommon ideas and elaboration. To solve...