24 A Venture Capital

Opportunity

Right now, we're facing two extremely prevalent issue. For one, plastic is on a steep incline. Our dumps, cities, forests and oceans are being filled with plastic, that is not bio-degradable (we produce 150 million tons a year). This plastic is choking nature, killing animals, plants and, overall, the quality of the Earth. Secondly, the world is extremely hungry. Just in the US, it's estimated about 30-40% of food created is wasted. And yet, over 815 million people globally suffer from chronic undernourishment. So with these two big issues, there is a way to make a business that not only is profitable, but also benefits these causes and creates an overall positive impact on this Earth. This opportunity is bulk food stores (grocery stores that don't have boxes, you bring your own jars and fill up with what you need as needed). These stores are for environmentally conscious consumers, but as time moves on, every individual who can buy food cheaper and help save the environment. At the beginning of its life, the customers targeted are college students, with lots of knowledge and passion for the environment, who want to save the Earth, which makes Gainesville a great place to start. The nature of the need is simple- people feel guilty for what prior generations have done to increase poverty and decrease the environmental health. Therefore, they are more likely to take action in their own hands and do what they can to help, like buy at bulk food stores.

• The forces creating this opportunity is human ignorance to the problems lying in our world. We keep creating excessive plastic, and wasting food, when in reality we need solutions like bulk food stores to battle these issues.
• This market geographically can be global, but at the start will rely on the city of Gainesville and the population of UF to fulfill its needs. Demographically, anyone can buy, but the target would be young people in their 20's to 40's, as their more likely to get involved and shop.
• Younger customers right now are trying to limit their plastic waste by reusing items, like straws and bottles, but a bulk food store can make these issues much easier to solve. If the solution, like BFS are easier, than they would easily transition over.
• This opportunity is big and still growing. 
• The window will be open for a little bit, but companies are doubtful to transition just yet, making it the perfect time to open.

Innovation

This new innovation is bulk food stores. These stores are new, as nobody is offering unpackaged, pay-by-weight grocery options like bulk food stores do. You pay for the exact amount of food you want, which is cheaper, requires less plastic and overall creates less food waste overtime. In this way, we will make money by undercutting our costs compared to bigger stores, while advertising our positive impact on the environment. That way. we'll be able to drive in more business, even though our inventory and employees cost less than bigger stores, so we'll make more profit.

Venture Concept

My innovation is simple: Provide low-cost bulk food that creates less plastic and food waste than other grocery stores. 

• Customers would switch over, as they feel guilty of their impact on the environment, and want to help in any way possible. The switch shouldn't be hard, as long as the new alternative (bulk food stores) is easily accessible and still generally cheap.
• The competitors are Walmart and Publix (big superstores or grocery stores). These places provide the same service without any environmental benefit. The only way to beat them is to stress their impact on the environment, compared to our benefit to the Earth.
• Packaging is very limited, price points are low as possible, distribution is through storefront, customer support is small but there (limited employees), and location is vital. All of these elements will stress the low-budget bulk food store we're looking for that has the greatest profits and environmental impact.

Minor Elements

1. Our secret sauce is this: one, the younger generation cares much more about the environment than other people do. They are much more likely to buy at bulk food stores than older generations have been. Second, by being the first in the business, we'll establish ourselves as the most notable and ethical bulk food store brand, keeping customers for longer when the market picks up.

2. Next, if the Gainesville venture is successful, would be spreading to other liberal/"eco-concious" locations to build up our storefront. Then, move into every town buy giving low-cost substitutes to big brands.

3. Next for me would be working on it until I wasn't passionate in it, than handing it down and working on something else (while making royalties or shares of my business).