Top 7 small business ideas

(1.) Noodles

Noodles, especially the instant variety, are a popular snack in India across rural and urban markets. The noodle manufacturing process is simple and requires basic ingredients such as wheat flour, salt, sugar, starch, spices, vegetable oils, etc.

Both semi-automatic and fully automatic noodle-making machines are available in the market. Making noodles involves blending flour, starch, and sodium bicarbonate, mixing the dough, and passing it through the machine.

The noodles are cut into the desired shape and size, dried, and packaged. Low capacity noodle-making machines cost over Rs 40,000, while premium ones cost upwards of Rs 1.5 lakh.

(2.) Ice-cream cones

Everyone screams for ice cream, one of the most popular desserts today.

The increasing consumption of ice cream has led to a rise in the demand for ice cream cones. Therefore, if you want to start small, this idea could be a profitable business option.

You can start an ice cream cone manufacturing unit in a small space by investing approximately Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh.

However, if you want to operate on a larger scale with high-capacity machinery, the investment cost goes a little higher.

(3.)pickles

Pickles are a traditional food item in India and are extremely popular. You will find at least one variant of pickle in every Indian household.

Thus, if you want to start small, a pickle business is a safe and easy option. Apart from the Indian market, Indian pickles are greatly in demand abroad.

You can start this business at your home with a small capital of approximately Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000.

(4.)Incense Stick

India’s agarbatti (incense sticks) market is growing due to great demand in the country and abroad.

Agarbattis are used in most Indian households, and their popularity and demand pick up during the festive season.

Their exports have also grown on the back of the rising popularity of meditation in other countries and the associated use of agarbattis.

The first step of small-scale manufacturing of agarbattis involves buying bamboo sticks and essential oils with fragrances such as sandalwood, jasmine, rose, Champa, etc., from the market. The sticks are coated with the oils and dried.

(5.)Buttons

Buttons are one of the essential trimmings used in the garment industry and have huge market potential.

From plastic to fabric and steel buttons, there are various categories in this niche that you can select depending upon your choice of business.

You can either rent out a space or start at home with a basic investment of approximately Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000.

(6.)Staple pins

Staplers are used extensively in schools, colleges, government institutions, offices, and wherever paperwork is involved.

Staplers cannot work without stapler pins, and the pins are usually made from white galvanized iron wire. Using good quality iron will ensure the pins are sturdy and long-lasting. Automatic staple pin-making machines simplify the process of production.

The machine flattens the round iron wire and produces the pins in predetermined lengths. Staple pin-making machines that can make 350 pins per minute cost upwards of Rs 3.5 lakh.

(7.)shoelaces

India is the second-largest producer of footwear after China. The country manufactures shoes that can be segregated into sports, formal, casual, and others.

The demand for shoelaces is high as well, and manufacturing shoelaces has become a lucrative small business idea. Shoelaces are manufactured by weaving a band and fastening the aglet (the hardened end of the lace). The simple, woven band is usually made from cotton, polyester, nylon, polypropylene, etc., and the aglet is made of plastic.

Apart from the material for the lace and aglet, shoelace braiding machines are also required. They can weave several meters of lace per minute, after which acetone can be used to fasten the aglet to the woven band.

You can start this business with a small investment of approximately Rs 25,000, depending upon the kind of machinery you want to deploy.