Idea for business in Finland - Helsinki

darren1508 · Post by **darren1508** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:57 am

Hi people!

Im a 28 year old creative mind with a Public Relations background (from Malaysia) and I'm planning to open a small business of selling a product (Food and Beverage) which is still untapped in Finland. I have recently been to Finland to scope for a business opportunity and after much researching in the city, i was surprise that I couldnt find it in Finland. So i have decided to open this place as soon as next year. I have seen most of the post here on starting a new business, and it doesnt look so easy, but I'm also seeking for minds a like to start this business in order to ease the process.

Capital is a problem, but could be managed. I also researched on the product and noticed that, this product would not sell during winter season, so my question is, is there a way where I can only open the shop during the Spring, Summer and Autumn season?

Please drop me an email if ur interested to know more about the product and we can take it from there.

Any help would be great! Thanks in advance people!

my email account: darren1508@live.com.my

**Sponsor:**

Mölkky-Fan · Post by **Mölkky-Fan** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:15 am

As long as you are outside of a shopping centre, then you can open when you like. But you still pay the rent...

In shopping centres you usually have to sign an agreement which tells you maximum and minimum opening times.

Beware: just because something is popular in other countries does not mean it will be popular in Finland... we also tried something like this, and it did not work... a couple of things I can point out... Finns are not so extravagant as some other nationalities, also not many women are 'housewives' who wander round shops during the day and during the summer many Finns are at their summer cottages.

But of course, if you have already checked this out then good luck

darren1508 · Post by **darren1508** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:15 am

Hi Mollky,

Thank you for the information! Actually, this product is targeted to kinds, teenagers and young adults and perhaps even adults themselves. Do you have any idea if I could only open the shop during Summer, Autumn and Spring and not in winter? is this possible in Finland?

Thanks in advance!

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:23 am

i was surprise that I couldnt find it in Finland.

This should be a red flag. If it isn't sold here, there is a good chance there is no demand for it.
Also since it is foodstuff, there probably are some limiting regulations. You should check out the Evira website.
http://www.evira.fi/portal/en/

When you want to introduce an unknown product in Finland, you need a marketing campaign. If you're already financially stressed, it very well could be an uphill struggle. (Not to mention the reservations immigration would have with an unproven concept.)

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:32 am

darren1508 wrote:Thank you for the information! Actually, this product is targeted to kinds, teenagers and young adults and perhaps even adults themselves. Do you have any idea if I could only open the shop during Summer, Autumn and Spring and not in winter? is this possible in Finland?

Nothing stops you from being open only on odd days. But as you need to rent the shop (and one which is acceptable to foodstuff?) you can be sure that there won't be too many landlords that will make the contract only for part of the year. Many cafes and restaurants are only open during summer so nothing odd on that. Skiing centers tend to be quite quiet during summer.

darren1508 · Post by **darren1508** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:38 am

Hi Rinso,

Thank you for the information and the link. Its actually more of a beverage product and I seriously dont think there will be any strict rules against this product. The product is actually very famous around the world and many consumes it, Finnish people loves their coffee (world number 1 consumers) and this product is not far off from it. Im already working on a business plan and projections looks more than average.

Do you have any idea the rent of small shops in Kamppi area? not in the shopping mall though. An estimate will be helpful.

Thanks in advance!

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:04 pm

http://toimitilat.kauppalehti.fi/kohde/141.1741202

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:30 pm

darren1508 wrote:Hi Rinso,

Thank you for the information and the link. Its actually more of a beverage product and I seriously dont think there will be any strict rules against this product. The product is actually very famous around the world and many consumes it, Finnish people loves their coffee (world number 1 consumers) and this product is not far off from it. Im already working on a business plan and projections looks more than average.

Do you have any idea the rent of small shops in Kamppi area? not in the shopping mall though. An estimate will be helpful.

Thanks in advance!

You are aware that there are many ways to make coffee? What is popular (or close to local style of coffee) is not necessarily popular in Finland.

I know fruit called durian is very popular in your region. Well, everyone except ONE person in Finland has hated the stuff. (one colleague brought some durian candy after visiting the area)
If product is famous around the world, but still is not found in Finland, it is most likely total bust to try to import it.

Considering you think product cannot be sold during winter... Are you trying to import slushies into Finland? Or frappe? Because we got both.

Also, if your business relies on this single wonderproduct... You are already bankrupt, you just do not know it. Small shop in Kamppi area relying on selling some unknown, coffee resembling (allegedly) product is not going to be a goldmine. If your product is that desirable, you could try to get monopoly on importing it to Finland and sell it via regular chains.

Except they already most likely know of it's existence and have found it unsuitable for marketing.

Mölkky-Fan · Post by **Mölkky-Fan** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:44 pm

darren1508 wrote:Hi Rinso,

Thank you for the information and the link. Its actually more of a beverage product and I seriously dont think there will be any strict rules against this product. The product is actually very famous around the world and many consumes it, Finnish people loves their coffee (world number 1 consumers) and this product is not far off from it. Im already working on a business plan and projections looks more than average.

Do you have any idea the rent of small shops in Kamppi area? not in the shopping mall though. An estimate will be helpful.

Thanks in advance!

As Tiwaz mentions, remember the different types of coffee. Not so many restaurants here serve even espresso or cappuccino... mostly it is the weak coffee from the percolator (maybe somewhat more variety in the cities). Even in the supermarkets there are very few stronger coffees, I even saw a 'dark' coffee with the strength indicator on 1 last week.

Finns are not so adventurous IMO, so the Dutch saying ''what the farmer doesn't know he doesn't eat' applies somewhat here.

On the positive side, energy drinks seem to have grown hugely over here in recent years and my kids want them all the time, and I counted 18 different cans of the stuff on the shelves in City market.

In other parts of Nordic area I have seen quite a few juice bars and smoothie bars opening... at airports, hotels and city centres

darren1508 · Post by **darren1508** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:07 pm

Guys!

Thank you so much for all this valuable information, I was actually going to sell bubble tea inside a small kiosk rather than a whole shop. I know rent is very high but a small kiosk with a small bar is sufficient for this product, not just bubble tea but a small variety of mix assortments as well. I know the Finns have great taste buds of sweet stuff so i know this will work out. my only concern is all the documentation work. I have a finnish gf, she probably can help with this and i can come in as an investor.

But all ur opinion is much appreciated and its really helping, please provide me more options or the pros and cons of starting this business.

Thanks in advance!

Mölkky-Fan · Post by **Mölkky-Fan** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:20 pm

I tried bubble tea in Korea recently when the lady guiding me told me how great it was... not to my taste at all... but maybe a kiosk might work?! What about in a summer holiday park? or in one of the summer cities such as Porvoo or Salo or Fiskars or Hanko etc etc

I guess it is not too expensive to try it out...

jahasjahas · Post by **jahasjahas** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:36 pm

City-lehti recently ran an article on "9 food and beverage trends we need in Finland" and bubble tea was their top request: Kuplatee Suomeen!

I'm not a business person at all, but it seems a bit risky to run a kiosk that only serves bubble tea. I could see it succeeding better as a product in an established cafe.

But on the other hand, I'm not saying that bubble tea wouldn't sell in Finland (at least City seems to think it would). A few years ago nobody knew about frozen yogurt, but now there are at least three places in Helsinki that serve it: Kippo, Yobot and Fuel Smoothie Bar & Café. And as you can see, two of them really concentrate on their one exotic product.

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