Level 12 · Part 3
Ways to grow, and their risks
More volume, more products, more customers or a partnership: each has a different risk.
There is more than one way to grow, and the safest way is often the one that uses what you already do well.
| Way to grow | Often suits | Risks and demands |
|---|---|---|
| Sell more of the same product to existing customers | A product that sells out, with steady demand | You need more supply, more capacity and cash for materials |
| Reach new customers or channels | A reliable product with spare capacity | New channels have new demands on price, delivery and trust (Level 8) |
| Add a related product | Customers asking for more, shared equipment and skills | Adds complexity, quality checks and cost; test small first |
| Add a stage of the value chain (for example processing or packing) | A business that already knows its customers | Needs new skills, equipment and hygiene control (Levels 4 and 5) |
| Work with a group or cooperative | Small producers who cannot reach volume alone | Needs clear rules, trust and fair sharing |
| Export | A business with strong quality and records | Many new requirements and payment risk (Level 11) |
Test before you commit
Try a growth step on a small scale for one season. If it works, scale it. If it does not, you have lost little and learned a lot.
Exercise 12.3 · Choose a growth step
- From the table, choose one way to grow and write why it fits you.
- Write what would have to be true for it to work: supply, quality, customers, cash, people.
- Write a small test you could run in one season, and how you will judge the result.
Background reading for this part:
- Developing Sustainable Food Value Chains: Guiding Principles — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2014