Market vendor turns homemade recipe into thriving small business
A local market vendor turned his passion into a delicious small business venture.
A passion for making homemade hummus has grown into a successful small business for Yavin Belinky, owner of Humus Fair, one of the vendors trading at The Craft Market on Zeiss.
According to Yavin, the business began after years of making hummus for friends and family, who encouraged him to start selling it. What started as a hobby gradually became a business as demand for his product increased.
“I always used to make hummus for parties, and everybody really loved it. They told me I should start selling it one day,” he says.
As the business expanded, Yavin began supplying local shops while continuing to sell his products at markets, where he has built a loyal customer base.
Although making one batch of hummus takes about 30 minutes, Yavin spends an entire day in the kitchen producing enough stock for each market.
When determining his prices, he considers the cost of ingredients and compares them with similar products already available. He aims to remain competitive while ensuring the business covers its costs and generates a reasonable profit.
Running a food business also presents unique challenges. Yavin says the greatest difficulty is that hummus is a perishable product with a limited shelf life.
“The products are perishable, so I can’t keep them for too long. I have to make them and sell them as quickly as possible; otherwise there will be wastage,” he explains.
He believes that market trading can also be unpredictable, with customer numbers varying significantly from one week to the next. Despite these challenges, Yavin believes there are opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs who are willing to offer something different.
He encourages new vendors to research which markets best suit their products and to focus on creating unique offerings that stand out from competitors.
“I think the best advice I can give is to find something different from what is already available. Choose a product that is interesting and captures the attention of people who come to the markets,” he advises.
Yavin’s journey from preparing hummus for friends to running a recognised market business highlights how passion, perseverance and a unique product can help entrepreneurs build successful small businesses within their local communities.
The market (also known as Market on Zeiss or Garden on Zeiss) is located at 1 Zeiss Road, Harveston AH, Honeydew. It is open every Saturday from 09:00 to 16:00, and hosts a night market on the last Friday of the month from 17:00 to 21:00.
