Profitable small business opportunities in Darjeeling

Known as the ‘Queen of the Hills’, Darjeeling is a mesmerising hill station situated in north-east India, in the state of West Bengal. It was popular in the British era for its cool climes, and has earned its reputation for its cultural diversity and locally grown tea. A treasure trove of the tea gardens veiled in the clouds, the toy trains, ropeways, colonial-era architecture, Buddhist monasteries, etc. Darjeeling draws a continuous flow of travellers round the year.

This diverse mélange makes it an inspiring destination for budding entrepreneurs to explore, and implement small business opportunities in Darjeeling. The booming entrepreneurship scene is not only for the well-heeled. With a ripe market, and a small town advantage, you can consider a plan to start a small business. If you have a great attitude and a practical approach, you can launch your small business on a shoestring budget, and build it up in to a profitable venture.

Tag the tea – The sprawling tea gardens are a major attraction, a huge source of livelihood and export. Known as the ‘Champagne of Teas’, Darjeeling tea is acclaimed globally. Small-leaved, light-coloured and subtle, it has a unique taste that appeals to all palates. Tea is an all-time favourite especially in India and occupies nearly 70% of the share in the non-alcoholic beverage market*. If you have been thinking about it, take the plunge and plan your venture selling Darjeeling tea.

Curios – Artefacts and curios with the Tibetan and Buddhist influences such as, miniatures of monasteries, thangkas – Tibetan Buddhist paintings on textiles depicting a Buddhist deity, or a scene, traditional copper pots, Tibetan carpets and prayer wheels, etc. can pique the tourists’ interest and thus make for a great product idea sto sell.

Books – Have a great selection of books? Sell them online for the avid readers who’ll appreciate it. Along with the books, you could consider selling posters and picture postcards that depict the best scenes of Darjeeling and its bountiful picturesque surroundings.

Gourmet Delights – Local delicacies are exceptionally unique, and Darjeeling boasts of a great variety with the major population being Gurkha – Nepalese, and Tibetan. The culinary offerings such as Momos – dumplings, Thukpa – noodle soup, and Churpee – cheese, etc. can be home-made and sold online for the food enthusiasts.

You can have a unique business, but if your brand is missing the online presence, your customers won’t know it exists. For any business to grow today, promoting it with a global presence for the always-online customer can help customers find you and boost your sales. If you are still on the fence about whether to rely on an offline or an online channel to sell your products, consider optimising your small business opportunities in Darjeeling through an online platform such as Amazon to gain more traction.

So if the hills are your calling, make the move, and set up your business with any of the small business opportunities in Darjeeling. Register now as a seller on Amazon and take your products online from the comfort of your space. Amazon’s seller services will help you reach millions of potential buyers, and save your time, effort and cost, as you watch your business grow.

*Source: Forbes: Starbucks Is The Company To Beat In India's $30 Billion Tea Market