How to Succeed with a $300 Probiotics Business
This course guides students through launching and sustaining a small-scale probiotics business, with a focus on low-cost production, local sourcing, health benefits, and sales strategies. Students will learn to create products like fermented drinks (kefir, kombucha), probiotic yogurt, capsules, and powders, while also gaining skills in food safety, marketing, and consumer education.
This business can be run from a home kitchen, stall, or cooperative space. It’s especially suitable in areas where gut health education is minimal but rising interest in natural and preventative medicine is growing.
Students will:
• Understand what probiotics are and why they’re beneficial
• Learn how to produce probiotic-rich products
• Discover low-cost tools for culturing and packaging
• Develop branding and health messaging for local markets
• Create a business plan and budget
• Understand health regulations and safety practices
Products You Can Make and Sell:
• Yogurt (cow, goat, soy, coconut)
• Kefir (milk or water-based)
• Kombucha (fermented tea)
• Fermented vegetables (kimchi, sauerkraut)
• Capsules or powder (dehydrated from cultures or yogurt)
• Probiotic juice blends
What Are Probiotics?
• Overview of gut microbiome
• How probiotics improve digestion, mood, and immunity
• Common probiotic strains (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, etc.)
Easy Production Methods
• How to get starter cultures: SCOBY, kefir grains, probiotic capsules
• Creating a sterile work environment on a budget
• Steps to make:
◦ Yogurt: milk, starter, incubate, refrigerate
◦ Kefir: ferment with grains in milk or sugar water
◦ Kombucha: brew sweet tea, ferment with SCOBY
◦ Fermented vegetables: salt, pack, seal, wait
Packaging & Shelf Life
• Affordable bottling and labeling
• Extending freshness without artificial preservatives
• Storing at room temperature vs refrigeration
• Reusable packaging systems
Marketing & Selling
• How to explain gut health to the average consumer
• Building trust in your product (free samples, testimonials)
• Creating a brand (logo, name, health claim)
• Selling locally: street stalls, farmers markets, WhatsApp, clinics
• Collaborating with local herbalists, gyms, yoga centers, or doctors
Managing the Business
• Startup budget (as low as $50 for small batches)
• Tracking inventory, revenue, and waste
• Safety laws and local health codes
• Getting testimonials or certifications (optional)
Optional Add-Ons:
• Flavoring with fruits, herbs, and spices (baobab, hibiscus, ginger, turmeric, tamarind)
• Creating children’s probiotic snacks
• Making dehydrated powders for longer shelf life
Assignment:
• Produce one probiotic product
• Package and price it
• Submit a 1-page business plan for how you’ll sell it in your community
• Optional: record a 1-minute video "pitch"
💡 Tips for Success:
• Offer a trial subscription (weekly delivery)
• Educate: every customer interaction is a health lesson
• Start with just 1 or 2 products and scale slowly
• Partner with others for delivery or referrals
Proposal for Fermented & Probiotic Drinks Vocational Workshop
Benin Humanist Lesbian Safe House
Ouidah, Benin Republic
Project
The goal of this workshop is to financially empower lesbians at the humanist Safe House by providing them with the knowledge and skills to produce local fermented and probiotic drinks and food, such yoghurt, fermented Tiger-nut, fermented cassava (gari), and fermented maize.
Fermented foods support gut health. These foods are staples in Benin and many parts of West Africa, but they are not widely produced at the community level.
This project will offer participants sustainability and a way to improve their diet and health, plus it will foster community-building among the girls.
The workshop will be a hands-on demonstration, with discussion on the health benefits of probiotics, and guidance on safe food fermentation practices. The workshop will be facilitated by a local expert and will include the use of locally sourced ingredients, ensuring the sustainability of the skills learned.
BUDGET
Grains ( Maize, cassava, sorghum) $120
Liquids (Cow Milk and goat milk) $82
Packaging Materials: Rubber, stickers, jars, bowls $30
Fermenters (yeast and strains of micro-organism) $60
utensils $8
Total $300
Benefits to Community:
• Empowerment and Skill Development: The workshop equips LGBTQ+ girls with practical skills that they can use to become more self-reliant. Learning to make fermented foods empowers them to start small-scale food production, contributing to their economic independence.
• Cultural Preservation and Innovation: Fermentation is a traditional practice in Benin and much of West Africa. This workshop offers an opportunity to preserve and revitalize cultural food practices while integrating modern probiotic knowledge. By blending tradition with contemporary understanding, the workshop helps maintain cultural heritage while promoting innovation in local food production.
• Fostering Social Cohesion and Inclusivity: The workshop creates a platform for LGBTQ+ girls to come together, learn, and share experiences in a safe and supportive environment. It promotes inclusivity and a sense of belonging within the community, helping to break down stigma and isolation often faced by marginalized groups. By participating in a communal activity like food production, the girls strengthen bonds with each other and with the wider community, encouraging solidarity and mutual support.
• Improved Health and Well-Being: By teaching the community how to produce fermented and probiotic-rich foods, the workshop promotes better digestive health and boosts immunity. Fermented foods are known to enhance gut health, which can lead to improved overall physical and mental well-being. This knowledge can have long-lasting health benefits for the LGBTQ+ girls and their broader community, particularly in areas where access to diverse health resources may be limited.