Fruit and Vegetable Markets Revenue Benchmarks
The average fruit and vegetable markets business in the United States generates $1.6M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,608 fruit and vegetable markets businesses in the U.S., employing 18,976 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $37K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Fruit and Vegetable Markets Business Actually Do?
Produce stands and specialty green grocers. Include ethnic markets and farmers-market vendors.
Who buys: Home cooks preferring quality/variety over supermarket produce.
Average Revenue
$1.6M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$217K
per year
Total Businesses
2,608
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$63K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$37K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.8
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Fruit and Vegetable Markets Charge?
Produce stands mark up 50–150% with tight spoilage margins.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Everyday produce markup | 50–100% |
Organic/specialty markup | 100–200% |
Prepared/cut produce | 150–300% |
Shrinkage / spoilage | 8–15% of purchases |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete fruit and vegetable markets business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a fruit and vegetable markets business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the fruit and vegetable markets industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $972K | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $221K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $130K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $65K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $130K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $63K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
14.9%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.26%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+5.74%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,785
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Fruit and Vegetable Markets Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
45 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a fruit and vegetable markets business do?
- Produce stands and specialty green grocers. Include ethnic markets and farmers-market vendors. Home cooks preferring quality/variety over supermarket produce.
- How much do fruit and vegetable markets charge?
- Produce stands mark up 50–150% with tight spoilage margins. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average fruit and vegetable markets make per year?
- The average fruit and vegetable markets business generates $1.6M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $63K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many fruit and vegetable markets businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,608 fruit and vegetable markets businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 18,976 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a fruit and vegetable markets business?
- Startup costs for a fruit and vegetable markets business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
- What is the average salary in the fruit and vegetable markets industry?
- The average employee in the fruit and vegetable markets industry earns $37K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The fruit and vegetable markets industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 5.7% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (14.9% entry vs 10.3% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 58% of fruit and vegetable markets businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 1,785 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the fruit and vegetable markets industry earns $36,852/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 3,433 establishments employing 36,410 people, the typical business has about 11 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The fruit and vegetable markets industry has grown 4% since 2000 (from 17,507 to 18,236 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Fruit and Vegetable Markets revenue with other industries: