How to Scale Your Microgreens Production for Restaurants or Markets

Turning your microgreens hobby into a profitable small business supplying local restaurants, farmers' markets, or shops is an exciting challenge. Scaling up production for sales requires not just growing more, but also planning your marketing, ensuring quality and consistency, and managing the practical side of a larger operation. In this comprehensive article, we'll guide you through the steps to expand and professionalize your microgreens production, from gauging market demand to optimizing your workflow and meeting commercial expectations. If you're ready to move from just a few trays to a microgreen farm that feeds your community (and your wallet), read on!

Research Your Market and Customers

Before you ramp up production, you need to identify who will buy your microgreens and what they want. Start by researching your local market:

Restaurants and cafes: These are prime customers for microgreens, as chefs use them to garnish and add flavor to dishes. Visit or call local restaurants (especially farm-to-table, high-end, vegan, and health-focused spots) to inquire if they currently use microgreens and in what quantity. Ask what varieties they prefer - some may use basic mixes, others might want specialty items like micro basil or shiso. Understanding chefs' needs will tell you what to grow more of. Chefs typically value flavor, consistency, and appearance. For instance, they love vibrant colors and distinct flavors like pea shoots, radish, and purple kohlrabi. Keep notes of specific requests. Building these relationships early also sets the stage for future sales.
Farmers' markets and direct consumers: If you plan to sell at markets or via a subscription box, gauge interest by talking to market managers and observing other produce vendors. Microgreens can be sold in small clamshells or bags to health-conscious consumers. Survey friends, local community groups, or online forums to see if people would buy microgreens for home use (and what price/quantity). Some popular mixes for consumers include spicy mix, salad mix, or single varieties like sunflower shoots for smoothies. There may also be opportunities with grocery stores or health food stores - inquire if they source locally grown microgreens.
Determine demand volume: It's crucial to estimate how much product you can likely sell each week. For example, you might find 3 restaurants each willing to buy 2 lbs (about 1 kg) of mixed microgreens weekly, plus a farmers' market where you could move another 5 lbs. That totals ~11 lbs per week. Such figures will guide your production planning (how many trays to sow, etc.). Always start a little under potential demand so you don't overshoot - you can always expand production as solid orders come in.
Understand pricing: Research the going rate for microgreens in your area. Restaurants often pay by weight; a common wholesale price might be around $20-$40 per pound (but varies widely by region and variety). At retail (farmers' markets), small 30-50 gram bags can go for $3-$5. Knowing this helps ensure your scaling efforts will be profitable. It's also good to know how competitors (if any) are pricing. If there's an established local microgreens grower, you might position yourself with specialty varieties or superior freshness to carve your niche.

By doing thorough market research, you can scale strategically - growing those varieties that have demand and not wasting effort on those that don't. It also shows you're serious and tuned into customer needs, which is important as you approach clients.

Set Up a Scalable Production System

With a clearer picture of your market, it's time to ensure your growing setup can handle increased production. Here are key considerations:

Dedicated growing space: As a hobbyist, you might have grown on a windowsill or a single rack in your kitchen. To scale up, designate a specific area for your microgreens farm. It could be a portion of your garage, a basement room, a greenhouse, or even a small warehouse if going big. The space should allow you to control light, temperature, and humidity (refer to our environment control guide for ideal conditions). Many small growers start with a spare room or basement. Make sure the area can be kept clean and is safe from pets, pests, and contamination (commercial buyers expect food-safe practices). Consider shelving units: vertical racks will be your friend to multiply growing area without needing more floor space. For instance, a rack with 4-5 shelves that each fit two 10x20 trays can hold 8-10 trays per rack. A few such racks can produce a surprising amount weekly.
Lighting and climate: Invest in good LED lights for each shelf (as discussed in our lighting guide). Scaling up means more lights, which could mean more heat and electricity use - factor that in. Also, ensure you have proper ventilation or temperature control in the larger space. You might need an AC or heater depending on your climate. Many commercial microgreen growers maintain around 20 °C and use fans or dehumidifiers to keep humidity ~50%. This level of control leads to consistent crops year-round, which is what your customers will expect.
Efficient workflow layout: Arrange your space for a smooth workflow. Typically, you'll have an area for seeding (maybe a bench where you fill trays with soil and sow seeds), an area for germination/blackout (could be shelves where you stack or cover trays for the first few days), the main growing shelves under lights, and a harvesting/packing station (table space to cut, weigh, and package). If you plan to do all steps in one space, think of it like zones. Keep things like soil and compost away from the clean packing area to avoid contamination.
Scaling the growing medium: Decide if you'll continue with soil or switch to mats or hydro as you scale. Soil is simple but dealing with large volumes is laborious (filling and dumping many trays). There are ways to streamline, e.g., store dry soil in bins for easy scooping, use pre-cut paper liners to reduce tray cleaning, etc. Alternatively, many commercial growers use biodegradable mats (hemp, jute, etc.) for ease and cleanliness. This can cut down on mess and appeals to chefs (no soil on roots if delivering live trays). It might cost a bit more than soil, so weigh cost vs labor savings. If you do stick with soil, consider buying in bulk (compressed bales of peat mix or coco coir) to save money.
Automation: As covered in Advanced Systems & Scaling, think about automating repetitive tasks as you expand. For example, an automated watering system can be a lifesaver when you have dozens of trays. Instead of hand misting 50 trays, you could set up a simple drip system or flood table to water many at once. Even a timer on lights is a basic automation to ensure consistency. You might not implement everything at once, but keep an eye on tasks that consume a lot of time (like watering or harvesting) and seek ways to make them more efficient. One small-scale grower who scaled up mentioned that automating watering and having proper climate control not only saved hours but also improved yield reliability.
Expansion mindset: Set up modularly if possible. Maybe you start with 2 racks and ~20 trays in production. Plan your space so you can add a third or fourth rack in the future as demand grows, without needing a whole new location. The infrastructure (lights, racks, etc.) you invest in should ideally be expandable or at least not a dead-end.

Getting your production system right is crucial. It ensures that when you do land those big orders, you can fulfill them without scrambling or quality slipping. A good system leads to consistent results, which is exactly what you need for business.

Plan Your Planting and Harvest Schedule

Supplying restaurants or markets means you must deliver on a regular schedule. Consistency is king - your buyers will rely on you like clockwork, so you need to produce microgreens continuously and predictably.

Succession planting: Rather than seeding everything at once, do staggered sowings so that you have crops hitting maturity at different times through the week. For instance, if you deliver to restaurants twice a week (say Monday and Thursday), you might sow a batch of trays every 2-3 days to align with those harvest times. A typical microgreen (like radish) sown on Monday might be ready by the following Monday or earlier, whereas peas might take a few extra days - so plan each variety's sowing accordingly. This is a bit of a puzzle initially. One approach is to make a chart of what day to sow each variety for a given harvest/delivery day. E.g., for a Thursday delivery: sow radish on Sunday, peas on Friday (since peas can take 2 more days), etc. Once you establish a cycle, keep it rolling each week.
Crop planning: Identify your core products (from your market research) and decide how many trays of each you'll grow weekly. For example, you might plan: 10 trays of salad mix, 5 trays of pea shoots, 5 trays of sunflower, 3 trays of radish, 2 trays of basil micro, etc. Each tray yields a certain amount (perhaps 8-12 ounces or ~200-300 g per 1020 tray for many crops). Match this with the demand you expect: if a chef wants 1 lb (16 oz) of salad mix weekly, that might take ~2 trays. Scaling is often about repeating a base "grow unit" consistently. A tool like a spreadsheet or a dedicated crop planning software can help you track sowing and harvesting. Microgreens World mentions using crop planning software to coordinate varieties, scheduling, and quantities, which can be handy if things get complex.
Buffer for failures: In farming, including indoor farming, not every tray will be perfect. Mold outbreaks or poor germination can happen occasionally. When supplying clients, it's wise to sow a bit more than exactly needed - a safety margin. Some growers sow ~10% extra trays as backup. If everything grows perfectly and you have a surplus, you can always offer a flash sale to an extra restaurant or at a market, or even donate extras. It's better than coming up short on a promised order.
Rotation and cleaning: Build in time to sanitize trays and tools between cycles to keep disease pressure low. After each harvest, scrub trays (or run them through a sanitizer rinse). Because microgreens have such a quick cycle, pathogens can carry over quickly if not managed. A clean rotation ensures your scaled-up operation doesn't crash from a contamination issue. Some commercial growers invest in extra trays so they can sow in clean trays and then later clean a large batch all at once, rotating through.
Harvest timing: Harvest as close to delivery as possible for maximum freshness. Restaurants will notice if greens were harvested 4 days ago vs yesterday. Often, harvesting the morning of delivery or the night before (and refrigerating overnight) is ideal. Microgreens hold best when dry and cool; so after cutting, keep them refrigerated and in breathable containers (not sealed too tightly, a bit of airflow helps). Many microgreens can last ~7 days in the fridge, but aim to deliver within 1-2 days of harvest for peak quality. If you deliver twice a week, you might split your varieties so some are harvested for the first run, others for the second.

Having a robust schedule also communicates professionalism. Some growers even provide their restaurant clients with a standing order each week (e.g., "Every Monday, I'll bring you X and on Thursday I'll bring Y"). Chefs appreciate knowing they can count on that. At farmers markets, having a consistent variety each week builds a customer base who come expecting your products.

Maintain Quality and Consistency

When stepping up to commercial supply, quality control becomes paramount. Your microgreens should be clean, safe, and high quality every time:

Uniformity: Aim for uniform crops so each package or tray looks similar. This comes down to uniform seeding (as discussed in our seeding density guide) and consistent environmental conditions. It can be embarrassing if one week your micros are lush green and the next week they're pale or flimsy. So dial in that lighting, temperature, watering to get repeatable results. Chefs notice consistency - they want the same product they loved last time. If you make any changes (say you switch soil brand or seed source), test it before mass production to ensure it doesn't negatively affect quality.
Hygiene and food safety: Treat your microgreens like the food product they are. Wash your hands and tools often, use clean water for irrigation (if using hydro, ensure water is changed or filtered regularly). If using any fertilizers or sprays (most microgreens don't need much beyond water, but some might use a mild nutrient), ensure they are food-safe. Watch for any signs of mold and remove affected trays immediately so they don't spread spores to others. Use sanitized scissors/knife for harvesting - some dip tools in a weak bleach solution between trays to avoid cross-contamination. If you are selling to higher-end clients or stores, consider if you need any food safety certifications or at least follow Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). As a small indoor grower, you are generally low-risk, but it's good to be proactive about cleanliness. Remember, microgreens are eaten raw, so there's no kill-step for pathogens.
Packaging: How you present your microgreens matters. For restaurants, many growers deliver in plastic clamshells or bags by weight. Find a packaging solution that keeps greens fresh. Clamshells (vented) are popular as they protect the greens from crushing and allow some air. Label your packaging with your farm name and the product - this not only meets any potential retail requirement but also promotes your brand (chefs might tell others, or if your product goes into a dish the end-consumer might see your microgreens in a market context). For farmer's markets, attractive packaging can draw in customers - clear containers showing the vibrant greens sell themselves, and a small label with your info builds your brand.
Traceability: Slightly advanced, but consider lot numbers or at least keep records of what seeds (lot, source) and batch was used for each crop, as well as when harvested. In the rare event of a food safety issue or a client complaint, this helps you isolate the cause. Big producers do this rigorously; for a small grower, even a simple logbook can suffice.
Live deliveries: Some restaurant growers deliver microgreens alive in trays (particularly for pea, wheatgrass, or sunflower) so chefs can cut fresh. If you do this, ensure you coordinate tray returns (most chefs won't want to accumulate trays). Using a soilless medium like a hemp mat is preferred for live trays to avoid soil in the kitchen. Selling live can reduce your labor (no harvesting on your end) and give ultimate freshness, but not all chefs have space or desire to deal with that, so discuss first. One advantage, as VegBed notes, is that highlighting hygienic, soil-free grow mats can be a selling point when offering live trays to restaurants.

By maintaining top quality, you'll earn trust and repeat business. Remember, as you scale, never let quality slip in pursuit of quantity. It's better to have slightly less product that is excellent than a ton of product that's mediocre. Reputation is everything in a local market - one bad batch could lose a client, whereas consistent excellence could have them referring you to others (leading to more scale opportunities).

Business Logistics and Growth

Scaling up production is one side; running the operation like a business is the other:

Pricing and profitability: Calculate your costs (seeds, soil/mats, electricity, packaging, labor time, delivery expenses). Then set prices that give you a sustainable profit. When starting, you might accept slightly lower margins to break into the market, but long-term you must value your work. Microgreens are a premium product - don't undersell yourself. Do ensure you're in line with market rates, but you can often charge on the higher end if your quality and service are top-notch. As a rough idea, a tray of microgreens might cost you $4-$8 to produce (depending on seed and material costs) and could sell for $15-$25 revenue. Know these numbers so that scaling up actually means making money, not just doing more work.
Customer service: Treat your restaurant clients like partners. Communicate clearly - confirm orders at the start, send a reminder or text before delivery, be on time, and be flexible to reasonable last-minute needs. If a chef suddenly needs an extra 500g of something for an event and you have it, go the extra mile to supply it. This goodwill cements relationships. Also, provide usage ideas or support - chefs love when you can suggest a new microgreen or let them sample something new (it could lead to them buying that too). For market customers, engage with them, share recipe ideas, and educate them on the nutritional benefits of micros; this creates loyal customers who keep coming back.
Brand and story: In local markets, people often buy into your story. Market yourself as the local microgreens expert, emphasize the freshness (harvested same day), any organic or sustainable practices you follow (e.g., "grown in organic soil, no chemicals, pure water, delivered living" - whatever applies). This can be a selling point especially at retail and markets. Some growers leverage Instagram or a simple website to showcase their farm, which can attract more business clients and market customers alike. Since microgreens are very photogenic, taking some good photos and sharing them can spark interest (even chefs get interested via social media these days).
Scaling further: Once you're comfortable supplying a core group of clients, you can decide to grow further. This might involve reaching out to more restaurants, adding more farmers' market days or stores, or even exploring subscription boxes for health-conscious individuals. Ensure your production can handle it and that you're ready for the extra work. You may even consider hiring a helper for tasks like harvest days if needed. Some microgreen businesses expand to a point and then take on part-time staff for seeding or market sales. Just make sure to train anyone you involve to maintain the same quality standards.
Regulations: As you grow, check if there are any local regulations you need to comply with. Many places consider microgreens similar to produce, so usually a standard food handling license and perhaps farm inspections for certain certifications if you want them. If you stay small, often you fall under "cottage food" or similar exemptions, but once you start selling to restaurants or retail, there might be food safety rules (e.g., needing to process in a commercial kitchen or have a wash pack area that meets standards). Look up local health department rules for sprouts/microgreens - microgreens are generally considered safer than sprouts, but some jurisdictions have guidelines.

Scaling a microgreens business is both challenging and rewarding. You'll move from doing everything casually to running a tight ship, but the satisfaction comes from seeing your greens featured in local cuisine and knowing you're providing something fresh and healthy to the community. Many have done it successfully: one grower reported slowly growing from a room of 120 trays to a larger space of 300+ trays as demand increased, eventually supplying multiple farmers' markets and restaurants. They did it by expanding capacity gradually and keeping clients happy consistently.

Remember that scaling is a journey - start with solid foundations (as we've outlined) and grow step by step. Don't be afraid to start small with one or two restaurant accounts and a single market to test the waters. As you gain experience and confidence, opportunities will open up to expand.

Now, take a deep breath - you've got the knowledge to take your microgreens to the next level. Put together your plan, sow those extra trays, and step out into the business world of microgreens. Here's to your growing success!

When you're ready to scale, make sure you're planting the best. Deliseeds provides bulk microgreen seeds with high germination rates, so you can count on every tray delivering. Partner with quality seeds and watch your microgreens business thrive!