While the networks of large supermarkets continue to expand throughout Kyrgyzstan, the bulk of consumer demand is served by small and medium-sized food stores, hiding in secondary streets of towns and villages and in bazaars. Small shops often serve as a convenient option for purchases for people returning from work, they have also become a favorite place for fast grocery shopping for the majority of Kyrgyz people. Nuria Khalikova knows how much time the availability of a store nearby saves for housekeepers, so she made a profitable business out of the sale of food products to the population.
"Nowadays people work hard, they are always in a hurry," says the entrepreneur Nuria Khalikova. “There is not always time to walk around the bazaar for a long time or drive to a large market. It is often easier to buy everything you need in one small store. Each family has a certain set of products for regular purchasing. I understood this perfectly when I opened my grocery store. " Day after day, Nuria's business developed, creating a new clientele. However, the entrepreneur was clearly aware that the more diverse products will be presented in her store, the more likely people will come to shop here. She wanted to install display refrigerators at the store to make visitors see a wide range of sour-milk, meat products, as well as fast-frozen foods. "My experience confirms that people buy what they see," Nuria says. "Therefore, a refrigerated showcase greatly increases revenue, because when a buyer is given a range of products to choose from, a chance of purchase increases."
The acquisition of the desired refrigeration equipment required additional investments, and, rather big ones. After considering all financing options, the businesswoman decided to take a loan in the microfinance company Alma Credit. Having quickly completed all the necessary applications and received cash, Nuria Khalikova bought two refrigerated showcases at once and increased the turnover of her store by significantly expanding the range of goods. Naturally, in connection with these changes, the profit also increased.
"In the future, our client plans to further expand her business," comments Ryskulbek uulu Nurmat, the Director of the MFC Alma Credit branch in Kara-Balta, where Nuria took the loan. “She is planning the purchase of the second store at the "Zhayil" market in Kara-Balta. We will certainly be happy to offer her the best loan conditions for her business. Financing entrepreneurs is one of the important areas of our company's work, and we will actively develop in this direction. "