7 Tips for Starting a Fried Chicken Business, Including Capital Details

The Ayam Geprek (smashed chicken) business remains a favorite culinary business opportunity for Indonesians in 2025. The capital required for a home-based fried chicken business is relatively affordable, yet it can potentially yield high profits. Furthermore, menu innovations, digital trends, and the demand for convenient food make the fried chicken business always relevant, whether it's a cart, a home-based business, or a franchise.

With minimal capital, anyone can start a fried chicken business, even from home. This article isn't just for Ayam Geprek enthusiasts; it will also provide you with startup tips, business analysis, capital details, and tips for growing your business from a casual vendor to a viral food business.

1. Market Research and Competitor Analysis

Before determining the capital for your fried chicken business and starting sales, conduct specific market research. Who is your primary target audience? Students and workers looking for an affordable lunch? Or families seeking a practical and varied dinner? Don't forget to survey market prices, competitors' menu offerings, and current trends, such as spicy fried chicken, cheese toppings, raw chili sauce, online promotions, or family-friendly packages.
Additionally, monitor "home-based fried chicken businesses" that are growing organically in your area, as they typically have strong customer loyalty and low operating costs.

2. Perfect the Recipe & Flavor Consistency

The key to a successful home-based fried chicken business is its distinctive flavor and consistency in every presentation. Experiment with various recipes for chicken, flour, and chili sauce, including research from YouTube and recommendations from friends. Create flavor standards, for example, spice levels 1-10, onion chili sauce vs. raw chili sauce, cheese variations, and complementary menu items such as fried chicken with a drink.
Create recipes that are easy for all employees/family members to follow, with clear SOPs to ensure the taste remains consistent even if the cook changes.

3. Details of Fried Chicken Business Capital

Estimated capital varies depending on scale. For a home-based fried chicken business, here's an overview of the latest fried chicken business capital requirements for 2025:

Capital-saving tip: A home-based geprek chicken business can start with as little as Rp 5,000,000-10,000,000 if you already have the necessary equipment. For a geprek chicken franchise, the investment can range from Rp 50,000,000 to hundreds of millions of rupiah!

4. Calculate Potential Profit

With a selling price of Rp15,000 per portion and a target of 50 portions per day, daily turnover could reach Rp750,000. Monthly turnover is around Rp22,500,000, and after deducting operational costs for the geprek chicken business (raw materials, electricity, salaries, etc.) of around Rp15,000,000-18,000,000, the estimated net profit is Rp4,000,000-Rp6,000,000 per month for a small-to-medium scale business.

5. Menu Innovation and Product Segmentation

To keep your geprek chicken business competitive, differentiate yourself with menu innovations:

• Cheese/mozzarella/sausage geprek chicken
• Raw sambal, green sambal, and balado geprek
• Value-packed menu with drinks
• Choice of spiciness levels
• Children's menu (non-spicy)

Don't forget branding: choose a unique business name, logo design, and attractive packaging.

6. Promotion and Digital Marketing Strategy

Utilize social media (Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Business) to promote your home-based fried chicken business. Create behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and regularly promote discounts. List your menu on GoFood, GrabFood, and ShopeeFood for wider reach, even without a physical location.
If you have a larger budget, create a culinary business website to identify your business and facilitate online ordering.

7. Facing Challenges and Solutions for the Fried Chicken Business

• Main challenges: intense competition, fluctuating raw material prices, production consistency, and rapidly changing market trends.
• Solutions:
  • Develop a unique menu and service
  • Find trusted raw material suppliers and negotiate wholesale prices
  • Implement SOPs and staff training, and prepare a backup team
  • Conduct regular evaluations and adapt the menu according to trends
  • Manage finances and inventory with discipline

Don't hesitate to start a fried chicken business from home, as it's more cost-effective and easier to scale up once you have a loyal customer base.

So, those are seven tips along with estimated initial capital requirements for a geprek chicken business that you can use as a reference. If you want to simplify the preparation process and have more funds to open a geprek chicken business, you can consider purchasing a franchise with proven success and popularity. Furthermore, if you need additional capital to open a geprek chicken business, the BFI Finance team is always ready to help you make it happen. Simply by pledging your car, motorcycle, or house/shophouse/office certificate, you have the opportunity to obtain a business capital loan with competitive interest rates and fast approval. Information and other requirements regarding applying for a loan through BFI Finance can be accessed at the link below.

Information on Applying for a Motorcycle BPKB Loan
Information on Applying for a Car BPKB Loan
Information on Applying for a House Certificate Loan

So, are you ready to open your first Geprek Chicken outlet?

#AlwaysThereIsAWay with BFI Finance. BFI Finance is licensed and supervised by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).