The Questions
Every Serious Candidate
Asks — answered
FAQs
Considering a move this significant means asking a lot of questions and you should. We’ve gathered the ones we hear most often from candidates just like you, along with honest answers that give you a real picture of what Independent Operator ownership looks like.
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Our recruiting team is available to walk you through anything not covered here. There’s no obligation, just a conversation
What are the requirements for being an Independent Operator?
A typical candidate has 4-5 years of retail management experience (grocery preferred), an acceptable financial background, and proven sales and merchandising skills. Candidates also include owners of small businesses in a variety of retail sectors. If you’re not sure if you qualify, a call with one of our recruiters may help answer your questions.
How much does an Independent Operator make?
We realize this question is likely the most important one that you have and believe that our existing Independent Operators can answer it best. We’ll connect you with existing Independent Operators, who can share their experience with you. They will explain that, due to our profit-sharing model, you can take charge of your financial future by growing sales, managing margins, and controlling their variable expenses such as labor, utilities and supplies. They can also tell you about the lifestyle that being an Independent Operator allows them to enjoy.
How do you handle inventory?
Independent Operators are given access to an order guide that is updated daily. Independent Operators can order a significant portion of the products as needed. There is no limit to how many trucks they use per week, although independent operators pay for freight costs.
What training and support is available to Independent Operators?
Each Independent Operator candidate is required to complete our Aspiring Operator in Training (AOT) program before accepting a store assignment. This year alone we invested $1.5 million in our Independent Operator training program. Once you become an Independent Operator, you will have marketing and sales support from Grocery Outlet whenever you need it.
What territories are available?
Grocery Outlet has a major presence in Central and Eastern PA & NJ but are expanding quickly along the East Coast. We are also excited to continuing to expand in Washington State, Oregon, California, Idaho and Nevada.
How are locations chosen?
Grocery Outlet chooses and builds stores based on demographics and demand. If you are chosen to be an Independent operator, you can then apply for stores as stores become available.
Please also note that enrollment in the Aspiring Operator in Training program does not guarantee that you will be eligible for or invited to apply to become an independent operator and offered an Independent Operator Agreement by GOI. You must successfully complete the AOT program first to GOI’s satisfaction and also meet additional financial and background conditions.
What is a typical timeline from application to opening a store?
Each Aspiring Operator in Training works at their own pace to complete their training program. Typcially our training program takes around 6-8 months to complete but there is no hard deadline for completion.
Do I need grocery experience specifically, or will other retail experience qualify?
Grocery experience is not required to become an Independent Operator. Our Operators come from a variety of backgrounds including big box retail, multi-unit restaurant management and small business ownership.
Can I own multiple GO locations?
No, being an Independent Operator of even a single store takes a significant investement in time. We don’t offer more than one location at a time to incoming Independent Operators.
What ongoing fees or costs should I budget for?
There are a number of ongoing cost associated with running your business including but not limited to, payroll, utilities, marketing fees and more. Our Independent Operator agreement details all the fees associated with your location. However, you’ll never pay any franchise fees associated with being an Independent Operator.
Is there an agreement?
Yes, there is a Operator Agreement that laysout all the details of Independently Operating a Grocery Outlet location. If you decide that becoming an Independent Operator is the right fit for you, we will go over the agreement in detail so you feel completely comfortable with everything within the agreement.
What happens if I complete the AOT program but no stores are available in my preferred area?
If you complete your training program and do not immediately find your store, we find that continuing to work with existing Independent Operators allows you to gain additional experience from people who understand the Grocery Outlet systems.
Are there any financial/investment requirements?
Yes, we require our Aspiring Operators in training to have a credit score at or above 640 as well as an cash investement of $10,000.
The best argument for owning a Grocery Outlet isn't a statistic
it’s the people who already do it. Hear directly from Independent Operators about what ownership changed for their careers, their families, and their communities. When you’re ready, we’d like to hear your story too.