Microgreens Profit & Break-Even Calculator
Enter how many trays you grow per week, your seed and sale costs, and overhead to see weekly profit, break-even trays, and how many weeks until you recoup your starting costs. Nothing uploaded.
Variety
Your numbers
Variety margin ranking ?
Learn more: Microgreens growing and profitability
Understanding seed cost and yield in profit calculations
Microgreens profitability depends on seed cost, germination rate (yield), labor, and selling price. Each variety has typical seed costs and yields - for example, sunflower seeds cost less per gram but also yield more volume, while specialty seeds like wasabi cost more but command higher prices. This calculator multiplies seed cost by quantity needed and divides by yield percentage to find the material cost per harvest. Subtracting seed cost from your sell price gives the gross margin per ounce. Profit margin accounts for growing expenses (water, tray, labor) which you estimate separately. A 50% margin variety is more profitable per ounce than a 20% margin variety all else equal.
Scaling production and managing supply costs
As you increase the number of trays, total costs rise (more seeds, labor, and equipment) but per-unit costs may drop. Seed suppliers offer bulk discounts for varieties in higher demand. Water and electricity costs are usually negligible for microgreens but grow-light setups can be significant. Labor is often the largest variable cost - faster-growing varieties or high-yield ones (like radish and broccoli) reduce per-ounce labor. This calculator helps you identify which varieties maximize profit margin at your current pricing and costs, but real-world profitability also depends on market demand and consistency of supply.
FAQ
What does yield percentage mean?
Yield is how much usable microgreens you harvest from a tray of planted seeds, expressed as a percentage. Radish typically yields 400-600% (the wet weight of harvest is 4-6x the dry seed weight), while sunflower yields 300-400%. Factors like temperature, humidity, and seed quality affect actual yield.
Why do different varieties have different profit margins?
Some varieties have cheap seeds but high yield, lowering per-unit material cost. Others have expensive seeds but sell for premium prices. Specialty varieties (shiso, pea shoots) may sell for 2-3x more than commodity greens (broccoli, radish), changing the margin calculation.
How do I account for failed trays or low yield?
Reduce your yield estimate in the calculator. If you typically achieve 80% of optimal yield, enter 80% of the variety's nominal yield. This gives a more realistic margin. Track your actual yields over time and adjust the calculator accordingly.