is also available, half of which is loan and half grant. Some private foundations will also make grants of as much as €100,000 towards start-up costs. An important but often forgotten factor is that it was the relatively generous – in the European context – subsidy regime that applies to sheltered workshops that allowed them to accumulate the working capital needed to develop the business idea in the first place. A good market segment The concept also offers many advantages to shoppers: - the customers have money as well as a mission - the service is in demand by two stakeholders: local communities as well as unemployed disabled people. This gives access to multiple sources of support - a culture of friendly and helpful service: staff can take the time to advise and chat with customers, and customer suggestions are welcomed - a wide range of products – 7,000 lines – which makes it a ‘one stop’ alternative to out-of-town supermarkets. While four-fifths of sales must be from the CAP Market range, the remaining fifth can be sourced elsewhere, to suit local and regional tastes. - developing new services to gain customer loyalty – for instance delivery - ecology: going with the trend to energy-saving and against out-of-town shopping - industry experience: the managing director has a long working history in retail - the connections and market intelligence that comes with that experience - fairness: a balanced license agreement that combines local autonomy with central discipline - solidarity and mutual aid: a structured decisions and information system based on regular meetings - critical mass: the CAP group has built up sufficient size it has negotiating power with its suppliers, and especially EDEKA, from whom it gets a small discount over the prices that are available to member retailers generally; in return it provides EDEKA with a significant boost to sales, without the headaches of giving detailed support to each customer Integration philosophy - Acceptance of disability: the employers know and accept their employees’ health circumstances, and tolerate a certain level of mistakes, which gives the employees a sense of security. - Time for people: staff are expected to work to the best of their abilities, but are not excessively pressurised. - People first: the shops do not need to maximise profits; it is sufficient that they break even and make a small surplus. Methods and tools Business idea The business