Top 60 small business ideas in Mauritius for 2023

Top 60 Small Business Ideas in Mauritius

Mauritius is quite a beautiful country that is developing at a fast pace right here in Africa.

Due to its resources, it is now a place for tourists and businessmen and women looking forward to investing in its growing economy.

Therefore, we must compile a list of the top 60 small business ideas and opportunities in Mauritius for anyone looking forward to exploring the country’s development.

One significant factor to consider is that the government has set an enabling environment where foreign investors can quickly come into the country for business purposes.

Both indigenes and foreigners can do these small business opportunities in Mauritius listed in this post.

Doing business in Mauritius is excellent because it enables the environment, such as good security, roads, power, and of course foods.

Yet some might wonder about the tax system in the country; the government has also made sure its tax systems are pretty friendly to not just indigenes but also foreigners looking to start a business in the country.

Without any further ado, let go of the Small Business ideas in Mauritius, which, if done right, would yield you a lot of returns.

Advantages of Doing Business in Mauritius: Small Business Ideas in Mauritius

1. Good Infrastructure

Mauritius’ infrastructure is well developed with reliable connections from one place to another.

2. Enticing Tax benefits

Whether you are a foreigner or a Mauritian citizen, you are bound to enjoy numerous tax benefits in Mauritius.

3. Skilled Labor

The Mauritian government has put effort into ensuring that its people get quality education in the country.

4. Stable Economy System

Mauritius’ economy has been thriving and stable for a long time — it is among the best in sub-Saharan Africa.

5. Peaceful Political scene

Mauritius is among the best democratic countries in Africa and has a peace index of 1.51. Mauritian people are also quite friendly and welcoming, and when it comes to the crime rate, it is among the lowest in the region.

6. Ease of Doing Business

Mauritius is known to be a high-income economy country, according to the World Bank in 2019. Mauritius was also ranked 13^th worldwide out of 190 economies in terms of ease of doing business by the World Bank’s 2019 Ease of Doing Business Index.

7. Free Market  Economy

Mauritius has built its success on a free market economy. According to the 2019 Economic Freedom of the World report, Mauritius is ranked as having the 9^th most free economy in the world.

Disadvantages of Doing Business In Mauritius: Small Business Ideas In Mauritius

1. Cultural Bias

Mauritians prefer formal business relations and are more concerned about the details than becoming friends with partners. Business cards, brochures, and price lists should be used, and be sure to be punctual in meetings.

2.Resolving Insolvency

Resolving insolvency is a similarly drawn-out process, taking 1.7 years to complete. The recovery rate is also quite low, although it is higher than in other economies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

3. Enforcing Contracts

It takes over two years to enforce contracts and requires navigating 36 procedures. Filing and service can take almost a month to complete before the lengthy judicial process can begin.

4. Trading Across Borders

As an island economy, international trade is a crucial component of business procedure.

The cost of exporting and importing goods is very cheap, although it can take some time for goods to move across borders.

5. Paying Taxes

Tax rates are very competitive in Mauritius, although they can be rather burdensome. There are seven payments to be made each year which take an average of 161 company hours to file.

Best cities to live in Mauritius and do business:

1. Port-Louis
2. Quatre Bornes
3. Curepipe
4. Mahebourg
5. Bambous
6. Centre De Flacq
7. Goodlands
8. Triolet
9. St Pierre
10. Grand Baie

Top 60 Small Business Ideas In Mauritius

1. Farming Business

Agriculture is another industry that is always booming in the country. The good thing is that you can choose from different farming options.

With the current growth in technology, farming is becoming continuously easy to manage and also cost-effective.

You can consider some of the profitable farming businesses such as chicken rearing for meat and egg, snails, fruit processing, flower exports, cattle for meat and milk, and vegetable processing.

It is definitely one of the most profitable small business ideas in Mauritius.

2. Restaurants

In an economy domineered by tourism, you can never go wrong with a restaurant or any food trade.

You can start with a food cart, and this will not require huge capital. Make sure you diversify your menu to cater to everyone, including foreigners who would love to have a taste of their home country food once in a while.

Build your brand, and when you are ready, a restaurant would be a great small business idea in Mauritius.

3. Oil and lubrication Business

Another small business idea in Mauritius is Oil and Lubrication business. Oil and oil-based products are used in different sectors, including manufacturing and transportation.

This means that such products will always be required out there, making it a viable investment idea.

If you can import these products and repackage them into smaller cans, you can, for sure, make significant profits.

4. Start a call centre Business

As technology continues to advance, most consumers use the internet and smartphones to inquire before purchasing.

In this case, every company needs top-notch customer care services, so call centre outsourcing is becoming popular in every company.

All you need to leverage this business opportunity in Mauritius is a few active telephones and a stable internet expensive.

5. Lunch services

Eating lunch from a restaurant every day for many employees is nearly impossible since it would be pretty expensive, making it another great small business idea in Mauritius.

That said, if you can start a business of supplying different types of meals to people working in offices, it could be a great opportunity in Mauritius. You can either cook the food yourself or collaborate with local food sellers to deliver their food.

Corporates might hire you to provide lunch to their employees rather than cooking for them in the company.

6. Delivery services

The number 6th small business idea in Mauritius on our list is the Delivery service business.

Mauritius is a small island country, and most items are imported from different parts of the world.

This means that delivery services are always in demand. If you do not have a huge capital, you can start small by delivering groceries, books, or small electronics and electrical, among other things.

However, if you have more money, you can invest in a delivery truck(s) and deliver larger items to make good money from it.

All you need for this business opportunity is an office, an active telephone, and a few delivery employees.

7. Tourism venture

The tourism sector is one of the most thriving industries in the country, and it comes with different business opportunities for both locals and foreign investors.

The fact is that there are numerous fun activities, and every year tourists will flock to the country for a taste of the fun.

Now, what if you make their visit to the country stress-free and comfortable. You can provide sightseeing deals or offer accommodation through collaboration with resorts and hotels, and your entity will never lack customers — tourists and tourist attractions never go dry in Mauritius.

Take advantage of this small business idea in Mauritius, but before you start, set your records right with Mauritius Tourist Authority.

8. Internet provision

We are living in a digital world, and technology is driving everything. In this case, if you can start a business that provides an internet connection, it will thrive.

The first business option is an internet café whereby you set up some computers and other devices with a high-speed internet connection.

And even if some people rely on their laptops and smartphones for online services, they will still need you for some reason.

For instance, people who need a gaming PC or those who want to play multiplayer games will be your daily customers. Secondly, you can start the business of supplying the internet.

Internet service providers are a big deal in the country, and you can become one.

9. Roadside fast food

We have already said that you can never go wrong with any food entity. As long as you maintain cleanliness and offer various cuisines, you will make good profits despite starting small.

This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most straightforward small business ideas; you can start with little capital and get huge returns.

10. Providing office supplies

Most people working in offices have no time to go shopping for their stationery. And if you can take advantage of this problem, you start your small business today.

Think of all office accessories and then approach different local offices for tenders. Referrals will come in handy — just be patient.

Yet another great small business idea in Mauritius you can start with little to no capital and get some pretty good returns from.

11. Website designing

With the steadfast growth in technology, people use the internet to do shopping, and almost every company, including small businesses, is using it to drive traffic and increase sales.

In this case, if you understand website designing, SEO strategies, and online marketing, you are a business opportunity in Mauritius already — and the business idea is in demand.

This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business ideas; you can start with little capital and get huge returns.

12. E-commerce

Internet trade is one of the most profitable businesses in Mauritius and all over the world.

The good thing is that you do not need to have a physical office. You can sell anything from your living room, home store, or whichever place you choose for your goods.

Sometimes you can make deals with producers or wholesalers to only go for items when you get orders, which means starting a business without stock at hand — but still make profits.

Just learn how to market your products online, and everything else will be good.

13. Tutoring

Tutoring is becoming more popular every day worldwide, and you can take advantage of it as a profitable business opportunity.

You can teach academics to your students or other soft skills such as music and get paid for it.

This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business ideas; you can start with little capital and get huge returns.

Parents are always looking for ways to make sure their children get the best education, and you can offer these services both face-to-face or online.

14. Selling used items

People will always embrace any idea that allows them to spend less on something they need as long as it is in good condition.

This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business ideas; you can start with little capital and get huge returns.

Selling second-hand products is a thriving investment idea in Mauritius, and you can make good profits from it.

You start your business small, ensure you have quality products, and focus on customer satisfaction.

15. Retail sale of palm oil

Unlock big profits by becoming a palm oil supplier, a liquid used in large quantities in Mauritius.

Store the precious oil during peak hours and sell it during the offseason. However, first learn: where to buy, where to sell, how to store, and resell. Demand for palm oil can never fall in Mauritius and its profits too.

This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business ideas; you can start with little capital and get huge returns.

All these low-capital commercial companies have great potential and the ability to help you generate a stable income, and if done correctly, you could earn millions.

16. Gas refill

Almost all houses in Mauritius depend on cylinder gas for cooking during pandemic lockdown; regular refilling of cylinders seemed to be problematic for many families.

You can think of making their life easier by refilling the cylinders and deliver those to their owners in exchange for a certain amount.

This business startup has enormous potential and can give you fast money in Mauritius. This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business opportunities; you can start with little capital and get huge returns.

17. Online business advisory service

Rather than face to face client dealing, social distancing due to Covid-19 put the whole advisory business process online.

Additionally, the demand for expert consultancy and advice didn’t go down a bit. Whether new business initiations, personal motivations, health or educational consultancy, advisory services are running at their own pace in Mauritius.

In summary, it is another profitable business idea in Mauritius for foreign investors and local corporate initiators.

This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business ideas; you can start with little capital and get huge returns.

18. Software development firm

Software development firms initially struggled to stand still when Corona affected major parts of the world.

This, in fact, has a bitter impact on businesses in Mauritius too. However, most businesses throughout the world are now running remotely.

This is certainly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business ideas; you can start with little capital and get huge returns. Businesses here demand better security and maintenance software.

This calls for a relevant business, and you are welcome to initiate a software developing firm in Mauritius.

19. Auto Repair

Taking a car to the shop for even simple repairs can be a challenge. After all, most of us use our vehicles to get from place to place— that means taking a car in for repairs often either involves a long wait at the repair shop, renting a vehicle for the day, or coordinating a ride with a friend or spouse.

This is undoubtedly one of Mauritius’s most accessible small business ideas; you can start with enough capital and get huge returns.

These options are both expensive and inconvenient.

20. Car Wash Services

One of the great small business ideas in Mauritius is mobile car wash services. It seems safe to say that many people would pay a premium for a mobile car wash that came to them instead of having to drive across town to access a car wash.

This is especially true for people with upscale cars who prefer more personalised service.

As a mobile car wash and auto detailing service, you wouldn’t only benefit from the unique value proposition of being mobile, but you’d also avoid the significant overhead and startup cost of having a physical location.

21. Amusement Park

Mauritius being a tropical island, it will be a great idea for an entrepreneur or investor to start up an amusement park where tourist and indigenes can partake in various form of entertainment that is being provided in the process doing this, you will make more money while entertaining your prospective clients.

This might be a bit capital intensive, but the returns on investment? It is very rewarding and guarantees a decent income if this business idea is properly approached and well managed.

22. Beach Photographer

This is one of the feasible and viable small business ideas in Mauritius one can easily start.

Some tourists would love to have a picture of them taken for the purpose of creating memories they once had while visiting Mauritius.

23. Boat Rental business

Boat rental is an innovative small business idea in Mauritius that will likely generate you a good decent amount of money daily if you’re able to pull in more customers to your business through strategic advertisement and the creation of awareness.

It is not rocket science; your success in the boat rental business depends on the maximum effort you put in to ensure you have a good amount of clientele base that will patronise your business.

You can start with two or three boats depending on the capital you have at hand.

24. Fresh fruit shop

A fresh fruit shop can easily be set up near a beach in Mauritius.

You can connect or partner with some of the local farmers in Mauritius to know where you can get some supplies for various fresh fruits for your venture.

25. Fishing supply store

Some people who visit the beach might want to go fishing, and the need for fishing equipment is inevitable.

As an entrepreneur, you can set up a store where you sell fishing equipment such as rod&reel, tackle, bait, sharp knife, bucket, small first aid kit, and so on.

26. Beach wears shop

You can easily set up a boutique within the city, or nearby beach where you sell beach wears to your interested customers.

27. Craft making business

Crafting making is a very feasible small business idea in Mauritius to kick start inasmuch that tourists will need to purchase handcrafted products when paying a visit to another country.

28. Wedding service

Most couples do love to have a low-key wedding on a beach located in another country.

To feel the gift of nature, have a nice view of the sea while they partake in their marriage rites.

Get yourself acquainted with someone who is already in this line of business, whether if you’re a Mauritian or a foreigner, to have the proper knowledge of how wedding service is being managed.

29. Juice Bar

One can start up a juice bar near the beach right here in Mauritius. Just make sure you have the best processed fruit juice drinks to provide for your ideal customers.

The juice bar doesn’t require too much capital to set up. Excellent customer service is what can retain you in this business for a very long time.

30. Coffee cafe

Starting a coffee cafe business will be an enriching experience for you as an entrepreneur because many tourists and indigenes would love to have a great conversation in Mauritius.

All you have to do is to set up a coffee cafe in a very busy location that has high traffic footage. A good business plan and model are the first things you need to consider before launching your business.

31. Set up a wine store

You can either be a wholesaler or retailer of various kinds of wine in Mauritius. One thing for sure that will guarantee you decent returns is that if you can outsource where you can get multiple wine products at discounted prices and later resell higher for maximum profit, then you are on your way to making a good amount of money as long as your business is being situated in a perfect location or commercial city.

32. Travel Agency

As a travel agent, you can walk tourists through how to spend their holiday wisely and at an affordable cost so they wouldn’t be too extravagant while spending in Mauritius.

You can start a travel agency in Mauritius; make sure you are in good times with the rules and laws governing Mauritius authority.

33. Taxi Services

The transportation business can never vanish into thin air as long as human beings are concerned. An entrepreneur or investor looking to start a business in Mauritius might want to consider starting their own taxi company where you make the mobility of people and goods very easy here in Mauritius.

Also, make sure you go through the proper paperwork process, from obtaining a license to the incorporation of your business entity.

34. Laundry service

Most tourists who visit Mauritius will have little to no time to keep their unkempt clothes clean. To make things easier for themselves, they patronise a laundry service that will give their clothes the best wash and pay them for the service rendered.

35. Jet Skiing Service

In a tropical island like Mauritius, setting up a Jet Skiing service is considered a lucrative and profitable business. Still, it requires a considerable amount of capital, a good business plan, and strategic advertisement.

36. Boating Cleaning Service

This is a very feasible business you can easily start without much capital. Basically, what you need to launch your boat cleaning company in Mauritius, you will need to write a good business plan, invest in equipment used for boat cleaning, and you will never run out of customers as long as you situate your business in a strategic location and have your advertising strategies in place.

37. Gift Shop

On a tropical island like Mauritius, you can launch a startup to sell affordable and quality gifts to your customers. Your business location will also determine the amount of profit you are likely to make. When choosing a business location, look for a commercial area or somewhere near the beach.

38. Fitness Centre

Operating a fitness centre in Mauritius is considered to be a thriving and profitable business idea for entrepreneurs because most people are becoming health-conscious these days, and they would love to keep fit.

You can start a fitness centre in Mauritius and walk your clients through how to maintain fitness through various exercise activities and charge them for the services being rendered.

39. Start swimming lesson

As an experienced swimmer, you can start offering lessons to both Mauritian and foreign tourists who would love to master the art of swimming using different swimming styles such as the butterfly stroke, backstroke, freestyle stroke, breaststroke, and sidestroke.

40. Car rental service

If you have enough capital to buy one or two-car and place it on rental service, then be assured of getting a decent amount of tourists who would love to drive themselves across various cities and explore more places in Mauritius.

Before you start operating a car rental service, you must have the necessary paperwork coverage and insurance permits to endeavour to run your business more effectively.

41. Vending Machine Business

The vending machine dispenses small articles such as drinks, snacks, food, or cigarettes when a token or coin is inserted.

An excellent small business idea and opportunity to start in Mauritius doesn’t require much training or skill.

The startup cost for vending machine business is low, and its feasibility is easy because it doesn’t require much skill to kickstart.

You can situate your business near the beach or close to major roads across different cities in Mauritius.

42. Catering service

As an experienced caterer, you can start a catering service business in Mauritius to provide your service to those who want to host an event, occasion, and ceremony.

43. Virtual Assistant

Most companies need a virtual assistant to enable them to communicate with their customers either through chats or video calls. At the same time, they operate and run their normal business daily activities.

Learning virtual assistant is reasonably achievable because it doesn’t require any form of degree; another fantastic fact is that you can be working remotely from the comfort of your home as long as you have a laptop and access to the internet.

44. Start selling smartphones

As an information and communication technology(ICT) driven country, an entrepreneur or investor can dive into one of these business opportunities in Mauritius and create long-lasting wealth because we are in the computer age.

People need to get in touch with family and friends, information and happenings going around in Mauritius and the world at large.

45. Business Plan Service

As a business expert, you can launch your startup where you provide a detailed business plan and strategies for entrepreneurs who wish to start their own business in Mauritius, and they have little to no knowledge of what it takes to start a business and charge them for the services rendered.

Some of the surest ways to make your business plan service successful and increase its profitability are using different aggressive marketing strategies, situating your business in a good location, and networking with people, both the locals and foreigners.

46. Real Estate

In a fast-developing country like Mauritius, they will increase rural-urban migration because more Mauritians need to search for a better paying job or probably start a business in an urban region where they feel it will be more favourable or ideal for them to search for greener pasture.

Mauritians need more housing units in terms of accommodations and probably paying for rent as long as they are provided with a good, comfortable, and affordable place.

47. Hotel Resort Business

A hotel resort is about having a full-service facility for the primary purpose of tourists and vacationers, usually for relaxation and recreation. It is mainly located near beaches, seashores, ski parks, and historic areas.

Before you start a hotel resort business in Mauritius, you must have a good business plan, a huge amount of business capital, and a conducive location for your hotel resort business.

48. Import-Export Business

In a developing country like Mauritius, you can invest in the import and export market since it guarantees a good amount of profit.

Another interesting fact about starting an import-export business is that it can easily be started with small capital and can be managed from the comfort of your home.

49. Grocery Store

Grocery store seemingly delivers the best consumables of all kinds and categories, ranging from processed food to drinks. This kind of business opportunity will always thrive because anything consumable products are needed on a daily basis.

A well-written business plan and well-estimated startup capital will get you started in this business.

50. Blogging

If you are looking for one of the surest online businesses to start in Mauritius or probably leverage it as a side-hustle business, then blogging is a preferable option because it requires low startup capital and can easily be managed from your internet-enabled devices such as smartphone or laptop.

Make Google your friend, research more about blogging. Almost every resources you need to succeed as a blogger is on Google for free. Utilise the opportunity at your own convenient time.

Consistency, passion, hard work, and patience are some of the main things that would make you build a profitable and successful blog.

51. Copywriting

Copywriting is quite different from content writing.

In copywriting, it is the act of writing the text for advertising or any other form of marketing whose main aim is to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person(potential customer) to purchase a product or service.

Most business firms are always on the lookout for experienced copywriters to help advertise and market their business.

As a copywriter, your skill is very scalable; that is, you can work remotely from any part of the world without your physical presence being needed.

52. Waste recycling business

In a developing country like Mauritius, proper waste disposal management will be a significant problem facing her country.

You can partner with bodies regulating waste disposals in Mauritius, which will enable you to set up a business that curtails waste.

53. Pest Control service

The pest has been among the discomforting impediments people face while running their day-to-day activities from homes to offices.

You can initiate a pest control service for residential and commercial buildings to help get rid of any form of pest.

54. Social Media Marketer

A very demanding service needed by various brands is social media marketing.

As a social media marketer, you use various social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to help market a company’s products or services.

You need to position yourself as an experienced social media marketer to your prospective clients so that you can convince them enough to hire you.

55. Hair Stylist

If you’re looking for small business ideas in Mauritius, then hairstyling service is among the best options to choose from.

You must acquire enough knowledge and experience from a hairstyle training institute or already existing business before leveraging your skill to the local market.

56. Power Supply

Power generation is another challenge most African countries for over the years and as of present.

Suppose you are an entrepreneur that is into power generation. In that case, you can set up an enterprise that deals with the supply of different power generation services such as solar panel sales and installations to various homes and offices to meet the Mauritians’ needs when it comes to power generation.

57. Business Financing

An investor can start up a business that provides financial support for new and existing businesses; you will become among the business’s shareholders by so doing.

Raising capital for small businesses in Africa has being a significant challenge for African entrepreneurs with good business ideas but no financial support.

Your business will grow fast if you follow the right channel and you have enough resources.

58. Healthcare service

The flawed healthcare system has been disrupting most African countries for years now, and the gaps are not much filled.

African’s healthcare system is considered limited because there is only a few access to those facilities, and experienced healthcare personnel’s needed to save the lives of the sick ones.

That’s why most financially buoyant Africans do travel abroad to take care of their health conditions and that of their loved ones.

You investing massively in the healthcare industry in Africa is just to create a pathway for business success and financial freedom for yourself in the next coming years.

59. Small scale manufacturing

Manufactured products are most likely to thrive in Mauritius and other developing countries as long these products are problem-solving for your ideal customers.

An entrepreneur who is interested in starting a business in the manufacturing industry should do thorough market research so that you will be able to manufacture the right product for the right people.

60. Textile and Fabric Business

If you want to create massive wealth in Mauritius, one of the best ways to achieve that is by starting a textile and fabric business.

The Mauritians will patronise your business, but they will also help spread your business to their families and friends interested in getting native wear provided that your textile and fabric products are top-notch; by so doing, you are helping promote Mauritius culture.

In Conclusion: Top 60 Small Business Ideas in Mauritius

Both indigenes and foreigners can do the above-listed small business ideas in Mauritius.

All you need to do is do more research on any business you want to start and see yourself make a good profit from it.

More than three decades ago, Mauritius was known for sugar production, which dominated the country’s economy.

However, today the country has grown into a diversified and sophisticated economy, whereby the tertiary industry accounts for more than 70 per cent of GDP.

This growth and positive change in the Mauritian economy are all thanks to the government’s unique and friendly business environment to attract local investors and foreigners.

Hence, the ball is in your court to pick any small business ideas in Mauritius listed above and make huge returns. Cheers!