Neighbourhood butcher shop with a deli counter

Local households, home cooks who want advice and quality, and nearby cafes or small caterers who buy in smaller quantities.

Margin on meat sold by weight, plus higher-margin deli items, value-added lines like marinades and meal packs, and regular orders for events and holidays.

• Meat cutting and trimming (a butchery apprenticeship or good hands-on experience helps)
• Food handling and hygiene
• Customer service and product knowledge
• Buying, stock control and waste management

• Meat retail usually has its own licensing and food safety requirements, so check with your local council and your state's food or meat authority
• Council approval and fit-out rules for premises, including refrigeration, wash-up areas and waste, can affect your timeline and costs
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus workers compensation once you hire staff
• Cold chain failures and waste can wipe out margins, so plan stock levels carefully
• Long hours, early starts and physical work, and competition from supermarkets on price

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $60,000 to $250,000, depending on your premises, fit-out, refrigeration and how large your deli range is. Council fit-out rules for premises can also affect your costs and timeline.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $30,000 to $120,000, depending on location, product range and how well you manage stock and waste. Supermarket price competition and cold chain losses can affect your margins.

Check meat retail licensing and food safety requirements with your local council and your state's food or meat authority. Also check council approval and fit-out rules, plus public liability and product liability insurance, and workers compensation once you hire staff.