Condiments wholesale delivery round

Cafés, takeaways, restaurants, pubs, school canteens and small grocers that want one friendly local supplier instead of many.

You buy at wholesale and sell at a margin on each order. Regular standing orders and a tight delivery route make it more profitable.

• Selling and building relationships
• Route planning and driving
• Stock control and organisation
• Negotiating with suppliers

• Whether storing and delivering food needs council registration, check with your local council
• Safe storage and temperature control for products that need chilling after opening or for chilled lines
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus vehicle insurance for business use
• Thin margins and customers who pay late, set clear payment terms
• GST registration once your turnover reaches the threshold

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $5,000 to $20,000, depending on your opening stock, vehicle, storage and insurance. Starting with a small range and a short route can help you keep early costs down.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many food businesses you supply and how often they reorder. Margins can be thin and some customers pay late, so set clear payment terms.

Things to check: whether storing and delivering food needs council registration, and safe storage and temperature control for products that need chilling. Also check public liability, product liability and vehicle insurance for business use, and GST registration once your turnover reaches the threshold.