Local dairy and cheese shop

Local households, food lovers, cafes and small caterers who want quality or local products and friendly advice.

You buy from producers or wholesalers and sell at a mark-up. Cut-to-order cheese, gift boxes and platters usually earn better margins than milk and eggs.

• Customer service and product knowledge
• Ordering and stock rotation
• Basic bookkeeping
• Building relationships with producers

• Food business registration with your local council and your state's food safety rules, including any food safety supervisor requirement
• Cold chain: commercial fridges, temperature logs and wastage from short-dated stock
• Rules on selling raw or unpasteurised milk, which are heavily restricted, so check your state authority
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus workers compensation once you hire
• Lease terms and thin margins on staples like milk and eggs

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on your premises, commercial fridges and opening stock. Cold chain equipment, temperature logs and wastage from short-dated stock are worth budgeting for.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on location, product range and customer base. Margins on staples like milk and eggs can be thin, so check your numbers against lease costs.

Check food business registration with your local council and your state's food safety rules, including any food safety supervisor requirement. Raw or unpasteurised milk is heavily restricted, so check with your state authority. Also check insurance and lease terms.