Neighbourhood ice cream shop

Walk-in customers: families, school kids, couples, tourists and beachgoers, mostly in warmer months and on weekends.

Sales per scoop, cone or dessert, plus add-ons like waffle cones, toppings, shakes and takeaway tubs. Profit depends on rent, foot traffic and managing waste.

• Customer service
• Food handling and hygiene
• Budgeting and stock control
• Managing casual staff

• Food business registration with your local council, and a food safety supervisor or training requirements in your state
• Shop fit-out rules for food premises, which can add cost, so check before signing a lease
• Seasonal sales: plan cash flow for quiet winter months
• Public liability insurance, plus workers compensation once you hire staff
• Commercial lease terms, rent reviews and personal guarantees, ideally checked by a solicitor
• Allergen labelling and handling (nuts, dairy, gluten)

Startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on the shop fit-out, freezers and display equipment, stock and lease deposit. These are estimates, and fit-out rules for food premises can add cost, so check before signing a lease.

Monthly revenue is typically around $12,000 to $50,000, depending on location, season and your menu. These are estimates. Sales are seasonal, so plan your cash flow for quieter winter months.

Check food business registration with your local council and any food safety supervisor or training requirements in your state. Also check fit-out rules for food premises, allergen labelling and handling, insurance, and commercial lease terms with a solicitor.