Bagged ice delivery run
Buy bagged ice wholesale and deliver it to local bars, caterers and event organisers.
- A$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
You buy ice in bulk from a manufacturer, store it in a chest freezer or cold room, and deliver bags or blocks to customers. You don't make the ice yourself.
Your first three steps
- Contact local ice manufacturers and wholesalers to compare bulk prices and ask if they supply new resellers
- Price up a van or ute with insulated storage and a chest freezer, then get a quote for public liability and vehicle insurance
- Visit 15 local bars, caterers and event companies with a simple price sheet and offer a trial delivery
Who pays
Bars, cafes, caterers, event organisers, food trucks, markets and sports clubs. Households also buy ice in summer and before big weekends.
How it makes money
You sell each bag for more than you paid wholesale, plus a delivery fee for small or urgent orders. Standing weekly orders from venues give steady income, and events add extra.
Skills that help
- Reliable driving and timing
- Organising routes and orders
- Comfortable with heavy lifting
Watch out for
- Ice for drinks counts as food, so check with your local council about food business registration and storage rules
- Public liability and goods-in-transit insurance
- Thin margins if your supplier price is high, so check your costs per bag carefully
- Demand swings with weather and season, so plan for quiet months
- Heavy manual handling and cold storage, so plan to avoid injury
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: bagged ice delivery run
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
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