Specialty meat wholesaler with a small coolroom unit

Restaurants, caterers, independent butchers, delis and specialty food shops that want consistent quality and local sourcing.

You charge per kilo or per carton, with a higher margin for portioned, trimmed or specialty products than for plain boxed meat.

• Knife skills or access to a qualified butcher
• Building supplier and customer relationships
• Food safety and temperature control
• Managing stock, costs and invoicing

• Meat handling and processing licences and premises standards vary by state and council, so check before you commit to a lease
• You may need an approved food safety program and a trained food safety supervisor
• Public liability, product liability and stock or equipment insurance, plus workers compensation once you hire
• Large upfront costs for coolroom, cutting and packing equipment, refrigerated transport, licensed fit-out, lease bond and initial stock, plus ongoing power costs
• Stock waste, price swings from producers and slow-paying customers

Startup costs are typically around $120,000 to $350,000, depending on coolroom, cutting and packing equipment, refrigerated transport, licensed fit-out, lease bond and initial stock. These are estimates, so get quotes first.

Monthly revenue is typically around $15,000 to $70,000, depending on your customer base and product range. Stock waste, producer price swings and slow-paying customers can affect results. These figures are estimates only.

Things to check: meat handling and processing licences and premises standards vary by state and council, so check before signing a lease. You may also need an approved food safety program and a trained food safety supervisor, plus the right insurance.