Online specialty soda store

Online shoppers wanting hard-to-find drinks, gift buyers, and cafés, bars and restaurants that want a more interesting range.

You add a margin to wholesale prices on web orders and trade cartons. Subscription boxes, gift packs and regular café orders help smooth out income.

• Online selling and basic website setup
• Organising stock and orders
• Building relationships with venues

• Check with your local council about food business registration, especially if you store stock at home
• Check council approval for running a home-based business or storing stock at your address
• Check your state's container deposit scheme rules, which differ across Australia
• Glass bottles can break in transit, so factor in packaging and freight costs
• Public liability and product liability insurance
• Register for GST once turnover reaches the threshold

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on your opening stock, website, packaging and insurance. This is an estimate, so factor in packaging and freight for glass bottles before setting prices.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on your range, online traffic and how many cafés and bars you supply. These are estimates only, so treat them as a rough guide.

Things to check: food business registration with your local council, especially if storing stock at home, council approval for a home-based business, and your state's container deposit scheme rules. Also check insurance and when GST registration applies.