Local lolly and chocolate shop

Families, kids with pocket money, gift buyers, tourists and locals picking up treats.

You buy confectionery from wholesalers at a lower price and sell it at a mark-up, by weight, by pack or as gift bags and boxes.

• Friendly customer service
• Stock buying and ordering
• Basic bookkeeping
• Eye for shop displays

• Register as a food business with your local council and check food safety rules in your state
• Public liability and contents insurance, and check lease terms carefully before signing
• Check labelling and allergen rules for anything you repack or sell loose
• Sales can be seasonal (Easter, Christmas, school holidays), so plan your cash flow
• GST registration is required once turnover reaches the threshold

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $25,000 to $100,000, depending on the shop size and location, the fit-out and how much stock you buy to begin with.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on foot traffic, location and your product range. Sales can be seasonal, so plan your cash flow around Easter, Christmas and school holidays.

Check food business registration with your local council and food safety rules in your state. Also check labelling and allergen rules for loose or repacked items, insurance, lease terms and when GST registration applies.