Local meal delivery for seniors and busy households

Older adults living at home, their families, people recovering from illness, and busy households in a small area.

A delivery fee and a margin on each meal, or a weekly subscription. A tight delivery area means more drops per hour.

• Reliable driving and route planning
• Friendly, patient customer service
• Organizing orders and payments
• Basic food handling

• Requirements vary by province and municipality: check with your local public health unit whether you need a food permit or registration before you start selling and delivering meals, and ask about temperature control and transport rules
• Check whether your municipality requires a general business licence
• Commercial general liability insurance, and confirm your auto insurer covers business delivery
• Your partner's labelling and allergen information must be accurate and passed on to customers
• Collecting GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, as applicable to your sales
• Winter driving and keeping meals hot or cold safely on the route
• Rules differ in Quebec and between provinces, so check yours

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on insulated bags or boxes, insurance, marketing and any vehicle upgrades. Your partner kitchen handles the cooking, which keeps costs low.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on how many regular customers you serve and how many orders you deliver each week. Revenue is not profit, as you pay your partner for the meals.

Check with your local public health unit whether you need a food permit or registration, and ask about temperature control and transport rules. Also check municipal business licence rules, auto insurance cover for delivery, and GST/HST obligations. Rules differ by province.