Small-Batch Cheese and Yogurt Creamery

Farmers' market shoppers, independent grocers, restaurants, cafés and people who order direct from you.

You sell products by weight or unit, and the margin is the difference between your selling price and the cost of milk, packaging and labour. Direct sales earn more per item than wholesale.

• Cheese or yogurt making and strict hygiene
• Record keeping and food safety discipline
• Selling and building relationships with shops and chefs

• Provincial dairy plant licensing and facility inspection rules, which differ by province; check before you spend on equipment
• Federal rules for selling products across provincial borders, plus labelling requirements (and French labelling in Quebec); check with the CFIA
• Milk supply: buying raw milk from farms can be tightly regulated, so confirm how you can source it in your province
• Product recalls and food safety risk; check product liability insurance and a food safety plan
• Equipment and premises costs are high before your first sale, so plan your cash

Startup costs are typically around $30,000 to $150,000, depending on premises, equipment and licensing. Equipment and premises costs come before your first sale, so plan your cash carefully.

Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your batch volume, product range and sales channels. These are estimates, and they start from about 25 hours a week of work.

Check provincial dairy plant licensing and facility inspection rules before buying equipment, plus federal rules and labelling requirements through the CFIA, including French labelling in Quebec. Also confirm how you can source milk in your province and check product liability insurance.