Vegetarian takeaway deli with no storefront

Busy households, office workers, vegetarian and vegan customers, and local shops or cafes that want ready-made items.

Sales per item or weekly meal bundle, market stall takings and wholesale to local stores. Keeping to a small range keeps costs and waste down.

• Cooking in batches
• Food safety and labelling
• Social media and local marketing
• Organizing orders and deliveries

• Most provinces do not allow selling prepared food from an unapproved home kitchen, so check your provincial and local health rules first
• Food business permit, food handler certification and labelling rules (allergens, ingredients and, in Quebec, French-language labelling)
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance, and market organizers' insurance requirements
• Cold storage and transport of chilled items, especially in summer heat
• Winter slowdown at outdoor markets, so plan pre-orders or indoor sales
• GST/HST registration once revenue passes the small supplier threshold

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on the kitchen you rent, equipment, packaging and insurance. Your own figures will vary, so price out a shared kitchen and market fees before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on how many markets, pre-orders and local shop customers you serve. That is revenue, not profit, so allow for ingredients, kitchen rental and fees.

Most provinces do not allow selling prepared food from an unapproved home kitchen, so check your provincial and local health rules first. Also check food business permits, food handler certification, allergen labelling, insurance and GST/HST registration.