Start a bottled water delivery round for workplaces

Offices, builders' yards, factories, schools and clinics that prefer bottled water or have no mains-fed option.

Price per bottle on regular orders, plus cooler rental or sales and sometimes cups and accessories.

• Comfortable with heavy lifting
• Route planning and stock control
• Building steady relationships with business customers

• Food business registration with your local council, check whether handling bottled water counts
• Hygiene and storage rules for water, and how you handle returned bottles
• Van insurance for business use and goods in transit cover
• Public liability and product liability insurance
• Heavy lifting, plan your round and equipment to avoid injury
• Permission to store stock at home or at a rented unit

Startup costs are estimated at typically around £3,000 to £12,000, depending on your van, stock, storage and any coolers you supply. Insurance and somewhere to store stock are also worth budgeting for.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on the number of workplace customers, your round and whether you rent or sell coolers. Plan your route and equipment to manage heavy lifting.

Check whether food business registration with your local council applies to handling bottled water. Also check hygiene and storage rules, handling of returned bottles, van and goods-in-transit insurance, public liability cover, and permission to store stock.