Jar and can preserving for shops and wholesale
Rent a commercial kitchen or small unit to make larger batches of preserved foods for delis, farm shops and wholesalers.
- £3k-15k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
863 UK companies in this field, 23% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 10390 “Other processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
Producing preserved fruit, vegetables or sauces in jars (or cans through a co-packer) in a rented commercial kitchen or small unit, with bigger batches and regular supply to trade customers.
Your first three steps
- Find shared or hire-by-the-hour commercial kitchens near you and ask about rates, storage and insurance requirements
- Cost your range per jar, set wholesale and retail prices and ask a few local shops to taste and give feedback
- Register the premises as a food business with the council, write a food safety plan and arrange a trial production run
Who pays
Delis, farm shops, cafes, restaurants, wholesalers and online shoppers.
How it makes money
Wholesale sales in cases to shops and distributors, plus direct sales online and at events at higher margins.
Skills that help
- Recipe scaling and consistent quality
- Costing, pricing and stock control
- Selling to trade buyers
Watch out for
- Food business registration for the premises and likely inspection by the local council, check what they need
- A documented food safety system based on HACCP principles
- Safe processing of low-acid foods and shelf life testing before selling
- Labelling, allergen and weights rules, and what retailers ask for such as audits or supplier checks
- Product liability and public liability insurance, plus employer's liability once you hire
- Cash tied up in jars, ingredients and stock before shops pay
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: jar and can preserving for shops and wholesale
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a wholesale preserving business?
Startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on kitchen rental, equipment, ingredients, jars and labelling. These are estimates, so get real quotes for your kitchen and packaging before planning a budget.
How much can a wholesale preserves business earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on batch sizes, your prices and how many trade customers you supply. This is an estimate of revenue rather than profit, and the idea assumes at least around 20 hours a week.
What rules should I check before supplying preserves to shops?
Check food business registration and likely council inspection for your premises, and set up a documented food safety system based on HACCP principles. Also check safe processing, shelf life testing, labelling and allergen rules, retailer requirements and your insurance.
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Photo: RitaE on Pixabay