Mobile chai stall or cart
Serve fresh masala chai and snacks from a stall, cart or small trailer at markets and events.
- £1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
345 active UK companies have “chai” in their name, 64% registered since 2024
Name search “company names containing “chai””. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A chai stall, bike cart or small trailer serving masala and karak chai with a few easy snacks at markets, festivals, weddings, community events and workplaces.
Your first three steps
- Work out a small menu that holds well, then practise serving 50 cups in an hour at home or with friends
- Contact local markets, festivals and event organisers about pitch fees and what they need from traders
- Register as a food business with your council and arrange a hygiene course and insurance
Who pays
Market and festival visitors, event organisers, wedding and party hosts, and companies booking a chai pop-up for staff.
How it makes money
Price per cup and snack on busy days, plus fixed fees for private event bookings and catering by the cup or by the hour.
Skills that help
- Making chai in batches without losing quality
- Working fast in a queue
- Event and pitch planning
- Customer service
Watch out for
- Register the food business with the council where the stall is based, and check rules for each event location
- Street trading often needs a council licence or consent, so check before trading outside a market or event
- Public liability insurance, and gas or electrical safety checks for any equipment
- Weather and quiet days make income uneven
- Pitch fees and event applications can need booking well ahead
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: mobile chai stall or cart
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
Other ways to run this business
Chai cafe with snacks
Open a small cafe serving masala and karak chai with samosas, bun maska and other snacks.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Home-made chai blends and chai kits
Blend and sell masala chai mixes and kits online or at local markets, made in a registered home kitchen.
- £300-2k
- Side hustle
- From home
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