Independent cheese and deli shop

Local residents, people shopping for dinner parties and gifts, and nearby cafés or pubs if you offer trade supply.

Mark-up on cheese sold by weight and on deli items. Gift boxes, cheeseboards for events and Christmas orders add higher-value sales.

• Cheese knowledge and tasting
• Buying and stock rotation
• Customer service and selling
• Managing costs, rent and staff

• Register as a food business with your local council before opening
• Food hygiene training and a documented food safety management system
• Commercial lease terms, business rates and any shop-fit costs, take advice before signing
• Waste from short-dated stock can eat into profit
• Public liability insurance, plus employer's liability once you hire
• Check planning use class for the premises with your council
• Allergen information and labelling for pre-packed items

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on the premises, shop fit and opening stock. Check lease terms, business rates and any shop-fit costs, and take advice before signing a lease.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £6,000 to £30,000, depending on location, footfall and whether you supply cafés or pubs. That is revenue, not profit, so rent, stock and wastage from short-dated items come out of it.

Check you can register as a food business with your local council, complete food hygiene training with a documented food safety system, confirm the planning use class, and arrange public liability insurance. Also check allergen labelling for pre-packed items.