Home-Made chocolates and gifts business

Gift buyers, local shoppers, people ordering for weddings, birthdays and corporate thank-yous, and a few local cafes or gift shops.

Sell boxes and bars at a set price per item, with seasonal peaks at Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day, plus bespoke wedding favour orders.

• Tempering and moulding chocolate
• Creative flavour and packaging ideas
• Careful hygiene and record keeping
• Basic social media and photography

• Food business registration with your council, ideally at least 28 days before you start trading (check with your council)
• Allergen labelling rules, especially for nuts, milk and gluten, and clear ingredient lists on packs
• Whether your landlord, mortgage lender or insurer allows food production at home
• Product liability and public liability insurance
• Chocolate melts, so plan temperature control for storage and delivery in warm weather

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on your equipment, chocolate and packaging. Insurance, such as product and public liability, is also worth checking.

Check food business registration with your council, ideally at least 28 days before trading, plus allergen labelling rules and ingredient lists. Also check whether your landlord, mortgage lender or insurer allows food production at home.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around £200 to £2,000, depending on how many gift boxes and orders you sell and where you sell them. Warm weather needs planning for storage and delivery.