Home-Based coffee wholesaler

Independent cafés, small restaurants, delis, farm shops, offices and B&Bs that want a reliable local supplier.

You buy at a trade price and sell at a margin per kilo, with regular repeat orders. Some owners also rent or sell basic equipment or sell filters and milk alternatives.

• Selling and building relationships
• Tasting and knowing coffee
• Organising stock and deliveries
• Basic bookkeeping

• Food businesses usually need to register with the local council, ideally at least 28 days before trading, so check with yours
• Repacking or labelling coffee has food labelling rules, so check requirements with Trading Standards or your council
• Check whether your landlord, mortgage lender or council needs to agree to storing stock at home
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus vehicle cover for business deliveries
• Cafés may pay on credit terms, so watch cash flow and chase late invoices

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how much stock you buy, your storage set-up and vehicle needs. You may also want insurance, including vehicle cover for business deliveries.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on how many cafés, offices and shops you supply and how often they reorder. Late-paying customers can affect cash flow, so check credit terms.

Food businesses usually need to register with the local council, ideally at least 28 days before trading. Repacking or labelling coffee has food labelling rules, so check with Trading Standards or your council. Also check whether your landlord or lender must agree to home stock.