Online farm shop with boxes and collection

Local households wanting regular fresh food without going to the shops, and people who like knowing where their food comes from.

Box subscriptions and one-off orders, often paid in advance, which helps with planning what to grow, pack or buy in.

• Basic website or online shop setup
• Packing and order organisation
• Local delivery driving
• Customer communication

• Food business registration with the council, especially if you pack or store food, so check what applies
• Cold chain and food safety for meat, dairy and eggs, including suitable chilled transport
• Consumer rules on distance selling and refunds, check what applies to your orders
• Delivery time and fuel costs can reduce profit if your area is too spread out
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus goods in transit cover if you deliver

Estimated startup costs are typically around £500 to £6,000, depending on your website or ordering setup, packaging, chilled storage and transport, and how much stock you buy. Treat this as a guide, not a fixed price.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £4,000, depending on how many regular box customers you have and your prices. Delivery time and fuel costs can reduce profit if your area is too spread out.

Check whether you need to register as a food business with your council, especially if you pack or store food. Also check cold chain and food safety rules for meat, dairy and eggs, and consumer rules on distance selling and refunds.