Local grocery delivery service from a home base

Households in areas with limited supermarket delivery, rural communities, and customers who want to support local shops.

Delivery and service fees on each order, sometimes a small subscription for regular slots. Some shops may agree a trade discount you can keep as margin, if you agree it in advance.

• Organising orders and routes
• Building relationships with local shops
• Basic online ordering or social media skills

• Food business registration with your local council if you store or handle food at home; check what applies to you
• Public liability insurance and goods in transit cover; check your motor insurance covers deliveries
• Check with your landlord, mortgage lender or council if you store stock at home
• Thin margins: make sure fees cover fuel, time and wasted trips
• Age-restricted items such as alcohol need a licence, so you may prefer to avoid them at first

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £3,500, depending on your set-up, packaging, insurance and how much stock you buy. Check that your motor insurance covers deliveries.

Monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on your number of customers, delivery days and fees. Margins can be thin, so make sure fees cover fuel, time and wasted trips.

Check food business registration with your local council if you store or handle food at home. Also check public liability and goods in transit cover, and that your motor insurance covers deliveries. Alcohol needs a licence, so you may prefer to avoid it at first.