Online dairy and grocery subscription

Busy households and people who want local, traceable food delivered regularly without shopping for it.

Customers pay a weekly or monthly subscription plus a delivery fee. You earn margin on products and can add extras such as bread, eggs and seasonal items.

• Organising orders and stock
• Using online shop and payment tools
• Building relationships with local suppliers
• Customer service

• Registering as a food business with your council: check whether a home kitchen or storage space is acceptable
• Check permission to run the business from home with your landlord, mortgage lender or council
• Keeping chilled goods at safe temperatures and in date
• Public liability and motor insurance that covers business deliveries
• Delivery costs can eat into margins, so keep drops close together

Startup costs are typically around £800 to £5,000, depending on your website or app, chilled storage, packing supplies and insurance. Treat this as an estimate and check what suits your delivery area.

Check whether you must register as a food business with your council, and whether a home kitchen or storage space is acceptable. Also check permission to run the business from home, safe chilled temperatures, and public liability and motor insurance for deliveries.

Monthly revenue is typically around £600 to £3,000, depending on subscriber numbers and order sizes. The estimate assumes at least around 10 hours a week. Keep delivery drops close together, as delivery costs can eat into margins.