Online rice cracker and snack shop

Snack fans, people who miss foods from home, gift buyers and shoppers who cannot easily find specialist Asian foods locally.

You buy stock at wholesale and sell at a mark-up. Extra income comes from taster boxes, gift sets and customers who subscribe or reorder.

• Choosing products customers will like
• Basic online selling and photography
• Organised stock and order handling

• Check whether you need to register as a food business with your local council before you start selling
• Allergen and labelling rules, as many rice crackers contain soy, wheat, sesame, fish or shellfish, so check what applies when you repack or relabel
• Storing food at home may need permission from your landlord or mortgage lender, so check, and keep stock dry and cool
• Best-before dates and slow-selling flavours can tie up cash
• Public liability and product liability insurance

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on how much stock you buy and the website, packaging and insurance you choose. These are estimates, so plan your first order carefully.

Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £3,000, depending on your range, how many customers you reach and your average order. The estimate starts from around 8 hours a week.

Check whether you need to register as a food business with your local council. Also check allergen and labelling rules if you repack or relabel, whether you can store food at home, and public and product liability insurance.