Local seafood delivery round for restaurants
Buy fresh fish and shellfish from ports or markets and deliver by chilled van to local restaurants and caterers.
- £6k-25k
- Part-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
4,011 UK companies in this field, 38% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 46380 “Wholesale of other food, including fish, crustaceans and molluscs”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small, van-based seafood supply business. You buy fish and shellfish early from a market, port, day boat or larger wholesaler, then deliver to your own customers the same morning in a temperature-controlled vehicle.
Your first three steps
- Visit local ports, markets and wholesalers to compare prices, and ask a few chefs what they struggle to get
- Complete a food hygiene course and HACCP-style food safety plan, then register your food business with your local council
- Price a second-hand chilled van or insulated setup, then offer samples to five or six nearby restaurants
Who pays
Independent restaurants, pubs, cafes, caterers, hotels and local delis or fishmongers who want reliable, fresh supply.
How it makes money
You earn the margin between what you pay suppliers and your delivered price. Regular weekly orders from a handful of kitchens are the backbone, with frozen and shellfish lines adding variety.
Skills that help
- Knowing fish and shellfish quality, species and seasons
- Early starts and reliable timekeeping
- Building relationships with chefs and suppliers
- Careful pricing and keeping track of stock
Watch out for
- Food business registration with your council, and check whether your activities (such as filleting or storing fish) need approval rather than simple registration
- Keeping the cold chain unbroken, with temperature checks and records
- Traceability and labelling rules for fish and shellfish, including shellfish sourcing, so check with your council's food team
- Public liability and product liability insurance, plus vehicle and goods-in-transit cover
- Thin margins and waste: unsold fresh fish loses value quickly, and late-paying customers can strain cash flow
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: local seafood delivery round for restaurants
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a seafood delivery round?
Startup costs are typically around £6,000 to £25,000, depending on your chilled vehicle, storage, insurance and opening stock. Treat these as estimates and build your own budget before buying anything.
How much can a seafood delivery business make?
Monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on how many customers you serve and how much you buy and sell. Margins can be thin and unsold fresh fish loses value quickly, so revenue is not profit.
What rules should I check before supplying fish to restaurants?
Check food business registration with your council, including whether filleting or storing fish needs approval rather than simple registration. Also check cold chain records, and traceability and labelling rules for fish and shellfish, with your council's food team.
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