Side-hustle soy sauce for markets and online

Shoppers at farmers' markets and food fairs, local delis and farm shops, and online customers who like craft food.

Direct bottle sales at a premium price, plus small wholesale orders from a few local shops and cafés once you have a following.

• Cooking and fermenting
• Patience and careful note-taking
• Talking to customers at a stall
• Basic social media and photos

• Register your food business with your local council, and check whether the kitchen's own registration covers you
• Check food safety needs for fermented, bottled products, including pasteurising and shelf life claims
• Allergen labelling is required for soy and wheat, so check the current rules before selling
• Public liability and product liability insurance
• Fermentation takes months, so the first sales come well after you start
• Check kitchen hire costs against likely sales before booking regular slots

Startup costs are typically estimated at around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on your fermentation vessels, kitchen hire, labelling and insurance. Check kitchen hire costs against likely sales before booking regular slots.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £300 to £2,000, depending on how many markets you attend and how much you sell to shops and online. Fermentation takes months, so first sales come well after you start.

Check that you register your food business with your local council, and whether the shared kitchen's registration covers you. Also check food safety for fermented, bottled products, allergen labelling for soy and wheat, and insurance.