Online spice and blend shop

Home cooks, food gift buyers and small cafes or takeaways that want smaller regular orders.

You buy in bulk and sell in small packs at a higher price per gram. Subscriptions, gift boxes and blends can raise the value of each order.

• Knowing spices and how to use them
• Careful packing and labelling
• Basic online selling and photography
• Keeping stock records

• Register as a food business with your local council, usually at least 28 days before you start trading (check with your council)
• Food labelling rules, including ingredients and allergens for blends, so check what applies to prepacked food
• A food hygiene qualification and a hazard analysis plan (HACCP-style records), which councils often expect
• Whether your landlord, mortgage lender or council needs to approve food preparation at home
• Product liability insurance as well as public liability
• Spices lose flavour with age, so buy small batches and track dates

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on your stock, packaging, website and insurance. Buying small batches can help, as spices lose flavour with age.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £300 to £2,500, depending on your range, pricing and how many customers you reach. The estimates assume a minimum of about 8 hours a week.

Check registering as a food business with your council, usually at least 28 days before trading. Also check food labelling and allergen rules for blends, hygiene qualifications and HACCP-style records, and whether your landlord or mortgage lender must approve home food preparation.