Start a home-kitchen tamale business

Local food lovers, people from Latin American communities, office workers wanting lunch, and households ordering for parties and celebrations.

Price per tamale or per box of six or twelve, with larger party orders and seasonal bundles (such as Christmas) bringing in extra sales.

• Confident cooking in batches
• Food hygiene and allergen awareness
• Social media and customer messaging

• Register as a food business with your local council before you start trading, ideally well in advance
• Allergen rules apply, and pre-packed food may need full ingredient and allergen labelling, so check the current guidance
• Check your tenancy agreement, mortgage terms and home insurance before cooking commercially at home
• Public liability and product liability insurance are worth checking, especially for markets
• Your kitchen may be inspected and given a food hygiene rating

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £2,500, depending on your equipment, packaging and insurance. These are estimates, so cost out your own steamers, ingredients and labelling before you commit to a budget.

Monthly revenue is typically around £600 to £3,000, depending on how many hours you work, your prices and whether you sell by pre-order or at markets. Treat these as estimates, and remember revenue is not profit.

Check that you register as a food business with your local council before you start trading, ideally well in advance. Also check allergen and labelling rules, your tenancy or mortgage terms, insurance, and that your kitchen may be inspected and rated.