Grocery wholesale delivery round

Corner shops, convenience stores, village shops, small cafes and takeaways that want reliable local delivery and a personal service.

You earn the margin between your bulk buying price and your trade price. Margins per item are thin, so profit depends on regular orders, sensible minimum order values and keeping waste and unpaid invoices low.

• Negotiating with suppliers
• Route planning and reliable driving
• Basic bookkeeping and stock control
• Building relationships with shop owners

• Register your food business with your local council and check what rules apply to your storage space and vehicle
• Food safety, labelling, date-code checks and traceability records
• If you plan to sell alcohol or tobacco, check what approvals or registrations are needed first
• Insurance for the van (carrying goods for hire and reward), goods in transit, public liability and product liability
• Late payers: check credit terms carefully and consider taking payment on delivery for new customers
• Check VAT registration rules and how they apply to your food lines

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £8,000 to £35,000, depending on the van, your first stock purchase and the rented unit or secure storage you use.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £6,000 to £30,000, depending on how many shops you supply, your product lines and the size of your round. This is revenue before stock, fuel and van costs.

Check whether you need to register your food business with your council and what rules apply to storage and your vehicle. Also check food safety and traceability records, approvals for alcohol or tobacco, van insurance for hire and reward, and VAT rules.