Cookie stall at markets and pop-ups

Market shoppers, families and event visitors buying a treat on the spot or a box to take home.

Single cookies and boxes sold at the stall, with extra sales from bundles, seasonal specials and pre-orders collected at the market.

• Baking at volume
• Friendly selling and handling cash and card payments
• Planning stock for each event

• Health department permits or cottage food rules for selling at markets, which differ by state and county
• Market vendor fees and whether they require liability insurance
• Sales tax registration with your state for taxable food sales
• Weather and slow days, which can swing sales a lot
• Food safety basics such as labeling and keeping product covered, check whether a food handler card is required locally

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on your tent, table and display, packaging, ingredients and any permit fees. Treat this as a rough guide and budget for market vendor fees.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on how many events you attend, your prices and the weather. Estimates start from about 12 hours a week, and sales can swing on slow days.

Check health department permits or cottage food rules, which differ by state and county. Also check market vendor fees and any liability insurance requirement, sales tax registration with your state, labeling, and whether a food handler card is required locally.