Neighborhood dairy and cheese shop

Local households, food-loving shoppers, nearby cafes and people wanting locally produced groceries.

You buy wholesale from dairies and cheesemakers and sell at a markup. Cut-to-order cheese, gift boxes and prepared items usually carry better margins than milk and eggs.

• Knowing dairy products and cheese
• Buying and managing stock with short shelf lives
• Friendly customer service

• Food retail permit or license from your health department or state agriculture department; check what applies to cutting and repackaging cheese
• Rules on selling raw (unpasteurized) milk vary widely by state, so check before stocking it
• Refrigeration costs and keeping a reliable cold chain
• Spoilage and waste from short shelf-life products
• General liability and product liability insurance, plus sales tax registration if your state taxes food items

Startup costs are typically around $30,000 to $120,000, depending on your premises, refrigeration and opening stock. These are estimates. Refrigeration and a reliable cold chain are costs to plan for.

Monthly revenue is typically around $12,000 to $50,000, depending on location and range. This is an estimate of revenue, not profit, and spoilage from short shelf-life products can reduce what you keep. It typically needs at least 40 hours a week.

Check for a food retail permit or license from your health department or state agriculture department, including what applies to cutting and repackaging cheese. Also check your state's rules on raw milk, insurance, and sales tax registration for food items.