Farmers market meat stand

Market shoppers and local households who want quality or locally sourced meat, plus repeat customers who pre-order for pickup.

Margin on packaged meat sold by the pound or by the pack, with extra from bundles, sausage and burger packs, and pre-order boxes picked up at the stall.

• Friendly selling and talking about cuts and cooking
• Basic bookkeeping and pricing
• Handling food safely and keeping it cold
• Planning stock for each market day

• Meat generally must come from an inspected source and be labeled correctly, check your state's rules before buying stock
• Market vendor permits, health department permits and sales tax registration, which vary by state, county and city
• Keeping meat at safe temperatures all day, especially in hot weather, and having a backup plan for unsold stock
• General liability and product liability insurance, which many markets require
• Market fees and slow weeks in winter or bad weather

Startup costs are typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on your freezers and coolers, stall setup and opening stock. These are estimates, and market fees are an ongoing cost to check with each market.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $9,000, depending on how many markets you attend and what you sell. These are estimates, and winter and bad weather can mean slow weeks.

Meat generally must come from an inspected source and be labeled correctly, so check your state's rules before buying stock. Also check market vendor permits, health department permits and sales tax registration, which vary by state, county and city.