Local catering and kitchen supply delivery service
Supply small caterers, bakers, cafes and food trucks with equipment and supplies, delivered to their door.
- $5k-25k
- Part-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
11,046 US businesses with employees in this field, -1.6% in a year
NAICS 442299 “All other home furnishings stores”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A no-storefront supply service stocking commonly needed items like sheet pans, hotel pans, utensils, disposables and small equipment, kept in a garage or small storage unit and delivered locally.
Your first three steps
- Talk to local caterers, bakers and food truck owners about what they buy often and what frustrates them
- Set up accounts with restaurant supply wholesalers and get a resale certificate if your state requires one
- Build a small starter stock list and offer free local delivery on first orders to a handful of customers
Who pays
Home-based food businesses, caterers, food trucks, small cafes and event cooks who want quick local help without a trip to a big warehouse store.
How it makes money
Markup on supplies sold to repeat customers, with delivery fees or minimum orders and occasional special orders for equipment.
Skills that help
- Knowing what food businesses need
- Organizing stock and deliveries
- Building relationships with local customers
- Basic bookkeeping and invoicing
Watch out for
- Business license and sales tax registration: check your city, county and state
- General liability insurance and commercial auto coverage for deliveries
- Zoning or home occupation rules if you store stock at home
- Cash tied up in stock and slow-paying customers, so consider prepayment or short terms
- Competition from restaurant supply warehouses on price, so focus on convenience and service
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: local catering and kitchen supply service
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a kitchen supply delivery business?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on how much stock you carry, your storage and your delivery vehicle. Your own range of products will move that figure.
How much revenue can a kitchen supply delivery service make?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your customer base, product range and delivery area. The estimate assumes roughly 15 hours a week or more.
What rules should I check before starting a supply delivery service?
Check business license and sales tax registration with your city, county and state. Also check general liability and commercial auto insurance for deliveries, and zoning or home occupation rules if you plan to store stock at home.
Other ways to run this business
Neighborhood kitchen supply shop
Open a small store with quality cookware, tools and bakeware for home cooks and local food businesses.
- $40k-120k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Online niche kitchenware store
Sell a focused range, like baking tools or knives, to home cooks through your own website or marketplaces.
- $2k-10k
- Side hustle
- Online
Similar retail ideas
Home-based lingerie wholesaler
Buy lingerie in bulk from makers and resell it to boutiques and online sellers from a spare room or garage.
- $5k-25k
- Part-time
- From home
Online loose diamond dealer
Source certified loose diamonds and sell them to jewelers and private buyers online and by appointment.
- $5k-25k
- Part-time
- Online
Online ammunition store
Sell ammunition online where it is lawful, shipping from a small secure stock room to customers in permitted areas.
- $5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Online
Mobility equipment rental with delivery
Rent wheelchairs, knee scooters and walkers by the week, delivered to homes, hotels and hospitals, with no shop needed.
- $5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Seasonal fireworks stand
Run a licensed pop-up tent or stand around July 4th and New Year's in a state where consumer fireworks are legal.
- $5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Office furniture dealer with install service
Supply, deliver and assemble desks and chairs for local offices, working from home or a small storage unit.
- $5k-25k
- Part-time
- Out and about