Specialty food exporter with a small warehouse

Specialty grocers, online food stores, small distributors and restaurants overseas that want a mix of US brands in one shipment.

Markup on each product, plus a handling or packing fee on mixed orders. Repeat monthly orders from a few buyers give steady income.

• Inventory and shelf-life management
• Export paperwork and labeling
• Building long-term buyer relationships
• Packing and handling stock

• FDA food facility registration and other rules for firms that store food, check with the FDA and your state's food regulator
• Local health department or food safety requirements for your storage space
• Foreign labeling, ingredient and shelf-life requirements, which can lead to rejected shipments
• Cash tied up in stock, plus spoilage and damage risk, so check what your property and cargo insurance cover
• General liability and product liability insurance, and workers' compensation once you hire help

Startup costs are typically around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on your warehouse unit, opening stock and packing equipment. These are estimates. Cash can be tied up in stock, so plan for that.

Monthly revenue is typically around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your product range, number of overseas buyers and shipment sizes. These are estimates, and the business assumes at least about 25 hours of work a week.

Check FDA food facility registration and other rules for firms that store food, with the FDA and your state's food regulator. Check local health department requirements for your space, and foreign labeling, ingredient and shelf-life rules that can lead to rejected shipments.