Local craft drinks delivery route

Independent cafés, restaurants, delis, gyms, health food stores, convenience stores and offices that want local drinks but don't want to deal with many small producers.

You buy at a wholesale price and sell at a markup, or earn a distributor margin agreed with each producer. Regular weekly or biweekly orders from a dense route make it profitable.

• Selling and building relationships with buyers
• Driving and route planning
• Inventory tracking and invoicing

• General liability and product liability insurance, plus commercial auto insurance if you use a vehicle for deliveries
• Check with your state and county whether storing or distributing food and drinks needs a registration, permit or inspection, and whether your storage space qualifies
• Check whether you need a state sales tax permit and resale certificate to buy products without paying tax
• Check home occupation, HOA or lease rules before storing stock at home
• Glass bottles and kegs are heavy, and cold drinks may need refrigeration, so plan for storage and lifting
• Late-paying customers can strain cash flow, so set payment terms early

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your vehicle, storage and opening stock. Plan for commercial auto and general liability insurance, and for refrigeration and lifting needs for cold drinks and heavy bottles.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many cafés, shops and restaurants you supply. Late-paying customers can strain cash flow, so set payment terms early. You can start at around 15 hours a week.

Check with your state and county whether storing or distributing drinks needs a registration, permit or inspection. Also check for a state sales tax permit and resale certificate, plus home occupation, HOA or lease rules before storing stock at home.