Mobile grocery market on wheels

Residents without easy access to a grocery store, older adults, apartment communities, and workplaces or organizations that host you on a regular day.

You sell at a markup on items bought from wholesalers or local farms. A reliable weekly schedule and agreements with host sites bring repeat customers without the rent of a full store.

• Route and schedule planning
• Driving a larger vehicle
• Customer service
• Stock ordering and food handling

• Mobile food retail permits and vehicle inspections, which vary by county and state, so check with your health department
• Rules on where you can park and sell, check your city's street vending and zoning rules and get host permission on private lots
• Sales tax registration with your state and a local business license, if required
• Commercial vehicle insurance as well as general liability, check what your policy covers
• Keeping food at safe temperatures, vehicle breakdowns and fuel costs
• SNAP/EBT acceptance requires separate USDA authorization, check whether a mobile seller can qualify

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $30,000 to $120,000, depending on the vehicle you buy or convert, shelving and refrigeration, and your opening stock.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on the number of stops, the neighborhoods you serve and your prices. Fuel costs, breakdowns and keeping food at safe temperatures can affect profit.

Check mobile food retail permits and vehicle inspections with your health department, plus street vending and zoning rules and host permission on private lots. Also check sales tax registration, commercial vehicle insurance and SNAP/EBT eligibility.