Local oyster delivery to restaurants and fishmongers

Restaurants, oyster bars, fishmongers, specialty grocers and caterers.

You buy by the bag or count and sell at a markup per oyster or per bag. Standing weekly orders from a handful of restaurants make income steadier.

• Reliable early-morning delivery
• Building relationships with chefs and buyers
• Careful record keeping and cold handling

• Most states require shellfish dealers to be certified and to keep harvest tags and records, check your state's rules
• Strict temperature control, a refrigerated van or insulated setup, and food safety training
• A health department permit and general liability insurance, including product liability
• Harvest area closures can interrupt supply, so line up more than one grower
• Rules for selling across state lines may differ, check before delivering outside your state

Startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your refrigerated van or insulated setup, training and insurance. These are estimates, so check what your state requires of shellfish dealers first.

Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your buyers, delivery routes and supply. These are estimates, and the business typically needs at least 15 hours a week.

Check your state's rules, as most require shellfish dealers to be certified and keep harvest tags and records. Also check health department permits, food safety training, liability insurance and rules for selling across state lines.