Rice cake stall at markets and pop-ups

Market shoppers, festival visitors and community members looking for traditional or specialty snacks.

Per-piece and per-box sales at each event, with extra from bundles, gift boxes and pre-orders that customers pick up at your stall.

• Making rice cakes in batches
• Friendly selling and sampling
• Planning stock for each event

• Temporary food vendor permits and health department rules, which differ by county and state
• Many markets require general liability insurance and may ask to be named on it
• Kitchen rental and event fees can eat into profit, so track costs per event
• Allergen labeling and ingredient labels on packaged items
• Weather and slow event days can swing income a lot
• Sales tax registration for your state

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on your equipment, stall setup and kitchen access. Kitchen rental and event fees can eat into profit, so it helps to track your costs for each event.

Check temporary food vendor permits and health department rules, which differ by county and state. Also check whether markets require general liability insurance, what allergen and ingredient labels you need, and your state's sales tax registration.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on how many events you attend and how busy they are. Weather and slow event days can swing income a lot, so plan stock carefully for each event.