Do you want to sell this Christmas?
Do you want to sell this Christmas?
Market Stall Business Ideas: We have 25 years of experience trading at different types of marketplaces in Australia, including farmers markets, open markets, craft markets, and large shows. We will share our knowledge and experience with you
Entrepreneurs ask themselves the most important question: What should I sell? You can get a quick overview of some possibilities and ideas. You will want to look for a product you like, but you’ll also need to see if there is a market gap.
First, you should visit the local market to see what’s being sold on their Market Stall. It is logical to start by talking to some stallholders in order for you to get an idea of the quality of that market and other markets that are nearby that you might visit. You may be able to get answers by asking them what they think their market lacks. Asking the market organizers directly what type of stalls are needed is a great way to get answers. You can be sure that they have an idea about what type of stalls you want. It’s possible that they’ve just lost their “bread stall” to another market, and would love to have another. You can’t beat word-of-mouth research. You will learn more than you expected from a generous stallholder.
We will look at a few options and discuss the pros and cons. We begin with food, then move on to craft market ideas. Finally, we will discuss more general items found in general markets.
Food Markets
This is a great area to get into if you are passionate about food and a good chef. All food products, from Quiches to Marshmallows, Cookies to Goats Cheese sell well. You will take home money, but was the hard work worthwhile?
To make it easier to understand, each category will be described in a simplified manner. There will be more to each business type than what we have covered here. You should also consider if the business you choose would require electricity in a market. Some markets do not have electricity available, and those that do may charge a small fee to cover the costs.
1. Cakes and Pastries
Markets are always in demand for pastries and cakes. It doesn’t matter if they are sold whole or in slices. You will usually make more money selling them by the slice but may also end up with more waste. You can freeze or sell your cakes if you do not sell the whole cake. Freshly baked goods usually have a shelf life of only one day. You will also need to consider the packaging that you’ll use. Will a brown bag be sufficient or will you require specially-sized boxes and cartons? Imagine the customer bringing your product home. Would they buy it if the packaging was sturdy or would they prefer to have it in flimsy packing? Environmental Health approval is usually not difficult to obtain to make them at home. This makes it a very popular stall.
You could, for instance, try to niche down this category and only sell Keto Cakes and Plant-Based sweets. In this case, a clever market organizer may accept your stall as they have a valid dispute with the existing cake maker.
2. Jams and Preserves
Samples of jams, marmalades and preserves are always in demand, especially if they’re offered. It is simple to get Environmental Health approval as home production of jams, marmalades and preserves is low-risk. The jars required to store them eat into the profits, taking away about 15% from the sale price. 3.50-0.50) though. A jam stall is always welcomed at a market, so getting a spot should be easy. You may only have to worry about getting enough fruit and produce for the jars.
3. Handmade Sweets: Fudge, Marshmallows and Handmade Sweets
These are always popular and make a good profit. The ingredients are cheap, they are low risk items, and it is easy to obtain Environmental Health approval to manufacture them at home. Sweets are harder to make so you won’t have as much competition. Especially if you find a unique way to market your brand. Packaging is important, as consumers are more likely to avoid plastic.
4. Olives and Pickles
The wholesale cost of the olives will make profits lower than other homemade businesses, but there will be more sales volume and repeat business. These have a decent shelf-life, especially if they are pickled. Pickles are also very popular.
5. Salad Bar
A stall that sells salads by volume or weight (containers) will bring in a lot of customers and be very well received at a food market. You will waste a lot if you don’t know how much to sell each day. Salads only last a day, so they will need to be prepared the night before and assembled on the morning of the market. You will find it difficult to keep up with multiple markets if you make your produce yourself and sell them. If you can make it work, you will have a busy and profitable stall. Think about how you’ll charge (weight, items etc.) and how to package your stall.
6. Quiche, Scotch Eggs, Sausage Rolls and Pies
Customers love a good sausage roll or pork pie stall. Sales are high, but prices per item are low compared to easier-to-make items like pork pie (PS2.00) or slice cake (PS2.00). These items are expensive to produce due to the high cost of meat and strict environmental health regulations. These foods are classified as high-risk and therefore, it would be hard to get approval from the Environmental Health agency for you to produce them at home.
7. Prepared Vegetarian and Vegan Foods
Due to the low food safety risks, these items are gaining in popularity at food markets. They can make a great business choice as they do not require a separate location. The profits will be higher than those of meat-filled products, so this is a great business venture. When choosing packaging, keep in mind that the typical customer will not be happy with plastic or other items that are not environmentally friendly.
8. Charcuterie, Pates Hams Smoked Meats
It is understandable to charge a premium for cured meats. They are very popular and their perceived value is high. In most cases, it would be illegal to make these products at home and you’d need a separate facility. Food Safety regulations are stringent, but sales and profits are high. These items will present challenges when sold on a sunny, hot day.
9. Prepared Foods
For example, meat pies, Pizza Lasagnes and Shepherd’s Pies are extremely popular and sell well at markets. It is possible to get approval for these dishes at home, but it’s unlikely. You can ask your department of food safety for advice. You may find that you are getting repeat customers who buy as part of their regular shopping. Or you might get orders ahead of time, especially if your stock is always running out.
10. Bread
A bread stall will always be welcomed and very popular. Customers and market organizers are always interested in the traditional bread and more artisanal bread. You will not make much money and waste a lot of it if you don’t know your market.
11. Cheese and Yoghurt
From small goats’ cheese producers to air-conditioned trucks selling regional varieties, cheese is always in demand. It is often necessary to have a separate facility in order to make your own cheese. However, you should discuss your options with the environmental health department. It is not necessary to have milk-producing livestock to be a cheesemaker. Some clever people buy raw milk directly from farmers, and then make cheese separately. This is how big national brands do it! On market days, some types of hard cheeses will require refrigeration or cooling, while others will not. You may also sell wholesale to other shops if you’re a cheesemaker. Markets are only a small part of your business. Local cheese that is unusual and unique is always in high demand. Goat’s and Sheeps’ cheeses are especially popular.
Book one of our Market Stall now!!
12. Ice-cream
A product that is in high demand. It is likely that it will only sell during certain seasons and not be a profitable business for the long term — at least not in a market. It would be necessary to transport electricity and a freezer.
13. Raw Meats & Fish
Raw meat and fish of high quality will sell well. Profits will vary depending on whether or not you raise your own livestock. Environmental Health paperwork and butchers fees can be expensive.
14. Play
It is popular and profitable. This is a great option if you can get games easily. There is a risk that some of the game will be wasted. Environmental Health advice is essential.
15. Wines and Beers
It is very popular to sell Wines and Beers. They have a high profit margin. Bottles do eat into your profit. You may need to buy a license for a specific day to trade at a market. Sometimes the operator of the market will purchase one and you do not.
16. Coffee Stall
Sell coffee beans or freshly grounded coffee. Profitable and popular.
17. Niche Foods
The range of products available is vast, from niche international foods to locally produced crisps and specialist dietary food. All can be used on a market stand and work well.
This list does not claim to be exhaustive. It is merely a general overview of food stalls you can find at food markets.
18. Hot Food
Once you have the right prices, selling hot food at a market can be very profitable. However, you only get a short window of time to make your money. The day market will start around 9am and last until 2 or 4pm. You will have a trading window between 12 and 1:30pm if you sell hot lunch food. For the rest of the day you will wait for customers. It is still a great opportunity to make money, so long as there’s not too much competition. This will only work if there is a good footfall. Food markets, retail markets, and shows are all happy to welcome hot food stalls.
19. Fruit & Veg Stall
A very popular stall is hard work and lucrative. It’s a staple of any market. Finding a pitch is like finding gold — unless, of course, you create your own market.
General Markets
While food is also available at general markets, which are also known as Charter Markets and Retail Markets, here are some items you can find at a retail market.
20. Clothing and Shoes
Dresses, hats, gloves, coats, jumpers dresses shoes slippers knickers bras socks. All of them have their place in the general market, and they all sell well.
21. Mobile Phone Stall
Everything from mobile phone covers, to watch batteries and everything in between. The mainstay of any good retail market.
22. Stationery
All kinds of stationery, cards and wrapping paper. It’s a bit risky if it rains, but you could have a fantastic stall if there is an indoor pitch available.
23. Records, CD’s, DVD’s
Specialist stall that sells dated music and movies. Popular among collectors. Good at antique fairs too.
24. Bric-a-Brac Stall or Flea market
Find items at auction houses, refurbish them and then sell them. You will have a successful stall as you can sell all the items individually.
25. Flowers and Plants
Early morning purchases of flowers from an incoming port and then selling the flowers at a local market. It can be hard work, but it is profitable if there are regular customers. You should also have a plan for selling flowers at the end if any remain. Pot plants that are not sold will last a long time.
26. Crockery
Transporting heavy stock from one market to another is a challenge. Indoors, a permanent stand is more suitable but can still be very profitable.
27. Baskets and Rugs
Both of these things often go together. It’s hard work to move all the carpets around and you will need a big vehicle for transport. This is a great option for a market stand that doesn’t require you to take it down at the end of each day. It would also work well on a regular market.
28. Pet Food and Snacks
There are many pet foods available at the general market, but they are also becoming more common on food market stands.
29. Jewelry
One of the best things about selling jewelry at the marketplace is that it is a relatively low-risk investment. Jewelry can be purchased in bulk at a wholesale price, and then sold individually at a retail price. This can result in a significant profit margin.
30. Other Stuff
You can create a brand by grouping all kinds of stuff.’ They look great and help you to narrow down your product into a manageable stall. This allows you to consolidate your wholesale outlets and save time by concentrating on just one.
Are You Still looking for Market stall Business Ideas? or are you Ready to Start Your Business? Book one of our Market Stall now!!
Happy trading!
This post was written by one of our Market specialists at Pipeworks Market. We offer the best Marketplace service in Melbourne. We are a family-owned and operated Market business, striving to be the best in our industry. Our family has been in Australia for over 60 years, and our objective has always been to provide Market services at a fast, reliable, and competitive rate. All Star has a tradition of quality workmanship. Click here for more information!
Market Stall Business Ideas: We have 25 years of experience trading at different types of marketplaces in Australia, including farmers markets, open markets, craft markets, and large shows. We will share our knowledge and experience with you
Entrepreneurs ask themselves the most important question: What should I sell? You can get a quick overview of some possibilities and ideas. You will want to look for a product you like, but you’ll also need to see if there is a market gap.
First, you should visit the local market to see what’s being sold on their Market Stall. It is logical to start by talking to some stallholders in order for you to get an idea of the quality of that market and other markets that are nearby that you might visit. You may be able to get answers by asking them what they think their market lacks. Asking the market organizers directly what type of stalls are needed is a great way to get answers. You can be sure that they have an idea about what type of stalls you want. It’s possible that they’ve just lost their “bread stall” to another market, and would love to have another. You can’t beat word-of-mouth research. You will learn more than you expected from a generous stallholder.
We will look at a few options and discuss the pros and cons. We begin with food, then move on to craft market ideas. Finally, we will discuss more general items found in general markets.
Food Markets
This is a great area to get into if you are passionate about food and a good chef. All food products, from Quiches to Marshmallows, Cookies to Goats Cheese sell well. You will take home money, but was the hard work worthwhile?
To make it easier to understand, each category will be described in a simplified manner. There will be more to each business type than what we have covered here. You should also consider if the business you choose would require electricity in a market. Some markets do not have electricity available, and those that do may charge a small fee to cover the costs.
1. Cakes and Pastries
Markets are always in demand for pastries and cakes. It doesn’t matter if they are sold whole or in slices. You will usually make more money selling them by the slice but may also end up with more waste. You can freeze or sell your cakes if you do not sell the whole cake. Freshly baked goods usually have a shelf life of only one day. You will also need to consider the packaging that you’ll use. Will a brown bag be sufficient or will you require specially-sized boxes and cartons? Imagine the customer bringing your product home. Would they buy it if the packaging was sturdy or would they prefer to have it in flimsy packing? Environmental Health approval is usually not difficult to obtain to make them at home. This makes it a very popular stall.
You could, for instance, try to niche down this category and only sell Keto Cakes and Plant-Based sweets. In this case, a clever market organizer may accept your stall as they have a valid dispute with the existing cake maker.
2. Jams and Preserves
Samples of jams, marmalades and preserves are always in demand, especially if they’re offered. It is simple to get Environmental Health approval as home production of jams, marmalades and preserves is low-risk. The jars required to store them eat into the profits, taking away about 15% from the sale price. 3.50-0.50) though. A jam stall is always welcomed at a market, so getting a spot should be easy. You may only have to worry about getting enough fruit and produce for the jars.
3. Handmade Sweets: Fudge, Marshmallows and Handmade Sweets
These are always popular and make a good profit. The ingredients are cheap, they are low risk items, and it is easy to obtain Environmental Health approval to manufacture them at home. Sweets are harder to make so you won’t have as much competition. Especially if you find a unique way to market your brand. Packaging is important, as consumers are more likely to avoid plastic.
4. Olives and Pickles
The wholesale cost of the olives will make profits lower than other homemade businesses, but there will be more sales volume and repeat business. These have a decent shelf-life, especially if they are pickled. Pickles are also very popular.
5. Salad Bar
A stall that sells salads by volume or weight (containers) will bring in a lot of customers and be very well received at a food market. You will waste a lot if you don’t know how much to sell each day. Salads only last a day, so they will need to be prepared the night before and assembled on the morning of the market. You will find it difficult to keep up with multiple markets if you make your produce yourself and sell them. If you can make it work, you will have a busy and profitable stall. Think about how you’ll charge (weight, items etc.) and how to package your stall.
6. Quiche, Scotch Eggs, Sausage Rolls and Pies
Customers love a good sausage roll or pork pie stall. Sales are high, but prices per item are low compared to easier-to-make items like pork pie (PS2.00) or slice cake (PS2.00). These items are expensive to produce due to the high cost of meat and strict environmental health regulations. These foods are classified as high-risk and therefore, it would be hard to get approval from the Environmental Health agency for you to produce them at home.
7. Prepared Vegetarian and Vegan Foods
Due to the low food safety risks, these items are gaining in popularity at food markets. They can make a great business choice as they do not require a separate location. The profits will be higher than those of meat-filled products, so this is a great business venture. When choosing packaging, keep in mind that the typical customer will not be happy with plastic or other items that are not environmentally friendly.
8. Charcuterie, Pates Hams Smoked Meats
It is understandable to charge a premium for cured meats. They are very popular and their perceived value is high. In most cases, it would be illegal to make these products at home and you’d need a separate facility. Food Safety regulations are stringent, but sales and profits are high. These items will present challenges when sold on a sunny, hot day.
9. Prepared Foods
For example, meat pies, Pizza Lasagnes and Shepherd’s Pies are extremely popular and sell well at markets. It is possible to get approval for these dishes at home, but it’s unlikely. You can ask your department of food safety for advice. You may find that you are getting repeat customers who buy as part of their regular shopping. Or you might get orders ahead of time, especially if your stock is always running out.
10. Bread
A bread stall will always be welcomed and very popular. Customers and market organizers are always interested in the traditional bread and more artisanal bread. You will not make much money and waste a lot of it if you don’t know your market.
11. Cheese and Yoghurt
From small goats’ cheese producers to air-conditioned trucks selling regional varieties, cheese is always in demand. It is often necessary to have a separate facility in order to make your own cheese. However, you should discuss your options with the environmental health department. It is not necessary to have milk-producing livestock to be a cheesemaker. Some clever people buy raw milk directly from farmers, and then make cheese separately. This is how big national brands do it! On market days, some types of hard cheeses will require refrigeration or cooling, while others will not. You may also sell wholesale to other shops if you’re a cheesemaker. Markets are only a small part of your business. Local cheese that is unusual and unique is always in high demand. Goat’s and Sheeps’ cheeses are especially popular.
Book one of our Market Stall now!!
12. Ice-cream
A product that is in high demand. It is likely that it will only sell during certain seasons and not be a profitable business for the long term — at least not in a market. It would be necessary to transport electricity and a freezer.
13. Raw Meats & Fish
Raw meat and fish of high quality will sell well. Profits will vary depending on whether or not you raise your own livestock. Environmental Health paperwork and butchers fees can be expensive.
14. Play
It is popular and profitable. This is a great option if you can get games easily. There is a risk that some of the game will be wasted. Environmental Health advice is essential.
15. Wines and Beers
It is very popular to sell Wines and Beers. They have a high profit margin. Bottles do eat into your profit. You may need to buy a license for a specific day to trade at a market. Sometimes the operator of the market will purchase one and you do not.
16. Coffee Stall
Sell coffee beans or freshly grounded coffee. Profitable and popular.
17. Niche Foods
The range of products available is vast, from niche international foods to locally produced crisps and specialist dietary food. All can be used on a market stand and work well.
This list does not claim to be exhaustive. It is merely a general overview of food stalls you can find at food markets.
18. Hot Food
Once you have the right prices, selling hot food at a market can be very profitable. However, you only get a short window of time to make your money. The day market will start around 9am and last until 2 or 4pm. You will have a trading window between 12 and 1:30pm if you sell hot lunch food. For the rest of the day you will wait for customers. It is still a great opportunity to make money, so long as there’s not too much competition. This will only work if there is a good footfall. Food markets, retail markets, and shows are all happy to welcome hot food stalls.
19. Fruit & Veg Stall
A very popular stall is hard work and lucrative. It’s a staple of any market. Finding a pitch is like finding gold — unless, of course, you create your own market.
General Markets
While food is also available at general markets, which are also known as Charter Markets and Retail Markets, here are some items you can find at a retail market.
20. Clothing and Shoes
Dresses, hats, gloves, coats, jumpers dresses shoes slippers knickers bras socks. All of them have their place in the general market, and they all sell well.
21. Mobile Phone Stall
Everything from mobile phone covers, to watch batteries and everything in between. The mainstay of any good retail market.
22. Stationery
All kinds of stationery, cards and wrapping paper. It’s a bit risky if it rains, but you could have a fantastic stall if there is an indoor pitch available.
23. Records, CD’s, DVD’s
Specialist stall that sells dated music and movies. Popular among collectors. Good at antique fairs too.
24. Bric-a-Brac Stall or Flea market
Find items at auction houses, refurbish them and then sell them. You will have a successful stall as you can sell all the items individually.
25. Flowers and Plants
Early morning purchases of flowers from an incoming port and then selling the flowers at a local market. It can be hard work, but it is profitable if there are regular customers. You should also have a plan for selling flowers at the end if any remain. Pot plants that are not sold will last a long time.
26. Crockery
Transporting heavy stock from one market to another is a challenge. Indoors, a permanent stand is more suitable but can still be very profitable.
27. Baskets and Rugs
Both of these things often go together. It’s hard work to move all the carpets around and you will need a big vehicle for transport. This is a great option for a market stand that doesn’t require you to take it down at the end of each day. It would also work well on a regular market.
28. Pet Food and Snacks
There are many pet foods available at the general market, but they are also becoming more common on food market stands.
29. Jewelry
One of the best things about selling jewelry at the marketplace is that it is a relatively low-risk investment. Jewelry can be purchased in bulk at a wholesale price, and then sold individually at a retail price. This can result in a significant profit margin.
30. Other Stuff
You can create a brand by grouping all kinds of stuff.’ They look great and help you to narrow down your product into a manageable stall. This allows you to consolidate your wholesale outlets and save time by concentrating on just one.
Are You Still looking for Market stall Business Ideas? or are you Ready to Start Your Business? Book one of our Market Stall now!!
Happy trading!
This post was written by one of our Market specialists at Pipeworks Market. We offer the best Marketplace service in Melbourne. We are a family-owned and operated Market business, striving to be the best in our industry. Our family has been in Australia for over 60 years, and our objective has always been to provide Market services at a fast, reliable, and competitive rate. All Star has a tradition of quality workmanship. Click here for more information!