Start a Meal Prep Delivery Service

National meal kit brands feel unbeatable, but they cannot do local, fresh, and personal; gyms and trainers will hand you customers if you feed their clients well.

1. 1

   Confirm your kitchen and permits

   Most states require prepared meals to come from a licensed commercial kitchen with a health permit; cottage food laws rarely cover refrigerated meals. Commissary kitchens rent by the hour and solve this fast.

2. 2

   Pick a customer and a menu

   Busy professionals, gym members cutting or bulking, or new parents. Build one rotating weekly menu with about ten dishes; endless choice kills your prep efficiency.

3. 3

   Cost every meal to the gram

   Weigh ingredients and target food cost at 30 to 35 percent, so a $12 meal costs about $4 in ingredients. Containers, labels, and delivery time all come out of the rest.

4. 4

   Sell weekly subscriptions upfront

   For example: 10 meals for $110, ordered by Thursday, delivered Sunday. Prepayment through a simple site (Shopify, Sprwt, or even a Google Form plus Stripe) means you shop with their money, not yours.

5. 5

   Partner with two gyms

   Offer trainers a free week and a referral cut, and set up a sample table on a busy evening. Gym clients already track macros; print protein, carbs, and calories on every label.

6. 6

   Run one tight prep day

   Batch cook on Saturday, pack and label Sunday morning, deliver Sunday afternoon along one planned route. Your profit is made or lost in prep day efficiency.

7. 7

   Grow by referral and retention

   Add a refer-a-friend free meal, survey customers monthly, and rotate menus seasonally. At around 40 weekly subscribers, hire a prep assistant and add a second delivery zone.