How do you start a charcuterie board business in 2027?

Honest 5/10 baseline.

Startup costs: $2K-$15K typical. Boards/grazing platters in various sizes, cheese knives, food-safe wraps, cutting tools, scale, refrigeration, transport coolers, business cards, ordering site, photography setup (visual category - photos sell). Many states require commercial kitchen prep for assembled boards even if no cooking.

Permits/licenses: Business license, food handler cert, health dept permit (varies wildly - some states allow under cottage food, most do NOT because cheese/cured meats are TCS foods that need temperature control), commercial kitchen certification in most states, sales tax permit, general liability. Check your state - this is one of the trickiest food categories regulation-wise.

Customer acquisition: Instagram and TikTok (extremely visual), Pinterest, wedding/event vendor lists, bridal shower and corporate gifting, local Facebook groups, referrals from event planners.

Revenue model: Per-board ($50-$300+), grazing tables for events ($15-$30 per person), seasonal boxes.

Realistic year-1: $15K-$80K revenue solo. Holiday season (Nov-Feb) drives 40-50% of annual sales. Margins 30-50% if cheese/meat sourced well.