33 Pick-Up & Delivery Business Ideas (2023)
If you're looking to start your own pick-up and delivery business idea, there are several low-capital options you can choose from.
We put together a list of the most profitable courier business ideas you can start today!
Here they are:
1. Start a food delivery business
In today’s busy lifestyles and schedules, cooking is no longer a priority to many. People like to order-in food from their nearest restaurants or food joints and enjoy a meal in the comfort of their homes.
The food delivery business is like a courier service through which restaurants deliver food to their customers.
You can offer retail food delivery services to restaurants within your locality if you have a truck. Customers order through a restaurant or grocer’s website, and the owners contact you to deliver.
I started my career at the world-famous Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles Apprenticing under Certified Master Chef Raimund Hofmeister.
Food Fleet’s growth Year after year has been at an at over 30 %. From 2017-2018 we had an unprecedented 160% growth spurt. With a team of 6, including my partner and I, we managed over 20 million in sales for our clients. As an example. We took over a convention center 3 years ago managing their food truck business. For their largest event of the year, we were up 53% over the previous year. I honestly would have to equate some of that success to the under-reporting of sales by the previous operator. But the following year we were up 19% from that figure and again close to that this year. That is due in large part to our understanding of transaction times, menu mix, the equipment in each truck or pop up and other factors.
2. Start a grocery delivery service
Grocery delivery is an on-demand service where clients shop for groceries, and you deliver to their commercial or residential premises.
As a carrier in grocery delivery, you have an opportunity to maximize your output, as you can serve multiple customers in one trip. Besides, you get to choose your preferred working time and location.
Gopuff, a leading food & consumer goods delivery service, was started in 2013 by two Drexel University students, Yakir Gola and Rafael Ilishayev.
Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the business began as an on-demand hookah delivery business but has now grown to provide food and supplies.
This consumer products delivery business operates on an on-demand basis. The firm mostly fulfills deliveries for food, drinks, alcohol, home essentials, and other necessities you typically find in a convenience shop.
GoPuff's business model is distinct from those of other delivery firms. The firm operates its warehouses, where it stockpiles items and fills orders on demand.
Rafael, born in Russia, began his career at his father’s sandwich restaurant and afterward at a banquet hall that his father had purchased. Yakir, the son of an Israeli immigrant, used to work in his father’s cash-for-gold store.
The genesis of GoPuff began in 2011, when its creators, Rafael Ilishayev and Yakir Gola, met in a Business 101 class at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
In less than a decade, the company has evolved into a multibillion-dollar corporation serving over 1000 locations. In 2021, GoPuff generated $1 billion in revenue, three times what it did in 2020.
GoPuff has raised $3.4 billion over nine rounds, with its latest $1 billion funding round in July 2021. The company is valued at a massive $15 billion.
Read the full story on blog.wishpond.com ➜
3. Start a fruit snacks business
Love snacking? As consumers become more health-conscious, they are turning to fruit snacks. Therefore, starting a fruit snacks business today can be a great idea.
My name is Evan Delahanty and I’m the Founder & CEO of Peaceful Fruits. Peaceful Fruits makes healthy, delicious, rainforest friendly fruit snacks.
Though we are still small, we’ve gone from $8000 in sales in 2015, to $25,000 in 2016, to $150,000 in 2017. We are now employing 30 people with disabilities in our production facility and have paid tens of thousands of dollars in wages to some of the most underserved people in any community.
4. Start a computer delivery and assemble business
A computer delivery and assembly service involve procuring IT hardware and delivering it to corporations, government offices, or individual offices.
The computer delivery and assembly service is a low barrier to entry business. You can apply for advertised procurement tenders and partner with computer retailers to meet the demand.
5. Start a water delivery business
The water delivery business serves homes, businesses, and corporate and professional offices. Starting a water delivery business is relatively easier than you think.
You have the option to become a distributor to a particular water brand, or you can set up a water treatment and distillation business where you package your treated water and deliver it to customers.
Alternatively, you can purchase water from wholesalers near you and deliver it to your customers at a profit.
6. Start a laboratory test business
One of the most profitable niches in the healthcare sector is the laboratory test business. Lab tests are critical to medical care as they give patients and doctors detailed, objective health data. Doctors may request patients' bloodwork, urine tests, and specialized tests to diagnose rare conditions.
Medical labs provide clinical laboratory tests for hospitals, private outpatients, and ambulatory care center patients.
Given the critical role laboratory tests play in healthcare and the demand these services attract, starting a laboratory test business can be profitable. If you plan to start a medical lab business may specialize in a particular niche or offer a wide range of laboratory tests. Understand the regulations in your region and acquire the necessary certifications.
Hi! My name is Angelica Kohlmann. I’m an investor in tech and biotech companies and co-founder of Bloom Diagnostics. As a big friend of tech and an MD Ph.D., I saw the big gap between healthcare and technology, and healthcare and people, meaning that we need to bring healthcare closer to people through new technologies.
We’re entering the market as we speak, and in the first month, we were already able to win 8 pharmacies in and around Vienna.
7. Start a gift baskets business
A gift basket is delivered to the recipient at the workplace or residence. A gift basket business is a noble idea because, with a proper strategy, you can remain in business all year round.
To start a gift basket business, choose a niche or a sales channel, and register your business appropriately. Then, with a proper marketing strategy, you should be able to reach a broader customer base.
My name is Adam Elliot, and I started Dick At Your Door, an e-commerce shop for people who like to gift pranks, gags, and funny novelties to their friends and family.
Yes, you read that correctly... Dick At Your Door sells chocolate penises you can send as a fun prank to friends and family.
8. Start a courier business
Courier service is a premium, all-inclusive service that collects and delivers shipments within the shortest possible time frame. Courier services serve individuals, e-commerce stores, law offices, banks, hospitals, etc.
If you dream of owning a courier service, you can start as a delivery driver and rely on self-employed delivery drivers to get the goods to customers. As the business grows, you can invest in delivery vans to handle bulky deliveries.
To run a convenient courier service, ensure you have a reliable delivery car and proper time management skills.
My name is Shaerul H Joarder (Neel), Co-Founder and CEO of Parcelmagic, a delivery service company.
It is indeed a great pleasure that within just 6 months of operation, we have onboarded 100+ merchants, with the monthly transaction being 5000 dollars. Over 10000 parcels are delivered to all 64 districts in Bangladesh each month.
9. Start a school bus shuttle
Parents struggle between managing their professional life and their kid’s daily schedule in today’s busy times. It can get complicated for parents to take time out from their busy schedules to drop off & pick up their kids from school daily. School kids also need to travel for extracurricular activities like arts, music, or sports.
School bus shuttles ensure the convenience and safety of school children while traveling to school. Therefore, starting a school bus shuttle business can be profitable. You may associate your bus with any school or reach out to parents in your neighborhood.
10. Start a drug delivery business
The global drug delivery market is snowballing. The rapid growth is fueled by the growing prevalence of chronic diseases across the globe and a surging senior population. Besides, technological advancements and the development of innovative drugs have significantly fostered the growth of an innovative pharmaceutical delivery market.
To start your drug delivery business, partner with reliable pharmaceutical companies or medicine and drug dealers. You must understand how drug delivery works and develop an application through which customers request the service.
In 2013, Chuck realized that employers were losing time and money having employees go to a clinic to do drug testing. Nowadays, they are making $30k/month.
11. Start a pet food delivery business
A pet food delivery can be a very low-cost business to start. You do not need to worry about inventory as you can take orders, and the pet food shop near you will fulfill them. Therefore, you can operate a pet food business without much of your involvement.
To start a pet food delivery business, create a website and target pet owners. Then, partner with a reliable pet food manufacturer or distributor who can take your orders and do the deliveries. A pet food delivery business can be a great way to earn a passive income.
12. Start a laundry delivery business
A laundry delivery service provides busy professionals and entrepreneurs a laundry pickup and delivery service.
How a laundry delivery service works is quite simple!
The laundry delivery business picks up the clothes straight from the client's location, takes them to a laundromat, and returns the cleaned clothes to the client.
Today's fast-paced world and multiple tasks that pile up daily have created an increasing demand for laundry delivery services. Therefore, if you are looking for the most profitable laundry business ideas, you could consider the laundry pickup and delivery service.
The laundry delivery service is a low startup cost business and can be more profitable than you expect. You can operate the business from home and invest more resources as you expand. With time, you can grow the company to a full-on-demand laundry service with your washers, a delivery van, and a physical location.
I’m Jono Santamaria, the director of Nina’s Laundrette, a laundromat located in Northcote, Australia. I purchased the coin laundry in July 2021; an older gentleman had run the laundromat then, and the shop was dated and only accepted coins.
The most significant impacts that led to this dramatic increase have been investing in our digital presence, upgrading the store’s machines, and creating a new and modern brand. We also added a commercial laundry service which brings in an additional AUD24K per year.
13. Start a drone delivery service
Drones support the logistics industry in different ways. For instance, delivery drones have the potential to bypass ground-based traffic congestion by lifting a share of ground transportation into the airspace. Besides, drones have made delivery possible in otherwise difficult-to-reach areas like ports, terminals, areas with floods, etc.
Delivery drones are applicable in many areas. Examples include:
- Courier delivery
- Medicine delivery
- Hyperlocal delivery
- Food delivery
- On-demand local shipping
But before you invest in the drone courier delivery business, take time to learn the laws governing the industry and research out how other players are operating. Then launch and market your drone delivery business.
14. Start a flower delivery business
Are you willing to start a flower delivery business?
Flowers are the most adaptable and endearing gift people choose for their loved ones. Be it for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or even formal corporate occasions. Therefore, starting a flower delivery business can be very profitable.
To start a flower delivery business, choose a niche and learn what your target customers expect. Conduct competitor analysis and choose an appealing brand name. Creating an easy-to-navigate website that allows customers to customize their bouquets to their tastes and preferences will help you stand out.
Finally, a well-coordinated and dedicated delivery system can take your business to the top of the flower delivery game.
15. Start a courier business
Courier service is a premium, all-inclusive service that collects and delivers shipments within the shortest possible time frame. Courier services serve individuals, e-commerce stores, law offices, banks, hospitals, etc.
If you dream of owning a courier service, you can start as a delivery driver and rely on self-employed delivery drivers to get the goods to customers. As the business grows, you can invest in delivery vans to handle bulky deliveries.
To run a convenient courier service, ensure you have a reliable delivery car and proper time management skills.
My name is Shaerul H Joarder (Neel), Co-Founder and CEO of Parcelmagic, a delivery service company.
It is indeed a great pleasure that within just 6 months of operation, we have onboarded 100+ merchants, with the monthly transaction being 5000 dollars. Over 10000 parcels are delivered to all 64 districts in Bangladesh each month.
16. Start a packers & movers business
Packers and movers are service providers that pack and move customers' belongings, easing the relocating experience from start to end.
The moving and packers' industry is set to experience growth over the next decade. The growing population and influx of multinational corporations are reasons for the current and anticipated demand for moving and packers' services.
Therefore, starting your movers and packers' in 2023 can be rewarding if you ensure the right business approach.
To start, identify the niche, prepare a business plan, and acquire the necessary equipment and freight. An online presence is essential for running the movers and packers. A website and active social media presence will advertise your business.
Besides, you must ensure proper competitor research to focus on strategies to help your business stand out.
My name is Max Maher I am a serial entrepreneur, lifelong learner, and a founder of Skinny Wimp Moving!
I am now 23 years old and my locations average $115,000 a month in revenue with record monthly sales of $158,000.
17. Start a car rental business
Car rental can be profitable if you are passionate about starting a business in the auto industry. Retail and corporate are the main segments within the car rental industry. Retail car rentals focus on individuals who rent cars for shorter periods, while corporate car rental targets companies that want to transport clients or employees.
If you are starting a car rental business , target airports, hotels, railway stations, commercial offices, and other high-traffic areas.
Market your business, hire employees who will manage the operations and keep records, and purchase business insurance for both cars and employees.
We are Taylor Hood and Gretchen Bayless, founders of ROAMERICA. A company that specializes in adventure vehicles, including 4wd campervans.
18. Start a fresh meat delivery business
According to experts, food delivery has become a global market worth more than $150 billion and snowballing. The advent of easy-to-use apps and technology, along with busier lifestyles than ever, are the top reasons fueling the growth of food delivery businesses.
Starting a meat delivery business can be rewarding. To start, onboard reliable meat stores and vendors in your region. Then, you must create a good platform through which customers will reach you for fresh meat orders.
Hello, my name is Mohamad Saad, and I am one of the founders of HalalWorldDepot, America’s premier Halal online marketplace. The company started three years ago as meat and grocery delivery service and slowly grew into a full-blown online marketplace offering a wide range of Halal products.
With a simple goal of getting as many Halal items listed, we also focus on building a community of Muslims around the United States to connect and come together. A home formed on a website where all can feel welcomed and comfortable shopping and finding the products they need.
19. Start a pizza delivery business
The global pizza market report will grow at a CAGR of 10.17% to reach over $233.26 billion in the next few years. Growing urban population, escalating disposable income, and increasing youth population are reasons for the rising number of pizza lovers.
Starting a pizza delivery business can be fun and rewarding if you enjoy unique creatives and love cooking. A pizza delivery business serves consumers at their homes, business or offices. To start, identify a niche, and develop a unique recipe that will suit the target market.
20. Start an egg delivery business
Over the past decade, a growing population and greater use of processed eggs have left the total egg consumption averaging about 5 billion dozen annually.
Do you love chicken farming and are interested in entrepreneurship opportunities? Starting an egg delivery business can be a fun and profitable venture. You can supply eggs from your chicken farm or purchase eggs from local farmers and distribute them to your customers.
To start, you will need capital to buy laying chicken and chicken feeds or to purchase eggs from farmers. If capital is an issue, partner with chicken farmers in your region who will supply you with the eggs as you deliver to the target market.
21. Start a furniture delivery and assembling business
A furniture delivery business is a low-barrier to entry business opportunity for a handyperson with tools and a truck. You can manage the business easily from your home office or online, keeping operating expenses minimal.
As the home construction business experience a boom, demand for new furniture is also increasing. New home buyers purchase furniture online and look for a handy person to help with the delivery and assembly.
To start a furniture delivery and assembly business, partner with furniture manufacturers and become their local agent. For every order, they send, request to be the delivery and assembly partner.
22. Start an auto parts delivery business
Cars will not stop breaking down soon. Thus, mechanics will always need auto parts to replace the broken ones. Therefore, if you are interested in the automobile industry, you can make great money delivering auto parts.
To start, research the market to determine which spare parts are most demanded. Then, partner with auto parts manufacturers and seek orders from the mechanics and car owners. You can create an online shop targeting those looking for spare parts for their vehicles.
23. Start a newspaper delivery business
Despite the adoption of digital news platforms, some people still love reading a physical newspaper and will buy them daily. Thus, starting a newspaper delivery business could be one of the fastest routes to becoming an entrepreneur.
The newspaper delivery business does not require huge capital and is a high-margin business. You can partner with a local newspaper company and become their distributor. Target offices and homeowners who want to read the daily newspaper.
24. Start an office equipment delivery business
The office supply industry is growing rapidly, making it an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs.
An office equipment supplies and delivery service focuses on ensuring businesses and offices have office-related supplies so they can run daily operations smoothly.
Launching an office equipment business can lead you to entrepreneurship success. To succeed, you can choose to focus on office supplies with delivery as a value-added component or make delivery your core business activity.
25. Start a liquor delivery business
With the fad for ordering food and drinks online, owning a liquor delivery business can be fun and rewarding. Most liquor consumers today prefer skipping trips down the liquor store and instead order the drinks online.
To start a liquor delivery business, partner with liquor suppliers and focus on advertising their liquor online. When customers order and pay, you can take up the fulfillment task or have the dealer deliver to the consumer.
26. Start an air freight delivery business
With the increase in international trade, The air cargo business is booming, and the trend will not end soon. If you are in the airline industry and looking to diversify your business to maximize profitability, you may consider starting an air freight delivery business.
Air freight delivery businesses focus on the transportation of cargo by air.
To start, you need to acquire the necessary certifications and licensing. Then, identify a niche, and focus on delivering a customized air transportation service.
27. Start a lunchbox delivery business
A lunchbox delivery business serves workers and busy professionals who do not have the time to walk to a restaurant for lunch. The business exists to provide convenience to its customers.
With today's busy lifestyle, people rarely have the time to prepare meals. Besides, technology enables users to discover multiple options regarding how we dine.
Thus, starting your lunchbox delivery business can be fun and rewarding if you love catering to busy professionals. To start, identify potential customers, and set up the ordering app. Market your business online through different platforms.
28. Start a cake delivery business
The global cake market size has been growing tremendously. The increased popularity results from celebrating various occasions like birthdays, weddings, and personal achievements.
A popular trend within the cake industry is the delivery of cakes. People opt to order cakes online as it allows them to try different options.
Therefore, starting a cake delivery business can be a fulfilling business idea. To start your cake delivery business, identify a niche, and define your cake recipe.
29. Start a motorbike pick-up and delivery business
The demand for motorcycle pickup and delivery services has increased. The increased demand is because motorcycles offer a faster way to reach the target audience. Are you interested in starting a motorcycle pickup and delivery business?
To start, you need at least one motorbike, and you can increase the fleet as business grows. Then, secure all the necessary licenses and start marketing your business. Ideal customers include e-commerce, offices looking for petty errands assistance, individuals, and businesses.
30. Start an airport bus shuttle services
An airport bus shuttle service transports people and luggage to and from or within airports. An airport shuttle service can be profitable to operate.
If you plan to start an airport bus shuttle, focus on building alliances and partnerships with companies and local businesses that will supply you with customers.
31. Start a campus bus shuttle service
A campus bus shuttle service is excellent for getting students and campus staff to and from class as efficiently as possible. Many campuses provide the bus shuttle service through a partnership with a private transport operator.
To start a campus shuttle service, collaborate with the campus administration, so you are allowed to operate within the campus.
32. Start a restaurant meal delivery business
Consumer demand for food delivery services has risen steadily. Starting a restaurant meal delivery business can be a rewarding business.
You can start your restaurant with a food delivery service or partner with reliable restaurants to fulfill the orders. Create a food ordering app, and market your business.
33. Start a coffee delivery business
According to statistics, over 150 million Americans consume coffee. Starting a coffee delivery business is a bright idea. Because already, you have a target market.
Besides, the food and beverage delivery market has been snowballing and the trend is not stopping soon. More people will continue ordering online, thanks to technology.
To start, you may partner with coffee shops near you and have them fulfill the orders. Alternatively, you can prepare coffee at home and have a delivery service help you fulfill the orders.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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