Start-up cost
$10,000-$30,000
Simple candy manufacturing $10,000-$30,000; personalized candy creations $5,000-$20,000; artisanal chocolate shop $10,000-$50,000 (Enterprise League, 2024-10-02, third-party estimates). Source: Enterprise League, 16 Best Candy Business Ideas, 2024-10-02. Lab cost band: $5K to $25K.
The field in numbers
These are Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for the wider field, not for this business alone.
Industry (Census)
Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing (NAICS 311340)
Solo owners in the wider field
3,960 (Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing)
Average gross sales per solo owner
$32,862 a year, before costs (gross sales, not profit)
Still open after 1, 2, 5, 10 years
82.6%, 73.9%, 57.7%, 43.6% (all businesses in the sector, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Related businesses in the Lab
Does it fit you?
The Startup Lab asks a few plain questions about your money, time and what you like doing, then narrows 910 businesses to the few that fit. The $10 report on this business adds itemized costs, your county’s numbers and Groundwork Alumni access.
