More than you think, and most of it is not the food.
- Before the day. Confirm your permit or vendor licence, your insurance certificate, and whether the market requires food handler certification. Ask the organiser what they provide: table, power, water, waste disposal. Assume nothing — many markets provide only the space.
- Signage, which is where most new stalls lose sales. People will not ask the price. If they cannot see it, they walk on. You need a clear price for every product, a sign with your business name, and an allergen notice. Big, readable from a few steps back.
- Payment. Cash float with plenty of small change, plus a card reader. Bring a backup charger. A card reader that dies at 11am costs you the rest of the day.
- The physical stuff. Table, cloth, bins and liners, paper bags, napkins, tongs, gloves, cling film, sanitiser and cloths, a bin for waste, weights or clips if it is windy, and a chair you will not sit in.
- Cold chain if you need it. Pre-chilled coolers, ice packs, and a thermometer to check on arrival. Anything requiring refrigeration must stay at or below 4°C all day, not just when you left home.
- Bring less stock than you think for the first market. Sell out early and you learn what the demand is. Bring too much and you learn what your bin looks like.