JOIN OUR VINTAGE
PICNIC FAMILY

It's important to say that the Vintage Picnic Company makes no guarantee of income or results as these are entirely dependent on each business partner's individual commitment, style and ability to deliver the picnic service in their local area. However, it's perfectly acceptable to expect you will be creating a minimum of 2x 2 person picnics each week at a total of over $500 per week. And the best thing is that this is 100% profit (less administrative costs) as this business model doesn't have any overheads! If you choose to offer catering with your picnic packages (and we recommend you do), then you have the option to mark up food and drinks to further enhance your picnic offer and earn more money.

We always recommend starting small and building your business slowly. It keeps everything manageable and ensures you confidently deliver first class services every time. In saying that, there are a few basics you will need to get you going! We will provide you with the blankets, our signature style, but here are a few other items you might consider. - Wicker picnic basket - these can be sourced almost anywhere, even your local op shop. But they are a must have and a signature item in all of our picnics. - Small table suitable for at least two people. We get our little tables from IKEA, but you can also make one or buy one as there are several online providers across the country. - Cushions and/or bean bags. We like to use bean bags for all of our 2 person picnics and cushions for larger groups, but this is completely up to you! - Crockery, cutlery, linen napkins and glassware. These can be sourced almost anywhere, but we typically get our plates, glassware and cutlery from Kmart as they are always in stock and easy to replace. We go high end for our napkins and get them from Pottery Barn, but you're welcome to get yours from wherever you feel is best. - Side table. These are great to add a new height dimension to your picnic. They aren't a must have, but we think they look great! - Chalkboard sign. Again, this isn't a must have, but giving people the option to write a personalised message is a nice touch that certainly sets us apart from other businesses. - Bluetooth Speaker. Another optional extra that we include with all of our picnics that helps to improve the client experience and also sets us apart from other picnic businesses. - Hand sanitiser. We like to include a small bottle in the picnic basket at each of our picnics, because who doesn't want clean hands before they eat? - Candles/lanterns. One of the most popular times of day for a romantic picnic is sunset and this means your clients will eventually need some kind of lighting. We use a mix of real and battery operated candles and lanterns, but you're welcome to do what works for your style. - Fresh flowers/greenery. This is an absolute must. Although you might be tempted to use dried floral arrangements, don't! Our clients regularly comment on how much they appreciate the real flowers and greenery that we use. However, it doesn't need to break the bank. Just over a year ago we switched from using fresh floral arrangements to green potted plants. They look beautiful, are fairly low maintenance and have saved us (this kills me to write) over $5,000 per year in flowers!

The short answer is yes. You will absolutely need to have public liability insurance, which should cost approximately $50 per month. In regards to licences, this may vary by state and region. Here in Brisbane we have a great relationship with the council and we aren't required to have a licence to set up a picnic in a public space. We equally aren't required to book spaces which is great. It's best to enquire with your local council if you're concerned or do what we did and ask for forgiveness rather than permission if questioned! Initially, the picnics you will be doing aren't likely to be large and therefore shouldn't attract any unwanted attention. We find that locals are excited and enthusiastic to see our picnic services offered in their local areas.

Not at all! The start of this decade has thrown every possible natural and financial disaster our way and we've continued to see our business grow and thrive. The key is this... We offer a first class product and it is priced accordingly. It is also a well known fact that people still have special occasions to celebrate, they're still looking for new, interesting and unique ways to have those celebrations, and finally, people who have money will always have money! With very minimal overhead's you can be confident that almost every picnic you do will be putting majority of the profits back into your pocket! So if you find yourself in a quiet patch, even if you only do 2x 2 person picnics in a month, you will still come out in front!

Absolutely! Many of our business partners are two friends or family members who team up to share the costs, workload and profits. So you may wish to jointly start your business or have the business in one name and have your own private contract agreeing how the business will be run.

Yes, if you don't already have an ABN you will need to register as a sole trader (most common business for small businesses). This is a fairly simple process and we can help you with this if you need.

Most small businesses don't need to registered for GST until they're earning over $75,000. However, if you wish to register for GST before you reach this figure, you can. We recommend seeking financial advice from an accountant before making any decisions regarding the set up of your business.

Absolutely! The best part about running your own business are the numerous tax benefits. Below are several for you to consider and discuss with your accountant. But, note that your business must be turning over a minimum of $20,000 per year before you can claim most of these benefits. (That's just over 1 picnic per week) - A percentage of your rent or mortgage repayments as your business is run from home, your equipment is stored at your home, you do your admin from home and all of your picnic prep and clean up is also done at your home - White goods if you need to buy them including fridge, dishwasher, washing machine - Computer or laptop if you need to buy one - A percentage of household bills - Cleaning products such as dishwasher tablets and washing machine power etc. - Pot plants and/or flowers - All of the equipment you purchase for your picnics - Mileage and a portion of your car running costs PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY AND WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE. PLEASE SPEAK TO YOUR ACCOUNTANT BEFORE SUBMITTING A TAX RETURN FOR YOUR BUSINESS.

The answer to this question will certainly vary by location. In many cases, you should be able to get a Food Business Registration that allows you to prep simple, low risk foods from your home kitchen. These licences cost approximately $500 and will require someone coming to inspect your kitchen. You will also be required to explain the types of food you will be preparing. If you wish to go down this route, then we will do our best to support you. You're also welcome to use local suppliers to gather the elements of your hamper so that you aren't handling the food per se. It might take some trial and error to find the right method and/or suppliers that work for you and your clients. However, in our 5+ years experience, our catered picnics sell more often than self catered picnics.

It is best to look up the liquor licensing laws within your state. In Queensland, our business qualifies for an exemption as any business providing alcohol as part of a hamper can include no more than 2L of alcohol or 1L of spirits as long as the alcohol doesn't exceed more than 75% of the hamper purchase price. The hamper can also only be sold to people over the age of 18, must be given as a gift and cannot be consumed on the premises from which it was purchased.

The great thing about Australia is that we have such a high tourism draw card, which generally means new people passing through looking for unique things to do in the area. Australia is also filled with stunning locations that are perfect for a picnic.

When a new business partner signs up, we create their listings with their preferred picnic locations. So when a new potential business partner contacts us, we can ensure there's no overlap on those locations. In saying that, there can be some benefits to having another Vintage Picnic business partner close by. They can step in if you're struggling to keep up with demand, they can help if you're unwell or away on holiday and you can also share local suppliers to help negotiate better rates. However, we wouldn't bring on a new business partner and they wouldn't want to join if the overlap was too great or there was a threat to an existing business partner. So if you have some great locations in mind, it's best to get in first before someone else snaps them up!