Specialty food makers & markets
Books and taxes for specialty grocers and delis.
Imported grocery items, a deli counter slicing to order, catering orders for local offices, and hundreds of items on the shelf. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
December came in at $11,200. A run of holiday catering orders was your strongest single source of income this month, so I kept it apart from regular grocery and deli sales.
- Grocery register totalGrocery sales
- Deli counter salesDeli and prepared food sales
- Catering order paymentCatering orders
- Imported goods distributor invoiceImported and specialty inventory
- Deli meat and cheese supplierDeli ingredients
Why your books are different
A specialty grocer and deli's books go wrong around too many product types in one register.
You are not one kind of business. A shelf of imported pasta, a deli counter slicing meat to order, and a catering order for forty sandwiches all move through the same register, but they behave nothing alike. When the books do not separate that, you cannot tell what part of the shop is actually earning.
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1
Grocery and deli sales get counted as one number
Packaged imported goods sit on a shelf for months at a steady margin, while deli sandwiches are made fresh daily with a very different cost structure. Combined into one sales figure, neither side's real performance is visible.
What we doSplits grocery shelf sales from deli counter and prepared food sales, so each side of the store shows its own real numbers. -
2
Catering orders look like a big single grocery sale
A forty-sandwich office catering order involves different pricing, ingredient planning, and sometimes a deposit, but it often gets logged the same as a regular grocery transaction.
What we doKeeps catering orders in their own category, with deposits handled separately from the final payment. -
3
Imported inventory sits far longer than perishable stock
A pallet of imported olive oil or specialty pasta might take months to sell, while deli meat and cheese turn over in days. Treated the same in the books, slow-moving imported stock can quietly tie up more cash than an owner realizes.
What we doKeeps imported and specialty grocery inventory tracked separately from perishable deli stock, so slow movers are visible before they become a cash problem. -
4
Currency and duty costs on imports get buried in cost of goods
Imported specialty items sometimes carry duties, customs fees, or exchange rate costs on top of the product price, and lumped into a general cost of goods line, that extra cost disappears from view.
What we doKeeps import-related fees visible as their own line so the true landed cost of specialty items is not hidden.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a specialty grocer and deli.
Set up once for how you sell and what you buy. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Grocery salesShelf-stable imported and specialty grocery items.
- Deli and prepared food salesSandwiches, sliced meats and cheeses, and made-to-order items.
- Catering ordersLarger orders for offices and events, deposits kept apart from final payment.
- Wholesale ordersRestaurants or other stores buying specialty items in bulk, where offered.
Money out
- Imported and specialty inventoryShelf-stable goods sourced from importers or specialty distributors.
- Deli ingredientsMeats, cheeses, and bread for made-to-order deli items.
- Import fees and dutiesCustoms, duty, or exchange rate costs on imported product.
- Refrigeration and display upkeepDeli cases, coolers, and shelving repairs.
- PackagingDeli paper, containers, and bags for catering orders.
- Store rent and utilitiesStorefront lease, electric, and gas.
What we watch for you
- Margin by department
Grocery, deli, and catering rarely earn the same. Watching them apart shows which is worth featuring.
- Slow-moving inventory
Imported items sitting the longest, so cash tied up on a shelf does not surprise you.
- Catering order size
Average order value and deposit collection, useful for planning ingredient buys ahead of events.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax time is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things specialty grocer and deli owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
Right now the deli counter carries a better margin per dollar of sales, though the grocery shelf brings in steadier volume. I kept them split so you can see both.
It is tying up more cash than most of your inventory right now. Worth a look at whether to discount it or hold for the right season.
Prepared, ready-to-eat food like a made-to-order sandwich is often taxed differently than packaged grocery items, and the exact rule depends on your state. That one is worth a real check, so I flagged it for you and the accountant.
The tax side
The tax side of a specialty grocer and deli.
Most of what matters here is keeping several very different product types honest in one set of books, since grocery, deli, and catering all carry their own cost and timing.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Inventory and cost of goods soldOnly the grocery and deli items that sold this year count as cost of goods. Slow-moving imported stock stays inventory until it sells.
- Equipment write-offsDeli slicers, display cases, and refrigeration can usually be written off in the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent, permanent, for property bought after January 19, 2025.
- Contractor 1099sA catering delivery driver or event helper not on payroll who you pay $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
- The pass-through deductionMost owners can deduct up to 20 percent of business profit before it is taxed. It comes out right only when grocery, deli, and catering income are tracked cleanly all year.
Deductions specialty grocers and delis miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Imported grocery inventory
- Deli meats and cheeses
- Import duties and customs fees
- Deli slicer and case repairs
- Catering delivery containers
- Store refrigeration upkeep
- Storefront rent
- Deli paper and packaging
- Health permit and inspection fees
- Delivery mileage for catering
- Signage and shelf labels
- Business liability insurance
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A specialty grocer and deli year, kept every month.
Holiday catering, imported seasonal goods, and everyday deli traffic each shift the calendar. Your team keeps you ahead of the tax deadlines through all of it. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, the 1099 list for helpers is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your business return is filed and signed, no surprise bill because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Midyear check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and how grocery, deli, and catering sales compare to last year's summer stretch.
- October
Before the catering rush
Holiday catering orders start booking. Gus looks at inventory levels and ingredient supply needs before the busiest stretch of the year.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for specialty grocers and delis. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions specialty grocer and deli owners ask first.
Can Gus split my grocery, deli, and catering sales?
Yes. Each gets its own category, so you can see which part of the store is actually driving your numbers instead of one blended total.
Do you track slow-moving imported inventory?
Yes. Imported and specialty grocery items are tracked separately from perishable deli stock, so items sitting a long time show up before they become a cash problem.
I take deposits for large catering orders. How does that work in the books?
Deposits are kept separate from earned income until the order is delivered, so income lands in the month the work actually happened.
Do I owe sales tax the same way on grocery items and deli sandwiches?
Often not. Many states tax prepared, ready-to-eat food differently than packaged grocery items. Gus flags what looks taxable so you can confirm the specifics with your state.
My books are behind from a busy holiday season. Can Gus catch up?
Yes. Send the bank statements you have and he sorts them by grocery, deli, and catering. Most owners know where they stand within a week.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever