How do I sell my deli?

Buyers of a deli are buying a way of doing things as much as a counter and a lease. If the way you cure, season and slice only exists in your hands, a buyer has a hard time seeing what they would own. Most of your preparation is making the business understandable to someone who has never worked a shift in it, without making it less yours.

Write down the recipes and methods

Record each house recipe, curing and smoking method, and the suppliers of the key ingredients. Note who makes each item day to day. Ask your lawyer how a buyer’s rights to the recipes and the shop name should be described in the sale documents, and whether you will help with training after closing.

Separate the counter from catering

Show counter sales and catering sales as two clear pieces. For catering, prepare a list of regular clients, what they order and how they pay, without giving out names until a buyer is serious and has signed a confidentiality agreement. Do the same for importer and specialty supplier accounts, with the terms of each.

Keep the shop in working order

Service the slicers, scales and display cases before a buyer’s technician looks at them, and keep the records. Keep the counter stocked and the standards where they have always been. A buyer who tours a tired shop will wonder what else has slipped. If you want a comparison, the pizzeria selling page walks through a similar process.

Keep your staff steady

The people who know your regulars matter to a buyer. Decide when and how to tell them, and ask your lawyer whether a retention arrangement makes sense. Your accountant can help you present clean records, and a broker can run the process if you want one.