Rather than selling products individually, a subscription sells periodic use or access to a product or service and at the same time become a recurring sale and can build brand loyalty. Subscription/membership model used by industries such as video rentals and magazines is a great way for fledgling entrepreneurs to get a foothold in the food business, creating a steady income and a client base.

Cases in point:

• Milk Made is offering New Yorkers the chance to have a pint of freshly-made ice cream delivered to their doorstep every month. The service is by subscription only, and will give members the chance to submit flavor ideas and see how their ice cream is made, as well as attend Milk Made ice cream parties. So what kind of ice cream are we talking here? You've guessed it: local and organic. The ingredients are sourced from local farmers' markets, so flavors vary with the seasons. There will generally be five to choose from per month, to be detailed on a menu sent to all members. Examples of flavors on offer include Maple Pancake, Berry-Berry Cobbler and Peanut Butter Brown Sugar, all handmade by the company's founders in their East Village flat.
  
  
• Operating on the same principle—food produced in small batches and delivered locally to pre-paying customers—is Dulcinea. The young baked-goods company, also based in New York, delivers 'a wholesome indulgence' every Wednesday. Customers subscribe per month, paying USD 28 per week. Past deliveries include six jumbo rhubarb muffins, a blueberry lemon pound cake, and a half dozen strawberry scones. Dulcinea uses produce from local farms, choosing organic and sustainably produced ingredients as much as possible.

To see more examples of this business model applied to the green world, check our related articles:

• Subscribe to your Local Farmer
• Adopt a Beehive... or a Vineyard...or an Olive Tree
• Profit from Free Clothes Rental