I bought my lemonade trailer for $7,625 and made it back in one month. Here's how.

The complete playbook from The Citrus Society — my lemonade recipe, pricing, every permit I needed, links to the supplies and equipment I use, and all the details of ordering a custom trailer from a factory in China and importing it myself.

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  • 4 parts, 25 sections
  • 41 pages
  • Real invoices & links
The Citrus Society lemonade trailer, yellow and white striped with an illuminated LEMONADE marquee sign
images/hero-trailer.jpg
Built and running in
Sacramento, California

Why I wrote this

I didn't know where to start, and the process was overwhelming.

01

A finished trailer in the U.S. was too expensive

Custom builds from local manufacturers ran well beyond what I could justify for a brand new business. That single quote is where most people stop.

02

Buying overseas is a real gamble

I got scammed out of $1,500 on my first attempt by paying a supplier outside the platform. There's a right way to do this, and I learned it the expensive way.

03

The paperwork is scattered everywhere

Seller's permit, business license, insurance, food handler card, temporary food facility permits, commissary agreement. Nobody lists it in one place, in order.

Inside the book

Four parts. Twenty-five sections.

Part One

Starting and Running a Lemonade Business

Recipes, pricing, and where to actually find events.

  1. Making Lemonade: My Recipe — my exact 32 oz build, ingredient by ingredient, and the twelve-step process we run at every event.
  2. Pricing Your Lemonade — why I sell only one size, how I price it, when I raise the prices, and the full cost-per-lemonade breakdown.
  3. How to Keep Orders Straight: My Sticker System — the colored sticker method that keeps eight syrup flavors from turning into chaos.
  4. Finding Business, Where to Set Up — schools, youth sports, community events, and the five questions to ask an organizer before you book.
Part Two

The Legal Stuff

Everything required for events, and what protects you and your business.

  1. Form Your Business Structure — why an LLC usually makes sense, what it actually protects you from, and when an S corp election starts to matter.
  2. Seller's Permit — who needs one and what it lets you do.
  3. Business License — what it is, who requires it, and why event organizers ask for a copy.
  4. General Liability Insurance — the coverage levels events require, additional insured requests, and who I use.
  5. Temporary Food Facility Permit — the handwashing and warewashing setup my county required, and the three documents I had to submit.
  6. Food Safety Training Program — the food handler course I completed and when you'll need it.
  7. Business Bank Account — why separating it protects your LLC and makes you able to answer "which events are actually profitable?"
  8. Commissary — why permits require one, how pricing usually works, and the agreement to keep on file.
Part Three

Supplies and Equipment

Every item I use, with the links.

  1. Supplies — lemon size, the syrup brand and flavors I use, cups, straws, and the add-ons that will make you more money.
  2. Equipment — slicers, muddlers, water stands, syrup pumps, sugar bins, ice chests. The whole working kit.
  3. Marketing Items — business cards, cup stickers, A-frames, and menu signs, with what I pay per unit.
  4. Health Inspection Equipment — the exact items I used to pass my health inspection.
  5. Trailer Equipment — the items you'll need if you decide to start working out of a trailer.
  6. Payment Processor — the terminal I chose and the transaction rate that made it the best fit.
Part Four

The Trailer

Exactly how I found, customized, shipped and imported it as well as the exact cost breakdown.

  1. Why Start With a Mobile Trailer — cost, margin, brand recognition and flexibility versus a tent, a truck or a storefront.
  2. Finding and Vetting the Manufacturer — the supplier I used, the four things that gave me confidence, and the payment rule that would have saved me $1,500.
  3. Customizing Your Trailer — the options and what each cost me, plus the county research you must do before you pay a deposit.
  4. Actual Cost Breakdown — every dollar from deposit to delivery, in two itemized tables.
  5. Shipping, Customs, and Delivery — LCL freight, the classification code, duties, and why a customs broker isn't optional.
  6. Unboxing & Assembly — crate dimensions and weight, and what assembling it actually took.
  7. Trailer Tour: Photos, Equipment & Dimensions — interior and exterior photos with every measurement written down.

Real numbers

Every dollar I spent, from deposit to delivery.

Grand total, door to door $7,625.34

Figures are from Lauren's 2026 purchase. Tariffs, fuel surcharges and broker rates change constantly — always get a current quote before budgeting your own project.

My story

Just a millennial starting a lemonade stand.

A few years ago I was another person with an idea, dreaming about running my own lemonade trailer. The problem was simple: I didn't know where or how to start, and I was overwhelmed by the process.

Before this, I ran a mobile bar company for nine years. It was successful, but I worked mostly weddings, so nearly everything landed on a Saturday night. I had capacity during the week and wanted repeat clients — events I could work again and again. Lemonade was the perfect fit.

I knew I wanted to run it out of a trailer, but a finished food trailer in the U.S. was too expensive. So I went the other direction, ordered a custom one from a factory overseas, and imported it myself. I made mistakes. One of them cost me $1,500.

This book is every step I took to plan, launch and run my lemonade company. I hope it helps you in your journey.

— Lauren Lundquist, Founder, The Citrus Society 🍋

Follow along on Instagram

Get the book

Get the info that would have saved me from a $1,500 mistake and months of wasted time.

Launch price

Worth the Squeeze

How to Start, Run, or Grow Your Lemonade Business

$149 $99
  • Part One — recipe, pricing, sticker system, finding events
  • Part Two — the full legal and permit stack, in order
  • Part Three — every supply and equipment link I use
  • Part Four — the complete trailer import walkthrough
  • Both itemized cost tables, exactly as I paid them
  • Trailer tour with photos, equipment and every dimension
Buy a trailer, and the book is free.

Ordering through the manufacturer in Part Four? Give them the name “LAUREN” when you book and I'll refund what you paid for this book once your trailer ships.

Valid six months from purchase · one refund per buyer
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🍋 Instant PDF download — the link is emailed to you the moment you pay.

Questions

Straight answers.

Do I need to buy a trailer to use this book?

No. Parts One through Three apply whether you're running out of a popup tent or a trailer — the recipe, pricing, permits, supplies and event booking are the same. Part Four is there for when you're ready to upgrade.

What if I don't sell lemonade?

Much of this book will apply to any drink vendor whether that's lemonade, coffee, matcha, or dirty sodas.

Do I need any experience to start?

None. I started from zero on the lemonade side. This eBook will walk you through the entire process.

Is importing a trailer actually legal?

Yes, importing commercial equipment is routine. What matters is doing it correctly: proper classification, duties paid, and a licensed customs broker. The book walks through each piece and tells you where to verify current requirements yourself, because they change.

How long did it take to get your trailer?

Mine ran about four months from starting my research to owning a working trailer but part of that timeline will depend on if you know what you're doing and can keep the process moving.

Will an imported trailer pass a health inspection?

Only if you build it to your county's requirements. Sink count, hot water, holding tank sizes and certified equipment vary by county, and some accept a two-compartment sink for beverage-only operations while others don't. The book has you get your county's requirements in writing before you finalize the build, because adding a sink at the factory is far cheaper than retrofitting.

How much did the trailer really cost?

$7,625.34 door to door — $3,970.88 to the manufacturer and $3,654.46 in import, customs and delivery costs. Both tables are itemized in the book and reproduced on this page. Your numbers will differ; tariffs and freight rates move.

Is this specific to California?

My examples come from running a trailer in the Sacramento area, and some specifics — like the state seller's permit — are California's. The structure applies anywhere in the U.S.; you apply it to your own state and county.

How do I get the E-book after buying it?

Instantly. Checkout emails you a download link for the PDF.

What's the refund policy?

Because the book is a digital download delivered instantly, sales are final. If your download link doesn't work or you have trouble opening the file, email us and we'll sort it out straight away.

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