Online food business ideas you can start in Canada
29 ideas
These 29 ideas let you sell food products through a website instead of a storefront or restaurant. They suit people who like sourcing, curating and packing, and who are comfortable handling orders and customer questions online.
Online dried fruit and nut store
Sell nuts, dried fruit and snack mixes online and ship across Canada from a small stock room.
- C$3k-12k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online organic grocery with local delivery
Sell organic groceries and produce boxes through a simple website and deliver to homes in your area.
- C$5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online rice and grains store
Sell specialty rice and grains online with shipping or local delivery, without paying for a shopfront.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online loose-leaf tea shop
Sell blended and sourced loose-leaf teas and tea gifts online from a spare room, shipped across Canada.
- C$1.5k-7k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online dried seafood store
Sell pre-packed dried seafood across Canada through your own website, with no shopfront rent.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online popcorn gifts and bulk orders
Sell flavoured popcorn tins and party favours online to gift buyers and local businesses.
- C$2k-8k
- Side hustle
- Online
Gourmet food boxes and market stall
Sell curated specialty foods and gift boxes online and at local markets without renting a shop.
- C$2k-10k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online rice cracker and Asian snack shop
Sell Japanese, Korean and other Asian rice crackers and savoury snacks online, shipped from home across Canada.
- C$1.5k-6k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online specialty candy wholesaler
Supply niche, imported or retro sweets to independent shops through an online trade ordering page.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Specialty Canadian spice export online
Sell small lots of premium Canadian spices and blends to overseas shops, cafés and distributors.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online cured ham store
Sell vacuum-packed cured hams and gift boxes online, shipped to food lovers across your province.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online nuts and trail mix shop
Sell your own trail mixes, roasted nuts and dried fruit boxes online and ship them across Canada.
- C$1.5k-7k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online Japanese sweets and snack boxes
Sell Japanese snacks and candy online across Canada, as single items or monthly snack boxes.
- C$2k-10k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online Japanese pantry store
Sell Japanese sauces, snacks and ingredients online, shipped to customers across Canada.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online Italian pantry and gift boxes
Sell Italian pasta, oils and treats online, with curated gift boxes and local delivery or shipping.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online specialty soda store with local delivery
Sell craft sodas and mixers online, deliver locally and supply nearby cafés and bars from a small storage space.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Local meat box and delivery service
Sell curated boxes of fresh and prepared meat online, with local pickup or cold delivery to households and small food businesses.
- C$8k-35k
- Part-time
- Online
Online kosher grocery with local delivery
Sell certified kosher pantry staples and holiday boxes by online order, with local delivery or pickup, instead of a full shop.
- C$5k-25k
- Part-time
- Online
Specialty grocery wholesaler with online ordering
Supply a niche range of grocery lines to independent shops through online orders, with stock held at a shared warehouse.
- C$5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online Filipino grocery with local pickup
Sell Filipino pantry staples and snacks online, with local pickup or delivery, before you commit to a shop lease.
- C$3k-12k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online wholesale supplier of shelf-stable foods
Run a simple online trade shop selling a niche range of long-life foods to local cafés and shops.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online spice and blend shop
Sell whole spices, herbs and your own blends to home cooks across Canada from a home-based online store.
- C$1.5k-7k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online Korean pantry store
Sell shelf-stable Korean groceries online with local delivery or pickup, without renting a shop.
- C$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online wholesale food supplier for small businesses
Sell shelf-stable foods in case lots to cafés and shops through a simple online ordering page.
- C$2k-12k
- Side hustle
- Online
About these ideas
Options include an online spice and blend shop, an online Korean pantry store and an online wholesale tea supplier with a trade portal. Before choosing, think about what you will actually be handling. Shelf-stable goods such as spices, tea and dried fruit are simpler to store and ship than anything needing refrigeration. Also consider who you will sell to: home shoppers, or other businesses buying in bulk. Check food safety, labelling and licensing rules with your province and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency before you list a single product.
More ideas
- Online Mexican grocery box
- Online wholesale tea supplier with a trade portal
- Online European grocery and gift boxes
- Online Russian grocery store with local delivery
- Online Eastern European grocery with local delivery
Questions
Do I need a licence to sell food online in Canada?
Possibly. Requirements often depend on what you sell, whether you make or only resell it, and where you operate. Check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, your province and your municipality, and ask about any licence for importing or selling across provincial borders.
Can I run an online food business from home?
Reselling sealed, packaged goods from home may be simpler than preparing food there, but rules vary. Check local zoning, home-based business bylaws, food premises requirements and your insurance, and confirm whether you need approved storage space.
What should I check before shipping food to customers?
Look at packaging, labelling in English and French, shelf life and carrier restrictions. If you plan to ship across borders or provinces, check import, export and labelling rules, and compare shipping costs so your prices still leave a margin.