Neighbourhood dairy and cheese shop

Local households, home cooks, foodies, nearby restaurants and cafés, and gift buyers.

You buy from dairies, farms and distributors at wholesale and sell at a markup. Cut-to-order cheese, gift boxes and pairings with bread or preserves usually bring better margins.

• Knowing cheese and dairy products
• Buying and stock rotation
• Friendly customer service
• Basic bookkeeping

• A food premises permit or inspection from your local public health unit, especially if you cut and wrap cheese
• Whether you need a federal licence from the CFIA, for example if you import products; check which rules apply to you
• Strict rules on raw milk and raw-milk cheese; check with Health Canada, the CFIA and your province
• Commercial general liability and property insurance
• Spoilage, fridge breakdowns and tight margins; keep cold-chain checks and a backup plan
• Collecting GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $40,000 to $200,000, depending on your premises, refrigeration, fit-out and opening stock. Adding a cheese counter with cutting to order can raise the total.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $12,000 to $60,000, depending on location, range and customer numbers. This is revenue, not profit, and margins can be tight, so plan for about 35 hours a week or more.

Check for a food premises permit or inspection from your local public health unit, especially if you cut and wrap cheese. Check whether you need a federal CFIA licence, such as for imports, and the strict rules on raw milk and raw-milk cheese.