Neighbourhood doughnut shop

Commuters, local workers, families, students and offices ordering boxes for meetings or events.

Sales of single doughnuts, dozens and boxes, plus higher-margin drinks. Extra income can come from office and event orders and from selling wholesale to nearby cafés.

• Baking and dough handling
• Early starts and steady routines
• Food safety habits
• Customer service
• Costing recipes and managing waste

• Food premises permit and inspections from your local public health unit, plus the food handler certification your province requires
• Fryer ventilation and fire-safety rules, which may affect which units you can lease. Check with your municipality and landlord
• Commercial general liability insurance, and allergen labelling and handling (wheat, eggs, milk, nuts)
• Long early hours, thin margins on ingredients and rent, and slower winter foot traffic in some areas
• WCB/WSIB coverage and employment rules once you hire staff. These differ by province
• Quebec has its own rules, including French-language signage and labelling requirements

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $40,000 to $200,000, depending on the premises, equipment, fit-out and insurance. Rent and fryer ventilation requirements can affect which units suit you, so check with your landlord.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $12,000 to $60,000, depending on location, menu and foot traffic. Margins on ingredients and rent can be thin, and winter foot traffic may be slower in some areas.

Check the food premises permit and inspections from your local public health unit, plus required food handler certification. Also check fryer ventilation and fire-safety rules, insurance, allergen handling, WCB/WSIB when hiring, and Quebec French-language requirements.