Nut and dried fruit shop

Home cooks and bakers, health-conscious shoppers, families buying snacks, and gift buyers at holiday times.

You buy in bulk from wholesalers and sell at a retail markup by weight or bag. Gift boxes, custom mixes and seasonal items usually earn higher margins.

• Customer service
• Stock buying and ordering
• Basic food handling and hygiene
• Simple bookkeeping

• Food premises permit from your local public health unit, and a food handler certificate where required
• Prepackaged food labelling rules, including bilingual labels and allergen declarations for nuts, peanuts and sulphites; check with the CFIA
• If you import directly or sell across provinces, check whether you need a Safe Food for Canadians licence
• Commercial general liability and property insurance; check with your insurer about food contamination cover
• Lease costs and slow winter months; hold cash for the first six months

Startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $120,000, depending on premises, fit-out and opening stock. These are estimates, so get quotes, and keep cash aside for lease costs and slow winter months in your first six months.

Monthly revenue is typically around $10,000 to $35,000, depending on location, product range and how much you sell around holiday gifting. These are estimates, not guarantees, and winter months can be slow.

Check for a food premises permit from your local public health unit, food handler certificates where required, and CFIA labelling rules, including bilingual labels and allergen declarations. If you import or sell across provinces, check whether a Safe Food for Canadians licence applies.