Home-based niche goods wholesaler

Independent grocers, convenience stores, cafés, gift shops and specialty food stores in your area.

You earn the margin between your bulk buying price and your wholesale price. Margins per case are modest, so repeat orders from a steady list of shops matter most.

• Sales and relationship building
• Organizing stock and orders
• Basic bookkeeping and pricing
• Reliable delivery

• Food products can have storage and labelling rules, so check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and your provincial regulator, and note that Quebec has its own French-language labelling rules
• Importing food yourself may need a Safe Food for Canadians licence, so check before you buy from abroad
• Tobacco, vapour products and alcohol have strict licensing, so check the rules or avoid them at first
• Check whether your municipality allows home storage of stock and whether you need a home-based business licence
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance, plus vehicle insurance that covers business use
• Cash flow is tight if shops pay on 30-day terms but you pay suppliers upfront

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your niche, how much stock you buy and your vehicle needs. Monthly revenue is estimated at around $2,500 to $12,000. These are estimates, not guarantees.

Check these points: food storage and labelling rules with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and your provincial regulator, Quebec French-language labelling, whether importing food needs a Safe Food for Canadians licence, tobacco, vapour and alcohol licensing, and your municipality's rules on home stock storage and home-based business licences.

Useful skills are sales and relationship building, organizing stock and orders, basic bookkeeping and pricing, and reliable delivery. Plan for at least about 12 hours a week. Cash flow is tight if shops pay on 30-day terms but you pay suppliers upfront.