Food exporter with own stock and small unit

Overseas distributors, supermarkets, specialty grocers and restaurant suppliers that want a regular mixed supply from Canada.

Bulk-buy discounts and a margin on each order, plus fees for packing, labelling or mixed pallets. Regular contracts give steadier income than one-off orders.

• Sales and relationship building
• Stock control and logistics
• Understanding food labelling and safe storage
• Cash flow planning

• Startup budget needs to cover more than the unit: initial stock, deposits, racking, packaging and several months of working capital while buyers pay, so plan carefully
• Safe Food for Canadians licence, preventive control and traceability requirements, check what applies to your products
• Storing food may need inspection or a permit from your local public health unit, check before signing a lease
• Stock tied up in cash: slow-paying buyers or expiring products can hurt quickly
• Check destination-country import rules, product shelf life and shipping temperature needs
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance, plus WCB/WSIB if you hire, check by province
• Winter road and port delays can affect delivery timing

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $60,000 to $250,000, depending on the unit, deposits, racking, packaging, initial stock and the working capital you need while buyers pay.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your product range, buyers and order sizes. These are revenue estimates before stock and running costs, and slow-paying buyers can strain cash flow.

Check Safe Food for Canadians licence, preventive control and traceability requirements for your products, and whether your local public health unit requires an inspection or permit before you sign a lease. Also check destination import rules, insurance and WCB/WSIB if you hire.