Neighbourhood frozen food shop

Local households, busy families, older people and people looking for specific cultural or specialty foods they cannot easily find in big supermarkets.

You buy wholesale and sell at retail prices. Margin comes from the mix of products, and from specialty or locally made lines that customers will pay more for.

• Choosing products customers want
• Stock control and ordering
• Friendly customer service
• Basic bookkeeping

• Food retail permit from your local public health unit, plus municipal business licence and zoning, check what applies in your area
• Freezer breakdowns or power cuts can spoil stock quickly, so check equipment insurance and a backup plan
• Electricity costs and commercial lease terms, as freezers run all day
• Labelling and language rules, including French requirements if you are in Quebec
• Commercial general liability and property insurance
• Check how GST/HST (and PST or QST where relevant) applies to the products you sell

Startup costs are typically around $30,000 to $120,000, depending on your premises, freezers and opening stock. Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on location, product range and how well you match local tastes.

Check for a food retail permit from your local public health unit, plus municipal business licence and zoning rules in your area. Also check labelling and language rules, including French requirements in Quebec, and how GST/HST (and PST or QST) applies to your products.

Freezer breakdowns or power cuts can spoil stock quickly, so check equipment insurance and a backup plan. Freezers run all day, so also check electricity costs and commercial lease terms, along with commercial general liability and property insurance.