Frozen foods for local shops and caterers

Independent grocers, specialty food shops, cafés, caterers, workplace canteens and care homes.

You sell wholesale by the case or tray on regular orders. Revenue grows as you add accounts, so steady repeat orders and good control of ingredient and labour costs matter most.

• Recipe scaling and consistent production
• Food safety record-keeping
• Wholesale pricing and negotiation
• Managing stock, suppliers and deliveries

• Food premises permit and inspections; zoning for the unit, so check with your municipality
• A Safe Food for Canadians licence and food safety plan may apply if you sell across provincial borders or export, so check with the CFIA
• Quebec has its own permit rules and French-language labelling requirements
• Allergen control, recall readiness and labelling rules, including bilingual packaging for retail
• Product liability and commercial general liability insurance
• WCB or WSIB coverage once you hire staff; rules differ by province
• High upfront equipment and lease costs, plus cold-chain delivery and energy bills

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $20,000 to $90,000, depending on the unit, fit-out, freezers and equipment. Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on your range and customers. Watch lease costs, cold-chain delivery and energy bills.

Check for a food premises permit and inspections, and zoning for the unit with your municipality. A Safe Food for Canadians licence and food safety plan may apply if you sell across provincial borders or export, so check with the CFIA. Quebec has its own permit rules.

You will need recipe scaling and consistent production, food safety record-keeping, wholesale pricing and negotiation, and skill managing stock, suppliers and deliveries. The estimates suggest at least around 30 hours a week to run it.