Gourmet food boxes and market stall

Gift buyers, food-loving households and workplaces buying client or staff gifts, especially around the holidays.

Margin on products and boxes. Corporate gift orders and holiday boxes usually bring larger sales than single items.

• Choosing and sourcing good products
• Basic online shop setup and photography
• Selling face to face at markets
• Packing and shipping

• Reselling packaged food may still need a permit or registration, so check with your public health unit and province
• If you repackage or make up your own products, federal labelling rules (including French and English requirements) may apply, so check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Storing stock at home may need a home-based business licence or be restricted, so check with your municipality
• Commercial general liability insurance, and product liability cover for food
• Shipping in winter and summer can damage chocolate and perishables, so stick to shelf-stable items at first
• Market stall fees and weather can affect earnings

Startup costs are estimates, typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on opening stock, packaging, your website and any market stall fees. With no shop front, there is no premises to fit out, but stock still needs upfront cash.

Reselling packaged food may still need a permit or registration, so check with your public health unit and province. If you repackage products, check federal labelling rules, including French and English requirements, and whether storing stock at home needs a licence.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $800 to $4,000, depending on your products, markets and online sales. Market stall fees and weather can affect earnings, and the holidays may bring busier periods. Plan for at least 10 hours a week.