Wholesale importer supplying local businesses

Independent shops, restaurants, cafés, trades and other small businesses that want a reliable supplier of products they can't easily get from big distributors.

You sell at a wholesale price above landed cost. Margins per item are lower than retail, so profit depends on repeat orders and steady volume.

• Sales and relationship building
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Logistics and stock management
• Managing cash flow and pricing

• Food, plant, animal and some other products may need CFIA or other federal licences and labelling, so check before ordering
• Currency swings, shipping delays and port disruptions can hit your margins and cash flow
• Check commercial general liability and product liability insurance, as buyers may ask for proof
• Large orders mean paying suppliers before you are paid, so plan your cash flow and think carefully about offering payment terms
• Check whether trade agreements such as CUSMA or other tariff rules affect your products

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the product category, order sizes and storage or warehouse arrangements. Large orders mean paying suppliers before you are paid, so plan your cash flow carefully.

Food, plant, animal and some other products may need CFIA or other federal licences and labelling, so check before ordering. Also check whether trade agreements such as CUSMA or other tariff rules affect your products, and ask about product liability insurance.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on your product category, order volumes and customers. Currency swings, shipping delays and port disruptions can hit margins and cash flow, and the work typically takes at least 20 hours a week.