Made-to-order indian sweets and gift boxes

Families buying for Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Eid and other festivals, wedding and party hosts, offices, temples and community groups, and people sending gifts.

Price per box or per kilogram, plus larger bulk orders for weddings and events. Demand peaks around festivals, so sales are strongest in a few busy periods.

• Cooking traditional sweets consistently
• Costing recipes and pricing
• Social media and customer messaging
• Planning production around deadlines

• Food premises permit and food handler certification: check with your local public health unit and province
• Selling from a home kitchen is allowed in some provinces and not others, so check before you start
• Label rules for allergens such as nuts and milk, and for packaged food: check with the CFIA and your province
• Commercial general liability insurance
• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold
• Sales are seasonal and ingredients like ghee, nuts and milk can change in price, so review your prices often

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on kitchen rental, equipment, packaging and ingredients. Using a shared or commissary kitchen avoids the cost of a shop, which keeps the upfront spend lower.

Things to check: a food premises permit and food handler certification with your local public health unit, whether home kitchen sales are allowed in your province, allergen and packaged food labelling rules with the CFIA, insurance, and GST/HST registration.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on order volume, pricing and festival timing. Sales are seasonal and ingredient prices such as ghee, nuts and milk can change, so review your prices often.