Open an italian grocery shop

Local households, people of Italian heritage, home cooks and food lovers, plus nearby restaurants and cafés buying specialist items.

You buy from importers and wholesalers and sell at a mark-up. Extra income can come from deli items sold by weight, gift baskets and holiday orders at Christmas and Easter.

• Knowledge of Italian food
• Buying and stock control
• Customer service
• Basic bookkeeping

• Food retail permits and inspections from your local public health unit, especially if you cut cheese or meat
• Rules on importing and labelling food, including bilingual labelling, check with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Selling wine usually needs provincial approval, and in many provinces only licensed outlets can sell alcohol
• Commercial general liability insurance and a lease you fully understand
• Thin margins, spoilage on fresh items and price swings on imported goods

Startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on premises, fit-out and opening stock. Monthly revenue is estimated at roughly $15,000 to $60,000, depending on location and range. Treat these as estimates and plan for thin margins.

Check food retail permits and inspections from your local public health unit, especially if you cut cheese or meat. Also check importing and bilingual labelling rules with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and provincial approval if you want to sell wine.

Plan on at least about 40 hours a week as an estimate, depending on whether you hire help. Watch for thin margins, spoilage on fresh items and price swings on imported goods, and make sure you fully understand your lease.