Part-time rice supply round

Small restaurants, takeaways, food trucks and independent grocers that want a reliable local supplier.

You add a margin to each sack or case and charge a delivery fee on small orders. Weekly orders from a few steady customers cover your costs, and you reinvest as the route grows.

• Talking to business owners and following up
• Reliable timekeeping for deliveries
• Basic maths for pricing and margins
• Able to lift heavy sacks safely

• Licensing depends on your location and how you operate: check with your municipality about a business licence and whether home storage of stock is allowed
• Check with the CFIA and your provincial public health unit whether reselling sealed, unopened food needs any licence or registration, particularly if you buy from other provinces, import, or repackage (repackaging is likely to bring stricter rules)
• Commercial general liability insurance, and check that your auto policy covers business deliveries
• A thin margin if you buy from another wholesaler, so confirm your numbers before committing
• Registering for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and keeping clear records

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how much stock you buy, your storage and what you already have for a vehicle. Confirm your numbers first, as margins can be thin.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many restaurants and shops you supply and the prices you agree. Buying from another wholesaler can leave a thin margin.

Check with your municipality about a business licence and whether home storage of stock is allowed. Also check with the CFIA and your provincial public health unit whether reselling sealed food needs a licence, especially if you import, buy interprovincially or repackage.