Craft soy sauce brewery in a small unit

Restaurants, specialty and ethnic grocers, food distributors, and other food producers who want a local or craft soy sauce.

Wholesale sales by bottle, case or bulk container, plus some retail through a shop counter or online. Larger batches lower the cost per bottle once your process is steady.

• Fermentation and food safety knowledge
• Managing equipment and stock
• Wholesale selling and invoicing
• Planning production months ahead

• Zoning, building and fire requirements for a food processing unit, check with your municipality
• Provincial or public health approval of the premises and process, and a Safe Food for Canadians licence if you trade across provinces or export, check with the CFIA
• Labelling rules, including bilingual labels, allergens and sodium, and French-language rules in Quebec
• Commercial general liability and product liability insurance, plus WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire, rules differ by province
• A large amount of money is tied up in stock during long fermentation, so keep a cash buffer
• Winter heating and temperature control, which affect fermentation and costs

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $20,000 to $90,000, depending on equipment such as fermentation vessels and a press, and the unit you rent. Monthly revenue is estimated at roughly $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your trade customers.

Check zoning, building and fire requirements with your municipality, and provincial or public health approval of the premises and process. Also check CFIA licensing for trade across provinces or export, labelling rules, and Quebec's French-language rules.

A large amount of money is tied up in stock during long fermentation, so keep a cash buffer. Winter heating and temperature control also affect fermentation and costs, and insurance and WCB/WSIB rules differ by province.