Neighbourhood tortilla shop with retail counter

Local households, Latin American and other food-loving communities, restaurants, cafés and caterers.

Walk-in sales per pack, wholesale orders to restaurants, and add-on items such as salsas, chips and fillings.

• Production cooking at volume
• Running a small shop and managing stock
• Customer service and basic bookkeeping

• Food premises permit and health inspection of the layout, check requirements with your local public health unit before you build out
• Zoning and business licence rules from your municipality
• Commercial general liability insurance, plus WCB/WSIB coverage if you hire, rules differ by province
• A commercial lease is a big commitment, so check the terms carefully
• Ingredient prices such as corn and flour can change, so review your prices regularly
• In Quebec, signage and labelling must meet French-language rules, check with the provincial regulator

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $20,000 to $100,000, depending on the unit, production equipment and fit-out. A commercial lease is a big commitment, so check the terms carefully.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on foot traffic, product range and wholesale customers. Ingredient prices such as corn and flour can change, so review your prices regularly.

Check food premises permit and health inspection requirements with your local public health unit before you build out. Also check municipal zoning and business licence rules, insurance, WCB/WSIB if you hire, and French-language signage and labelling rules in Quebec.