Pre-order vegetable wholesale from a small unit

Restaurants, caterers, small grocers and meal prep businesses that want a simple weekly order without visiting a market.

A markup on each order, plus a delivery fee or minimum order. Buying to order keeps waste low, so margins are more predictable.

• Organising orders and stock
• Building relationships with growers
• Customer service and clear communication
• Basic online tools such as order forms and invoicing

• Check with your municipality about zoning and business licence rules for storing and distributing food from a unit
• Check with your public health unit or provincial regulator about food handling, cold storage and permits
• Commercial general liability insurance, and product liability cover for food
• Cold chain failures, so invest in reliable refrigeration and temperature checks
• Late payments from buyers, so consider deposits or payment on delivery for new customers
• Slower months in winter when local supply is limited, and rely on imports or storage crops

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000 CAD, depending on your unit, refrigeration and the tools you use for orders and invoicing. Treat this as a rough guide and get quotes for your own setup.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000 CAD, depending on how many chefs, grocers and caterers you supply and how often they order. These are estimates, not guarantees, and they are revenue, not profit.

Check with your municipality about zoning and business licence rules for storing food from a unit, and with your public health unit or provincial regulator about food handling, cold storage and permits. Also check insurance, including product liability for food.