Starting A Food Processing Business

Your Guide to Food Processing (PDF version 1.28 MB) (HTML version) in Ontario is the best tool for anyone starting a food-processing business in Ontario.

This guide:

• explores business issues specific to the food processing industry
• provides guidelines for food safety, quality assurance and government regulations.
• contains contacts and on-line links directing you to resources.

Getting Started in the Food Processing Business

• First Steps
• Launching New Products
• Copacking
• Distribution
• Export Development
• Food Safety/Inspection/Quality Control
• Marketing
• Packaging / Labelling
• Sourcing Supplies
• Specialty Markets
• Meat Processing Information Bundle
• Cheesemaking Information Bundle
• Minimally Processed Fruit and Vegetable Information Bundle

For general business information, the following resources are recommended:

Ontario Business Service Centre

The Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre provides a wealth of business information, guides, factsheets, advice and services. These include

• The Interactive Business Planner, to help you prepare a 3-year business plan
• A series of Business Start-Up Info-Guide, for those just starting a business. The info-guide on Agriculture Grants, Subsidies and Contributions may be of interest to you.

• A series of Factsheets providing hands-on details in running a business

Small Business Enterprise Centres

The Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship has set up a series of Small Business Enterprise Centres across the province.

These provide support to start-up and small enterprises during their early years of development and operation. You can access:

• business consulting services
• management information
• marketing information
• technology information
• financing information
• workshops and seminars
• mentoring and networking opportunities.

To phone or visit a Small Business Enterprise Centre, select the town nearest you from the list below.

Small Business Enterprise Centre locations.

Pocket Guide to Small Business

The Pocket Guide to Small Business is a fact booklet about Ontario's small business community. Topics include:

• Ontario's economic role in Canada
• small and medium-sized enterprises
• key growth factors
• expanding into global markets
• financing growth.

Government Programs for Small Business

Government Programs for Small Business is the provincial government's searchable database of government programs for small and medium-sized business.

Other Useful Links:

Moody's offers detailed financial analysis for companies. It is used by many financial institutions to evaluate credit requests

Food in Canada's annual Guide Book directs you to food and beverage associations, councils, research and educational institutions and some United States associations.

The Ontario Food Industries and Associations web page is a comprehensive list of food organizations in the province.

Publics Health Units are official health agencies established to provide an efficient community health program and carry out food premises inspections. They have developed Safe Food Handling Recommendations to assist in the prevention of food poisoning. Inspection programs are also administered by the provincial and federal government.