Entering the Canadian food market

1. Define the importer role first

Before a foreign food product can be commercialized in Canada, the parties need to determine who will act as the importer and assume the responsibilities associated with that role.

For food imports subject to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, the importer is responsible for ensuring that imported products meet applicable Canadian requirements.

A Safe Food for Canadians licence is a central part of this framework. Where required, the licence must be valid, cover the activity of importing food and cover the food commodities being imported.

The licence number also needs to be correctly declared during the import process. The CFIA states that a transaction may be rejected when the required licence is missing, invalid or incorrectly declared until the issue is corrected.

For a foreign manufacturer, the first question is therefore not only:

“Can we export to Canada?”

It is also:

“Who will import the product, and under what regulatory and commercial structure will we enter the market?”

References: [2]

2. Check the requirements for the specific product

Canadian import requirements are not identical for every food category.

Canned vegetables, olive oil, biscuits, fresh produce and refrigerated products may be subject to different requirements.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency provides the Automated Import Reference System — AIRS — to identify requirements according to factors including the commodity, origin, destination and intended end use.

AIRS is updated regularly.

Manufacturers and importers should therefore verify the applicable requirements when preparing an actual shipment rather than relying on an old assessment.

Before committing production for Canada, key information should include:

• exact product classification;
• composition;
• country of origin;
• storage conditions;
• packaging format;
• required documents;
• any commodity-specific requirements.

References: [3]

3. Qualify the supplier and its food controls

The Canadian importer is responsible for ensuring that imported food is safe and meets applicable Canadian requirements.

Where a written preventive control plan is required, it documents how risks and applicable requirements are identified, controlled, verified and documented.

A well-prepared manufacturer should be able to provide clear information about its product, processes and controls so that the importer can assess the product and associated risks.

Depending on the product, relevant documentation may include:

• technical specifications;
• ingredients;
• allergens;
• manufacturing processes;
• quality controls;
• lot identification;
• certificates or test results where relevant;
• traceability procedures;
• available certifications.

Recognized private certifications may support supplier evaluation, but they do not automatically replace Canadian regulatory requirements.

References: [4]

4. Build usable traceability

Traceability should be designed before a shipment leaves the factory, not after an issue occurs.

Canadian requirements are based in part on the ability to trace food one step backward and one step forward through the supply chain.

This requires a reliable link between the physical product and the documentation supporting it.

A robust system should make it possible to identify information such as:

• the food;
• its lot code or unique identifier;
• the supplier;
• relevant dates;
• shipping documents;
• the immediate customer or recipient where required.

Applicable traceability records are generally subject to a two-year retention requirement.

Good traceability supports both regulatory compliance and operational response in the event of a recall or investigation.

References: [5]

5. Address Canadian labelling before printing packaging

Labelling should be considered early in a Canadian market-entry project.

For consumer prepackaged food, mandatory information generally needs to appear in both English and French, subject to applicable exceptions.

Imported products are also subject to requirements concerning the identity of the responsible party and, depending on the product and presentation, geographic origin.

For food wholly manufactured outside Canada, acceptable approaches may include declarations such as:

“Imported by / Importé par”

or

“Imported for / Importé pour”

together with the appropriate business information, depending on the circumstances.

The exact requirement must be verified for the specific product.

A costly mistake is to print a large packaging run before confirming how the Canadian label needs to be structured.

The better sequence is:

1. product
2. requirements
3. label
4. validation
5. printing

References: [6], [7]

6. Prepare a commercially usable product file

Regulatory compliance alone does not make a product easy to distribute.

An importer, distributor or buyer reviewing a new product needs to understand both the product and the conditions under which it can be supplied.

Depending on the category, a prepared manufacturer should be ready to provide:

PRODUCT

• catalogue;
• technical specifications;
• ingredients and allergens;
• available formats;
• shelf life;
• storage conditions.

COMMERCIAL

• export pricing;
• minimum order quantity — MOQ;
• production lead time;
• available Incoterms;
• proposed payment terms;
• production capacity.

LOGISTICS

• units per case;
• gross and net weight;
• case dimensions;
• cases per pallet;
• pallet height and weight;
• temperature requirements where applicable.

MARKET

• current export markets;
• available packaging formats;
• private-label capabilities, where available;
• commercial materials;
• sample availability.

Not all of this information is regulatory.

It is commercial information that helps determine whether a Canadian listing opportunity is economically and operationally realistic.

7. Move from factory price to landed cost

An attractive factory price does not necessarily mean a product will remain competitive once it reaches Canada.

Commercial evaluation needs to consider landed cost.

Depending on the product and transaction, the calculation may include:

• manufacturer price
• inland transport at origin
• export handling
• international freight
• insurance where applicable
• customs brokerage
• applicable duties
• compliance and labelling costs
• Canadian handling
• warehousing
• domestic delivery.

Margins required by the different participants in the distribution chain then need to be considered.

This calculation should take place before significant volume commitments are made.

1. MANUFACTURER
2. COMPLIANCE
3. IMPORT
4. DISTRIBUTION
5. RETAIL

8. Understand Canadian food distribution

Canada's grocery market includes major national groups, regional retailers, wholesalers, specialized distributors and independent grocery operators.

In 2026, the Competition Bureau continued to report that most Canadians buy groceries from one of five companies: Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Costco and Walmart.

For a new international manufacturer, this does not mean that a direct listing with a major chain is necessarily the best first step.

Depending on the product, positioning, available volume and target customer, market entry may also involve:

• an importer-distributor;
• a specialized distributor;
• a wholesaler;
• independent grocery stores;
• specialty retailers;
• a regional chain;
• a controlled commercial test with a limited number of SKUs.

The initial objective does not necessarily need to be maximum store coverage.

The objective is to find a viable combination of product, price, channel, volume and demand.

References: [8]

9. Manufacturer readiness checklist

PRODUCT

• Technical specification available
• Ingredients and allergens documented
• Shelf life confirmed
• Storage requirements defined

COMPLIANCE

• Preliminary Canadian requirements reviewed
• AIRS checked for the category
• Quality documentation available
• Canadian labelling to be assessed or already prepared

COMMERCIAL

• Export pricing available
• MOQ defined
• Production lead time known
• Incoterms defined
• Payment terms identified

LOGISTICS

• Case dimensions available
• Weights confirmed
• Pallet configuration known
• Transport temperature specified where required

MARKET DEVELOPMENT

• Existing export markets identified
• Samples available
• Private-label capability specified if applicable
• Export contact identified

10. Successful market entry starts before the first order

For an importer or distributor, supplier readiness also matters: accessible information, responsiveness, cost visibility, documentation and the ability to adapt the offer to the market.

Before committing significant volume, the more disciplined approach is to qualify the product, verify the applicable requirements, calculate landed cost and assess commercial potential through the appropriate channels.