How to Start an Ethnic Food Business: Opportunities & Challenges

Location: Online.

This webinar will show you the practical steps to take to develop your ethnic food business in the Canadian food market. You will learn about the landscape of the ethnic food segment in Toronto and surrounding communities; what the opportunities and challenges are within this sector; how to effectively communicate your offering; how to find packagers, equipment, and suppliers; how to navigate distribution channels; what to consider when setting your price; what you need to do before you begin operating; why insurance is especially important in the food industry; and, how to draw in the right consumer for your food product and/or service. By the end of this presentation, you will understand the groundwork to launch your business and know what to do every step of the way.

What you will learn:

• What do I need to consider when planning my ethnic food small business?
• What has happened with the ethnic food sector recently? What can I expect over the next decade?
• What opportunities and challenges can I expect?
• What should I consider when setting up a location?
• Where do I get my equipment and ingredients?
• How do I find someone to package my food product?
• What licensing and regulatory requirements apply to my small business?
• How do I set my prices correctly? How do I figure out what my retail price should be?
• What are distribution channels? How do I get my ethnic food product on the shelf?
• How do I get consumers coming to my ethnic food business?
• Why do I need insurance for a food business?
• Now that my ethnic food business is launched, what do I do each day?

Join us to learn all about how to start an ethnic food business.

Speaker Bio:

B. K. Sethi is the president of B K Sethi Marketing Ltd., which he started in 1982, as a food broker, importer, distributor, and marketer of authentic brands of multicultural foods from around the world. B. K. Sethi has an MBA in marketing with over 35 years of experience in food and beverage importing, distribution, and marketing. He has consulted with many multinationals, including Unilever, Kraft Heinz, Robin Hood Multifood, Dairy Farmers of Canada, and several foreign trade promotion consulates. B. K. Sethi is also a published author of “Meet B K… in the Ethnic Food Aisle,” a memoir of his life journey from a refugee boy in divided India to his Canadian life as an entrepreneur who saw and seized the opportunity by introducing multinational brands of authentic ethnic food products to Canadians.