What small Canadian businesses do you buy from online in the food and drink caregory?

I buy British goods from A Bit of Home all the time, ususally at least once every 2 months.

Personally, I would rather go to a store but good for you.

Rather see the business go to a Canadian operation especially if they have physical locations than a company like Amazon. While potentially more expensive, I believe in trying to support business that help build communities with retail operations.

I buy local. Most retailers in my area have online sales.
If you are talking Canadian made produts, you need to be more specific.

maple1 wrote: ↑ Personally, I would rather go to a store but good for you.

Rather see the business go to a Canadian operation especially if they have physical locations than a company like Amazon. While potentially more expensive, I believe in trying to support business that help build communities with retail operations.

Pete_Coach wrote: ↑ I buy local. Most retailers in my area have online sales.
If you are talking Canadian made produts, you need to be more specific.

I live pretty far from an urban area so some things have to be bought online. Plus due to Covid I am not able to go to stores. Hence the online.

I’m really just interested in hearing from RFDers about which online sources they use with an emphasis on Canadian. And I am interested in hearing about anything food or drink related. I am sure people will share things I hadn’t even though of or considered.

The first company I’ve bought from was recommended on another thread:

The Silk Road (silkroadspices.ca)

The ordering process was good. The products look good. I’m planning on reporting back when the products come in.

This is a Canadian company from what I can see (not all made in Canada but that is a hard standard to reach with spices).

Canoes4Fun wrote: ↑ The first company I’ve bought from was recommended on another thread:

The Silk Road (silkroadspices.ca)

The ordering process was good. The products look good. I’m planning on reporting back when the products come in.

This is a Canadian company from what I can see (not all made in Canada but that is a hard standard to reach with spices).

Well, if that is your standard then Amazon.ca has all sorts of products and they deliver. Amazon.ca has many warehouses and distribution centers in Canada. I have used them and gotten what I need.

Pete_Coach wrote: ↑ Well, if that is your standard then Amazon.ca has all sorts of products and they deliver. Amazon.ca has many warehouses and distribution centers in Canada. I have used them and gotten what I need.

My goal with this thread was to keep the definition flexible while aiming for more rather than less Canadian.

In an ideal world I would buy everything I use from a company in my neighbour hood and all products from start to finish would be local.

That’s a bit difficult so I’m aiming for more rather than less local and Canadian. So some products (wine) can easily be bought from Canadian vineyards. Spices like black mustard seeds (what led to this order) can be bought from a Canadian company but not 100% sourced here.

I’m sorry if my definition doesn’t satisfy you in some way. I am really just looking to learn about companies people like and enjoy supporting beyond the really obvious big companies.

I did in the title say small and Canadian. By any definition Amazon doesn’t meet those criteria.

This is The Silk Road’s about us page: https://silkroadspices.ca/pages/about-us.

I chose this site because:

- It is a Canadian company
- It is a small business (as compared to a transnational company like Amazon)
- It carries a range of spices I cannot buy locally

Pete_Coach wrote: ↑ Well, if that is your standard then Amazon.ca has all sorts of products and they deliver. Amazon.ca has many warehouses and distribution centers in Canada. I have used them and gotten what I need.

Silk Road are a small, brick and mortar store in Inglewood, nothing near an Amazon type outfit.

Wasn't aware of their online presence, nice to see they've adapted with the times however! Their store is fantastic.

Canoes4Fun wrote: ↑ My goal with this thread was to keep the definition flexible while aiming for more rather than less Canadian.

I....

......

I’m sorry if my definition doesn’t satisfy you in some way. ......

I did in the title say small and Canadian. By any definition Amazon doesn’t meet those criteria.

....

....

.....

I will post this last thought. Amazon.ca is Canadian in every way and by all definition and legal requirements. It is as Canadian as any Mom and Pop brick and mortar store. It sells the same products as those stores. It sells all the same products made by same sources you are looking for.
It is not my satisfaction that needs to be appeased.
As I said "I buy local. Most retailers in my area have online sales."
Happy shopping.

The second company I bought from this week is Pillitteri. (https://www.pillitteri.com/roots/)

I haven’t bought ice wine in ages because of the cost so I was excited to hear about how they press their late harvest (which is a more affordable dessert wine).

The ordering process and communication has been good.

It’s to arrive on Wednesday. Will update at that point.

Pete_Coach wrote: ↑ I will post this last thought. Amazon.ca is Canadian in every way and by all definition and legal requirements. It is as Canadian as any Mom and Pop brick and mortar store. It sells the same products as those stores. It sells all the same products made by same sources you are looking for.
It is not my satisfaction that needs to be appeased.
As I said "I buy local. Most retailers in my area have online sales."
Happy shopping.

Amazon isn’t a Canadian company. It might have a registered address and domain or even a Canadian branch but Amazon is incorporated in the states.

If you’re saying Amazon.ca can sell Canadian sourced goods, sure I agree, but you’re definitely stretching the idea that Amazon.ca is Canadian

1xTiMeR wrote: ↑ Amazon isn’t a Canadian company. It might have a registered address and domain or even a Canadian branch but Amazon is incorporated in the states.

If you’re saying Amazon.ca can sell Canadian sourced goods, sure I agree, but you’re definitely stretching the idea that Amazon.ca is Canadian

It is as much Canadian as many of our retailers....including The Bay and most food processing companies and on and on.
And yes, I was saying if you want to buy what the OP wants, Amazon.ca sells it.

I also decided to buy wild rice directly from someone harvesting it.

I placed an order with these guys: https://www.canadianpurewildrice.ca/gal ... -c43286577.

I am hoping it will arrive this week. Will post an update on their products.

I also planning on placing my next order for nuts with these guys: https://yupik.com/en/about-us.

I have bought their products through other vendors and really like their products.

Canary and Fox. Its here in Toronto at Jane and Annette. A lot of unique items (one of only two places in Ontario to get my Stumptown coffee), organic, local, that kind of thing. Sells a lot of stuff from other local producers and always has a bunch of new items coming in.
The guy that runs it is super nice and their customer service is right on top of everything, they have a very good website and online ordering is super easy.
They deliver within the GTA.

https://canaryandfox.com/

maple1 wrote: ↑ Personally, I would rather go to a store but good for you.

Rather see the business go to a Canadian operation especially if they have physical locations than a company like Amazon. While potentially more expensive, I believe in trying to support business that help build communities with retail operations.

Honestly, I think Amazon gets a bad rap for nothing. They make it easy for a seller to set up on their marketplace, but also allows some small businesses to grow, by letting them rely on their logistics. I know a seller that set up a storefront, input inventory and drop ships everything to the Amazon warehouse from his supplier to then be "Sold by xxx, fulfilled by Amazon" on their site. No way he would have had the resources to set up his own online sales platform, physical warehouse and logistics, both in money, manpower and time.

@Canoes4Fun There is only one commercial rice paddy in Canada and it's in Chatham, Ontario. The site you linked grows wild rice, which is a misnomer as it's not rice but a kind of edible grass, that sprouts.

my0gr81 wrote: ↑ Honestly, I think Amazon gets a bad rap for nothing. They make it easy for a seller to set up on their marketplace, but also allows some small businesses to grow, by letting them rely on their logistics. I know a seller that set up a storefront, input inventory and drop ships everything to the Amazon warehouse from his supplier to then be "Sold by xxx, fulfilled by Amazon" on their site. No way he would have had the resources to set up his own online sales platform, physical warehouse and logistics, both in money, manpower and time.

That is fair. Online sales are a reality for any business. But that is where I would prefer to support a business that also has a physical retail presence so that areas can be built up and sustained.

Amazon is helping build a business in the case of the seller than you know. Which is different from building a community. What I am talking about is trying to have a Main Street.

Canoes4Fun wrote: ↑ I also decided to buy wild rice directly from someone harvesting it.

I placed an order with these guys: https://www.canadianpurewildrice.ca/gal ... -c43286577.

I am hoping it will arrive this week. Will post an update on their products.

my0gr81 wrote: ↑@Canoes4Fun There is only one commercial rice paddy in Canada and it's in Chatham, Ontario. The site you linked grows wild rice, which is a misnomer as it's not rice but a kind of edible grass, that sprouts.

Absolutely right about the definition of wild rice. As I said I wanted to buy wild rice from someone harvesting it. They harvest and package it in Northwestern Ontario.