BBN Labs — Better Business Network

Food Producers & Agri-Food

BBN Labs helps food businesses grow beyond the farm gate or the first retail shelf. That means packaging and brand design, product photography, e-commerce and wholesale ordering, and export-readiness groundwork. Agri-food has dedicated funding streams in every province. Before you spend, we check your project for programs that may apply, subject to intake timing and program rules.

Pain points

What food business owners tell us

Packaging undersells the product

The product competes with the bigger brands; the label gives the shelf away. Redesigns feel daunting once bilingual labelling and nutrition requirements enter the picture.

Wholesale runs on texts and memory

Standing orders, weekly counts and price lists live in phone threads. Errors creep in. Growth multiplies the chaos faster than the revenue.

Margins are squeezed at both ends

Input, packaging and energy costs keep rising while retail price points stay sticky. Refrigeration or processing equipment quietly compounds the pressure.

Harvest peaks with no direct channel

When product is most abundant, there is no pre-order or e-commerce pipeline ready to capture demand. Peak supply meets improvised selling.

Upgrade paths

Where to start, in order

  1. 01

    Look like the shelf leader

    Brand, packaging design and product photography that hold their own beside national brands. Built around the label content you are required to carry.

  2. 02

    Sell direct and wholesale, online

    E-commerce for consumers, pre-orders for market days and a proper wholesale ordering flow replace the text-message order book.

  3. 03

    Prepare for bigger markets

    Export-readiness groundwork, energy efficiency in processing and storage, and staff training that scales with your ambitions.

Funding categories

Programs that may relate

Export developmentE-commerceEnergy efficiencyRural economic developmentDigital adoption

Agri-food, export and rural development programs may support some food business projects, subject to intake timing and program rules. Eligible costs vary widely by program, so we screen before you commit.

124 verified programs across Canada may apply to a food business right now. Here are examples from different provinces — check your funding fit to see the ones your province offers.

New food business funding, straight to your inbox

Programs for businesses like yours open and close all year. One short email when something worth your time changes, and nothing else.

By subscribing you agree to receive program alerts from BBN Labs Inc. by email. Unsubscribe anytime — one click, takes effect right away.

Packages

Bundles that fit

Export Market Launch Package

A business ready to sell beyond its home market, with materials, systems and paperwork in order.

Details →

Website & E-commerce Growth Package

A website that earns its keep: found locally and easy to buy from.

Details →

Business Launch Package

Everything a new business needs to open its doors looking established.

Details →

Where you are

Funding and upgrades in your province

Free tool · Exporters · ~5 min

Export Readiness Checklist

Market choice, buyer-facing assets, follow-up machinery, logistics and CanExport-style funding readiness: the self-check to run before the first trade show.

Open the tool →

Frequently asked questions

Can you help us get retail-ready or export-ready?

We handle the commercial groundwork: brand and packaging design, product photography, a website buyers take seriously, e-commerce or wholesale ordering, and export-readiness research and materials. Food-safety certifications, labelling compliance and regulatory approvals remain with you and your food-safety advisors, though we design packaging around the label content you provide. Where export programs may apply, we screen fit and point to official sources.

Is there funding for packaging, branding or marketing work?

Sometimes, usually inside a bigger project. Marketing and brand costs have at times been eligible within agri-food, export-development or regional programs rather than as standalone grants, and each program defines eligible costs differently. Intakes open and close through the year. We check your project for current programs, flag what the rules appear to cover, and you confirm the details with the administrator.

We mostly sell at farmers' markets. Does e-commerce make sense for us?

Often, in a focused form. Pre-orders for market pickup, seasonal boxes and local delivery let you capture demand during harvest peaks without building a national shipping operation. It also keeps customers ordering between market days. We usually recommend starting with a simple ordering setup, proving demand, and only adding shipping complexity when the numbers support it.

Upgrade your food business

Tell us about your business and project. You get a practical plan, a clear quote, and an honest read on which programs may help pay. It's all free, with nothing to lose.

Free No obligation About 2 minutes

Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Final decisions are made solely by each program administrator.