Get funding to help meet export requirements

Selling your food products overseas, in a new international market, can be a great next step for your business.

The AgriAssurance Program – Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Component can provide funding to help you get the certifications required to sell your food product internationally. This includes everything from Safe Quality Foods, Hazard Analysis, and Critical Control Points certifications to vegan, nut-free, and Halal certifications.

Blue Ocean Teaz and Herbalz Inc. is a prime example of a business that took advantage of funding offered via AgriAssurance. This British Columbia-based company produces high-quality blended teas. They used funding from the AgriAssurance Program to help them get certified in order to secure new partnerships with companies in international markets (US, Europe and UK). “Since receiving our new certification, we have been successful in increasing our business by an additional $500,000 this year,” says President & CEO Mark Arathoon.

Over in Quebec, beverage company Maple 3 used funding from AgriAssurance to achieve South Korean Organic Certification for their organic maple water.

“Since then, we’ve achieved massive growth in Korea,“ says Maple 3 general manager Yannick Leclerc.

Why should you participate in the AgriAssurance Program, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Component?

• Get funding to help cover the costs of meeting the requirements needed to export your product.
• Spend less time navigating red tape and more time working on your business goals.

In order to be eligible for funding, businesses must meet the following criteria:

• You operate in the agriculture, agri-food and agri-products industry, including the fish and seafood industry
• You are directly involved in growing, harvesting, processing, or otherwise transforming or consolidating your products
• Your project is aimed at meeting actual market-specific certification requirements (support under this component is only provided for initial certifications, not subsequent renewals)
• You have up to 500 full-time equivalent employees
• Your annual revenues don't exceed $100 million
• You are a legal entity capable of entering into legal binding agreements

Find out how AgriAssurance can help you get your product approved for sale in new markets or, connect with an AgriAssurance program officer directly by emailing aafc.assurance.aac@agr.gc.ca.

You can also call our contact centre between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CST Monday through Friday at 1-877-246-4682.