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Toronto: A Plethora of Produce Trade

A market status update and predictions for 2018
Toronto Produce Trade_MS

Cutaia says that more than 9 million Canadians live with Type 2 diabetes. EarthFresh is also a supporter of Diabetes Canada and uses the group’s logo in marketing and branding.

Ups & Downs
Despite strong sales for several categories, there are always issues with product crossing the border, ranging from truck delays and food safety concerns to import/export costs.

ONTARIO FOOD TERMINAL

Established: 1954
Address: 165 The Queensway, Toronto, Ontario M8Y 1H8
Located between Park Lawn Road and Stephen Drive in South Etobicoke
Phone: (416) 259-5479
Email: info@oftb.com
Website: www.oftb.com
Hours: Deliveries accepted 24/7
Mondays to Fridays: 4:00 am to 2:00 pm
Sundays: 6:00 am to 11:00 am
Size: 40 acres (1.74 million square feet)
Office Space: 37,934 square feet above warehouse area
Cold Storage Space: 80,000 square feet on two levels. Temperatures are computer controlled with rooms generally set at either 32°F or 42°F. Space can be rented per pallet, weekly, or monthly.
Current Number of Tenants: 21

Farmers’ Market: Open Saturdays May through October; 50 stalls available for lease on either a semiannual basis ­(January to June or July to December) or annual basis (July through June). Space is also rented on a daily basis; daily growers can take occupancy of any vacant stalls before the market opens.

Currency Trade a Burden
Of late, the exchange rate continues to hamper suppliers on the Canada side of the border. Although it was about par 5 years ago, the exchange rate has fallen to the low-70 cents range.

As Canadian wholesalers buy much of their produce both from the United States and other countries in U.S. dollars, they’re exposed to increased costs and prices when they covert to Canadian dollars for sales and income.

“The weak and weakening Canadian dollar has been challenging for most of us importing from the United States,” agrees Formusa. “It’s adding to our costs and our selling prices in Canadian dollars, and it’s difficult to establish a selling price from a cost basis that’s not stable.”

“We buy in U.S. dollars so the exchange rate does affect us,” says Legault. “But we have no way of controlling that and we live with whatever it is. When the Canadian dollar goes down, it’s a source of inflation for us, and when it perks up, it’s a source of deflation. That is assessed in our retail price because it’s integral to our costs. Right now, we’re probably going to live with inflation for a while.”

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