Huron County Economic Development

You sold 100 jars (Yay!). But did you actually make a profit?

Ingredients are only part of what your product costs.

Packaging, labels, labour, overhead, and retail margins add up quickly to and could be eating your profit.

Join Foodpreneur Advantage this Thursday, September 3, to get a clearer picture of what your product costs and what you need to charge for the numbers to work.

📅 Sept. 3 | 10 AM
💻 Free + online

Register: https://foodpreneuradvantage.ca/start-up-seminars/

That’s a wrap on Summer Company 2026! 🎉

This summer, a talented group of young business owners put their ideas into action, gaining hands-on experience running a business while building skills, confidence and connections along the way.

Congratulations to this year’s participating businesses:

Back row:
• Sam Robinson | Frameshift media (Central Huron)
• Rian McConnell | McConnell Land Management (Bluewater)
• Micah Adams | Adams’ Exterior Home Services (Central Huron)
• Aaric Ritchie | AR Detailing (North Huron)
• Blaine McKee | McKee Bros (Morris-Turnberry)
• Hayden Wick | Wick's ProClean (Huron East)

Front row:
• Maria Askes | Jumbo Quail Eggs & More (Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh)
• Evan Denunzio | Lakeshore Lot Painting (Goderich)
• Maraya Schiestel | Little Rays of Sunshine (North Huron)
• Lily Verbeek | The Daily Stitch (Morris-Turnberry)

Not pictured:
• Owen Wheeler | Drastic Plastic (North Huron)

We’re proud to have supported these young business owners as they learned, tested ideas and built something of their own right here in Huron County.

Interested in being part of Summer Company next year? Applications for the 2027 program will open in January 2027. Stay tuned for details!

Learn more about the program:
huroncounty.ca/economic-development/summer-company/

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Summer Company is an Ontario government program delivered locally in partnership with Huron Business Centre and supported by the McCall MacBain Foundation. Huron Business Centre is a Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC). The SBEC program is delivered locally by the County of Huron and funded in partnership with the Province of Ontario.

A local service business is built one job at a time. 🧽

For our recent Summer Company site visit, we joined Hayden Wick, owner of Wick's ProClean, to see how he is helping customers take care of their outdoor spaces and garbage bins.

Serving Seaforth and Egmondville, Hayden offers outdoor cleaning services and yard maintenance for people who could use an extra hand keeping their properties clean, tidy and cared for.

Behind each job is the work of running a business. Hayden is gaining hands-on experience in scheduling, quoting, customer communication, marketing and managing day-to-day operations while building a reputation for reliable local service.

Need support with cleaning or outdoor property care? Follow Wick’s ProClean, share Hayden’s business or keep him in mind for an upcoming job. 💚

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Summer Company is an Ontario government program delivered locally in partnership with the Huron Business Centre and supported by the McCall MacBain Foundation. The Huron Business Centre is a Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC). The SBEC program is delivered locally by the County of Huron and funded in partnership with the Province of Ontario.

Municipality of Huron East

Okay, you made it. But who’s buying it?

Farmers’ markets? Your own website? Local shops? Wholesale?

There’s no single right way to sell a food product, but there are smarter strategies to help you start.

Join Foodpreneur Advantage on this Thursday, August 27, for a practical session all about getting your product into customers’ hands.

📅 Aug. 27 | 10 AM
💻 Free + online
Register: https://foodpreneuradvantage.ca/start-up-seminars/

From idea to finished piece, Maraya Schiestel is bringing a little more brightness to everyday life. ☀️

For our recent Summer Company site visit, we spent time with Maraya inside Little Rays of Sunshine where she creates custom apparel and thoughtful gifts designed to feel personal and meaningful.
Her product line includes hoodies, sweatshirts, T-shirts, tote bags and keepsakes, with each item offering customers a chance to celebrate a person, moment or message that matters to them.

Behind every finished piece is the work of running a growing business. Maraya is building hands-on experience in customer service, product pricing, marketing, order management and the day-to-day details that help bring each custom idea to life.

Follow Little Rays of Sunshine to see more of Maraya’s work, share her business or keep her in mind for your next personalized gift or custom apparel order. 💚
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Summer Company is an Ontario government program delivered locally in partnership with the Huron Business Centre and supported by the McCall MacBain Foundation. The Huron Business Centre is a Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC). The SBEC program is delivered locally by the County of Huron and funded in partnership with the Province of Ontario.

Township of North Huron

The best transformations deserve a before-and-after. 🚗✨

For our recent Summer Company site visit, we joined Aaric Ritchie, owner of AR Detailing to see the care and attention that goes into bringing a vehicle back to its best.

Based in Bluevale, AR Detailing provides mobile service to customers in surrounding communities. Aaric takes pride in the details, from tackling built-up dirt and everyday wear to creating a clean, refreshed finish.

Aaric regularly shares before-and-after photos on social media, giving followers a clear look at the results of his work. Each job also helps him build practical experience in customer service, pricing, scheduling, marketing and day-to-day business operations.

Follow AR Detailing to see more transformations, share Aaric’s work or book a detail for your car, truck or everyday ride. 💚
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Summer Company is an Ontario government program delivered locally in partnership with the Huron Business Centre and supported by the McCall MacBain Foundation. The Huron Business Centre is a Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC). The SBEC program is delivered locally by the County of Huron and funded in partnership with the Province of Ontario.

Township of North Huron

Summer may be winding down, but Newcomer Day at Camp is back THIS SATURDAY! ☀

Join us at Camp Klahanie near Goderich for this FREE annual day-long event full of fun, food, and community connection!

Enjoy soccer, volleyball, a cricket demo, a guided hike, a petting zoo with alpacas, crafts with an Indigenous artists, an African drumming workshop, dance workshops, a campfire with marshmallows, and so much more.

It's a wonderful opportunity for newcomers to Canada and their supporters to come together, make new friends, and celebrate the cultural diversity that makes Huron County strong.

🗓August 22, 2-8 pm
📍33612 Blacks Point Rd, Goderich
🎟 Admission is free and everyone is welcome!
🍉FREE community BBQ with Halal, vegetarian, and gluten-free food options.
🍪Bring a dessert from your culture to share.

We can't wait to welcome you!

Before you start selling that sauce, jam, seasoning, baked good or beverage, there are a few things worth knowing first.

What regulations apply?
Where can you produce?
What do you actually need to have in place?

If you have a food product you’re hoping to turn into a business, this session will help make the starting line a lot clearer.

📅 Aug. 20 | 10 AM
💻 Free + online

Register: https://foodpreneuradvantage.ca/start-up-seminars/

Fresh eggs and a brand-new farm stand. 🥚

For our latest Summer Company site visit, we stopped by Jumbo Quail Eggs & More to see Maria Askes at her recently completed farm stand.

Maria offers fresh, locally raised quail eggs giving customers the chance to try something different while supporting a young entrepreneur close to home. Her new stand creates a welcoming place to share her products directly with the community.

As one of Huron County’s 2026 Summer Company participants, Maria is gaining hands-on experience in production, pricing, marketing, customer service and the day-to-day work of running a food business.

Curious about quail eggs? Keep an eye out for Jumbo Quail Eggs & More, stop by the farm stand and help spread the word about Maria’s growing business. 💚

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Summer Company is an Ontario government program delivered locally in partnership with the Huron Business Centre and supported by the McCall MacBain Foundation. The Huron Business Centre is a Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC). The SBEC program is delivered locally by the County of Huron and funded in partnership with the Province of Ontario.

Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh

You’ve perfected the recipe – but what about the business?

If you’re in the early stages of building a food business, don’t miss Foodpreneur Advantage. This free webinar series has answers to all the questions you’ve cooked up.

Here’s the lineup happening this August and September from Foodpreneur Advantage.

Aug. 20 — Starting a Food Business & Regulatory Compliance
Aug. 27 — How to Sell Your Food Product
Sept. 3 — Costing, Pricing & Unit Economics
Sept. 10 — Branding & Marketing Your Food Product
Sept. 17 — Food Safety Fundamentals for Founders
Sept. 23 — Barcodes & Beyond: What You Need to be Market-Ready
Sept. 24 — Labelling & Packaging Your Food Product
Sept. 30 — Barcodes & Beyond: Scaling Your Business for Growth

All sessions are free, online and begin at 10 AM. Register to receive the recording event if you can’t attend live.

Register here:
https://foodpreneuradvantage.ca/start-up-seminars/

👉 Save this post for later and register for the sessions your business needs.