FoodShare
FoodShare Toronto is a 40-year-old nonprofit food justice organization serving BIPOC and low-income communities in Toronto through urban farms, food distribution, education programs, and policy advocacy on the right to food.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What FoodShare does
FoodShare Toronto is a registered nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1985 in Toronto, Canada, operating in the food justice and food sovereignty sector. The organization delivers four core program areas: Community Learning and Engagement (food literacy workshops and culturally affirming curriculum), Community Food Growing (BIPOC-led urban agriculture, community gardens, and composting), Community Action Support (capacity building for grassroots food justice groups), and Community Food Distribution (a social enterprise wholesale produce program). In 2024, FoodShare reached 180,605 people, distributed 703,231 lbs of produce, offered 340 workshops, and supported 178 community initiatives across Toronto.
The organization's business model combines unrestricted social enterprise revenue from wholesale produce sales to schools, agencies, and neighborhood groups with restricted funding from foundations (United Way, Sprott Foundation), government grants, and individual donations. Pricing for ancillary services includes suggested donations for volunteer programs ($10-$20 per person for nonprofits; minimum $50 for corporate groups) and workshop fees (minimum $1,000 or $100 per person). FoodShare is certified as a Buy Social Canada social enterprise and a Living Wage employer, and operates an Indigenous Advisory Circle providing governance guidance. The organization maintains four operational sites in Toronto: its headquarters at 120 Industry Street, Flemo Farm in Flemingdon Park, BCI Farm at Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute, and the Sunshine Garden at CAMH.
FoodShare's go-to-market is community-led rather than commercially driven. Distribution occurs through subsidized community markets, direct programming (Good Food Box), and wholesale channels. Strategic positioning centers on dismantling systemic barriers to food access, with the Right to Food campaign successfully influencing Toronto City Council to adopt a new Toronto Food Charter in 2022. The 2025 Bloomberg Mayors Challenge win and ongoing partnerships with organizations such as Afri-Can Food Basket and Food Secure Canada reinforce FoodShare's role as a policy and advocacy leader in Canadian food systems.
FoodShare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FoodShare
- Legal name
- FoodShare Toronto
- Website
- https://foodshare.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- FoodShare Toronto is a 40-year-old nonprofit food justice organization serving BIPOC and low-income communities in Toronto through urban farms, food distribution, education programs, and policy advocacy on the right to food.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FoodShare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Food Justice Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421)
- SIC
- Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Food Systems & Value Chain Development for Nutrition (BPADAJAG), Produce Markets & Greengrocers (CRAHAHAA)
Keywords
Where FoodShare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
FoodShare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Social Enterprise Wholesale: Fresh produce food distribution program for wholesale customers in Toronto including schools, agencies, and groups. Proceeds from this social enterprise fund food justice work in schools, urban farms, and produce markets across the city. Revenue is unrestricted and supports activities beyond traditional funder priorities.
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual monthly donations, one-time gifts, stock donations, corporate sponsorships, and legacy giving through bequests. The organization emphasizes trust-based philanthropy and community-centric fundraising approaches.
- Foundation and Government Funding: Core funders include United Way and Sprott Foundation. Additional support from foundations, faith groups, unions, and various levels of government. The organization maintains that no work is determined by funders but rather by community needs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Nonprofit/Community Group Volunteer Donation |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate/Governmental Group Volunteer Donation |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flemo Farm Educational Workshop |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
FoodShare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FoodShare Toronto is a non-profit food justice organization that delivers community food programs across Toronto, including BIPOC-led urban farms, subsidized produce markets, food literacy workshops, community kitchens, and a wholesale produce distribution social enterprise. Its work centers on dismantling systemic barriers to food access for Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities through education, community capacity building, and policy advocacy. It also operates a social enterprise selling fresh produce wholesale to schools, agencies, and neighbourhood groups, with proceeds funding food justice activities.
Product overview
FoodShare is a Toronto-based food justice nonprofit organization offering community-focused programs rather than a technology product. The organization operates four core program areas: Community Learning and Engagement (food education and workshops), Community Food Growing (urban farms and gardens), Community Action Support (capacity building for grassroots groups), and Community Food Distribution (wholesale produce social enterprise). Key sub-programs include School Grown urban farms, Flemo Farm, Chefs in the Classroom, Community Markets, Composting, and the Dignity and Joy podcast. The social enterprise generates unrestricted revenue to fund food justice programming across the city.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community Learning and Engagement Educational programs offering customized learning experiences that center conversations about power and justice in the food system, including food literacy workshops, the Chefs in the Classroom sub-program, Early Years Food Basics, and culturally affirming curriculum for schools and community groups in Toronto.
- Community Food Growing Supports BIPOC-led urban agriculture, gardening, and compost initiatives across Toronto, providing training, growing space, and resources to grassroots groups, including the School Grown program, Flemo Farm, Sunshine Garden at CAMH, Community Gardens, and a large-scale Composting Program.
- Community Action Support Capacity-building support for grassroots community groups advancing their own food justice projects, including Community Market Support, Indigenous Community Action, and the Supportive Partnerships Platform that connects grassroots groups to funding, resources, and networks.
- Community Food Distribution (Wholesale Produce Social Enterprise) Fresh produce food distribution program for wholesale customers in Toronto, including schools, community agencies, and neighbourhood groups. Proceeds from this social enterprise fund food justice work across the city and are unrestricted relative to traditional grant funding.
- Kitchen Rental Commercial kitchen facilities available for rental to community groups, organizations, and food-based businesses as part of FoodShare's social enterprise program.
- Dignity and Joy Podcast Weekly podcast series confronting systems of oppression impacting food access, featuring guests from food justice movements. Hosted by Sheldomar Elliott, FoodShare's Racial Equity Coordinator.
Quantifiable outcome
- 180,605 people reached in 2024 through various programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use FoodShare
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
FoodShare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
FoodShare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Food Secure CanadacoreNational voice for the food security movement in Canada. FoodShare participates as a member organization, contributing to advocacy efforts including Conference Board of Canada Food Summits and national food strategy development.
- Afri-Can Food BasketcorePartner organization whose advocacy led to the Black Food Sovereignty Plan. FoodShare works alongside Afri-Can Food Basket on food justice initiatives and Black food sovereignty efforts in Toronto.
- Daily Bread Food BankminorToronto food bank organization. Provided a letter of support for the city-run grocery store motion, expressing cautious support in principle while being skeptical on economic practicalities.
- Ontario Living Wage NetworkcoreOrganization that calculates living wages across Ontario regions. FoodShare is registered as a living wage employer, demonstrating commitment to fair compensation for all employees.
- Buy Social CanadacoreOrganization certifying social enterprises in Canada. FoodShare is registered as a certified social enterprise through Buy Social Canada, validating their social impact business model.
- Indigenous Advisory CirclecoreAdvisory body providing ongoing guidance to FoodShare on programs, policies, advocacy work, reconciliation, and partnerships with Indigenous groups. Integral to FoodShare's commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
FoodShare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Daily Bread Food Bank: Toronto-based food bank distributing food to people facing food insecurity and explicitly listed as a FoodShare partner. Both organizations serve overlapping populations in Toronto through food distribution, though Daily Bread focuses more narrowly on emergency food relief.
- The Stop Community Food Centre: Toronto-based community food centre combining food access, gardens, kitchens, and advocacy. Operates an integrated model nearly identical to FoodShare's, serving similar BIPOC and low-income populations in the same city.
- Afri-Can Food Basket: Toronto-based Black food justice organization and explicit FoodShare partner that co-developed the Black Food Sovereignty Plan. Serves similar BIPOC communities in Toronto through food justice advocacy and food access programming.
- Second Harvest: Canada's largest food rescue organization headquartered in Toronto, redistributing surplus food to nonprofits and community programs. Overlaps with FoodShare on fresh produce distribution, social-enterprise-style logistics, and institutional wholesaling to schools and agencies.
Broad incumbents
- Food Secure Canada: National food security and sovereignty network and a FoodShare partner. Works on the right-to-food policy agenda and national food strategy, sharing FoodShare's advocacy lens while operating at the federal rather than municipal level.
- Food Banks Canada: National umbrella organization coordinating food banks across Canada. Operates at scale across the same food-assistance category but focuses on aggregation, advocacy, and infrastructure rather than direct community programming.
Regional players
- Black Creek Community Farm: Toronto-based urban farm and food hub in the Black Creek neighbourhood. Directly comparable urban-agriculture programming delivered to Toronto communities, though more geographically concentrated and with a narrower program mix than FoodShare.
- Not Far From The Tree: Toronto-based fruit gleaning and produce distribution nonprofit. Operates in the same geographic market and shares food-access/redistribution orientation, though at significantly smaller scale and with a narrower produce-only model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FoodShare social profiles
Digital presenceFoodShare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FoodShare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
FoodShare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FoodShare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FoodShare
What does FoodShare do?
FoodShare Toronto is a non-profit food justice organization that delivers community food programs across Toronto, including BIPOC-led urban farms, subsidized produce markets, food literacy workshops, community kitchens, and a wholesale produce distribution social enterprise. Its work centers on dismantling systemic barriers to food access for Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities through education, community capacity building, and policy advocacy. It also operates a social enterprise selling fresh produce wholesale to schools, agencies, and neighbourhood groups, with proceeds funding food justice activities.
Is FoodShare a public or private company?
FoodShare is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was FoodShare founded?
FoodShare was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is FoodShare based?
FoodShare is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does FoodShare make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Social Enterprise Wholesale is the primary driver. The others are donations and Charitable Contributions and foundation and Government Funding.
Who are FoodShare's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Daily Bread Food Bank, The Stop Community Food Centre, Afri-Can Food Basket and Second Harvest. Broad incumbents are Food Secure Canada and Food Banks Canada. Regional players are Black Creek Community Farm and Not Far From The Tree.
Does FoodShare have an API?
No public API is recorded for FoodShare.
What industry is FoodShare in?
FoodShare's product category is Nonprofit Food Justice Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAA, Food Assistance & Food Banks, with a secondary code of BPADAJAG, Food Systems & Value Chain Development for Nutrition. Its NAICS code is 62421 and its SIC code is 5411.