Small Scale Farms

What Small Scale Farms does

Small Scale Farms is a privately held local food hub marketplace founded in 2014 and headquartered in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The company aggregates products from multiple small-scale regional farms and producers into a single Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront, a physical Food Hub retail location at 13145 Lundy's Lane, and a scheduled weekly local delivery service covering 13 municipalities across the Niagara and Hamilton regions. Its catalog spans approximately 368 products across produce, meats, dairy, eggs, honey, and pantry/specialty items, drawing on core supply partnerships with Comfort Farms, Kent Heritage Farms, Packham Poultry Farms, and Sheldon Creek Dairy.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer, product-led growth model with multiple recurring and transactional revenue streams: weekly produce bag subscriptions priced at $44-$70, the Farm Share 2026 twelve-week commitment program at $595-$975, an annual $45 Club Card membership providing up to 10% discounts, one-time marketplace purchases, a $7.50 flat delivery fee, and a tiered Community Produce Voucher sponsorship program. Underlying technology is off-the-shelf Shopify e-commerce with subscription management and delivery scheduling. Customer acquisition is driven primarily by content marketing, email newsletters, community word-of-mouth, and an active social media presence — including over 1.1 million monthly Facebook views.

Beyond commerce, Small Scale Farms operates Red Maple Farm School as a hands-on agricultural education sub-brand offering teen programs, corporate team building, and community learning. A defining feature is its social impact model: every produce subscription triggers a $10 produce bag donation to a local community group, and customers can sponsor produce vouchers at tiers ranging from $30 up to $1,500+ for food-insecure households. The company is founder/owner-operated, with 17 employees, no disclosed institutional funding or M&A history, and an active operating status.

Name

Small Scale Farms

Legal name

Small Scale Farms

Website

https://smallscalefarms.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Small Scale Farms is a privately held Niagara Falls, Ontario-based online marketplace and physical food hub connecting consumers in the Niagara and Hamilton regions with locally sourced produce, meats, dairy, eggs, and specialty items from regional farms via subscriptions, one-time purchases, and weekly local delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Food Marketplace

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (44523), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Other Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (424590)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail (CRAHAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC), Local / Farm-to-Wholesale Produce Aggregation & Distribution (AFAIACAG), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Local food marketplace
• Produce subscription boxes
• Farm-to-table delivery
• Community supported agriculture
• Artisan grocery retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Thorold/Niagara Falls

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Produce and Grocery Subscriptions: Weekly produce bag subscriptions (Small $44, Medium $65, Medium+ $70, Keto $44) and Farm Share 2026 program ($595-$975 for 12 weeks). Subscriptions work on a weekly loop with customers able to pause or modify. Revenue is recurring on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
2. One-time Marketplace Purchases: Single purchases of individual items including eggs ($6-$8), meats, dairy, produce, honey, and specialty products. Orders placed by Sunday 7pm for same-week delivery.
3. Club Card Membership: Annual $45 membership providing up to 10% discount on most products in the online marketplace. Membership fee supports purchasing power to buy more from local farmers and fund community food programs.
4. Delivery Fees: Flat $7.50 per week delivery fee for standard orders. Free delivery available for orders $30+ on the Free Delivery Page and for subscription produce bag customers who subscribe to give-away programs.
5. Community Produce Vouchers: Pay-it-forward program where customers purchase $30 vouchers to sponsor produce bags for community members in need. Supports local food security initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Small Scale Farms operates a local food hub marketplace that aggregates products from 368+ items sourced from Niagara-region farms and producers and sells them to consumers through an online Shopify storefront, a physical Food Hub retail location at 13145 Lundy's Lane, and a scheduled regional delivery service. The company offers weekly produce subscription bags (Small, Medium, Medium+, Keto), a 12-week Farm Share program, one-time grocery purchases, dairy, meats, eggs, bee products, pantry items, and gift cards, alongside a $45/year Club Card membership and a community voucher program that donates produce to local families in need.

Product overview

Small Scale Farms operates as a local food hub marketplace offering a diverse portfolio of products centered around connecting Niagara and Hamilton region consumers with locally sourced food. The core offering consists of weekly produce subscription boxes (Produce Bags in Small, Medium, Medium+, and Keto sizes) and Local Meats sourced from partner farms (Comfort Farms, Kent Heritage Farms, Kent Heritage Farms). The product range extends to Dairy Products, Bee Products, and Pantry & Specialty Items including sourdough goods and tallow-based skincare. Additional offerings include Club Card Membership ($45/year) providing 10% discounts, Farm Share 2026 (12-week subscription programs at three tier levels), Gift Cards, a Community Voucher Program for food security, and Red Maple Farm School for hands-on agricultural education. The company also partners with Grand Seeds for heirloom seed products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Red Maple Farm School: A hands-on learning space operated by Small Scale Farms where people learn practical skills including growing food, tool use, animal care, and building. Offers programs for teens, corporate team building, and land-based learning.

Products and services

• Produce Bag Subscriptions (Small, Medium, Medium+, Keto) Weekly produce subscription boxes filled with seasonal local produce from Niagara region farms, available in four sizes (Small $44, Medium $65, Medium+ $70, Keto $44) on a weekly or bi-weekly delivery loop with pause/modify flexibility.
• Farm Fresh Eggs Farm fresh eggs sourced from Packham Poultry Farms in Dunnville, Ontario, sold by the dozen ($6 regular price) either as a one-time purchase or as a weekly/biweekly subscription for households seeking local egg supply.
• Grocery Packages (Starter Pack, Essentials) Pre-assembled bundles of everyday staples from local farms including ground beef, bacon, chicken, milk, eggs, butter, and produce; Starter Pack ($105) and Essentials ($107) options each include minimum 10% built-in savings and require delivery.
• Local Meats Curated selection of locally raised beef, pork, and poultry sourced from Comfort Farms in Pelham, Ontario and Kent Heritage Farms in St. David's, Ontario, including ground beef, sausages, bacon, deli meats, and sampler packs, all produced without antibiotics or added hormones.
• Dairy Products Local dairy assortment including A2A2 milk, cream-top non-homogenized whole milk, water buffalo milk, butter, cheddar/mozzarella/feta/marble cheeses, kefir, yogurt, and sour cream sourced from Sheldon Creek Dairy and other Niagara-region producers.
• Bee Products Local bee products including wildflower honey, lemon ginger honey, cinnamon honey, beeswax wraps, and a bee hive sponsorship program connecting consumers with local beekeepers.
• Pantry and Specialty Items Miscellaneous pantry and specialty products including sauerkraut, maple syrup, hot sauces, sourdough goods, tallow-based skincare (soap, lip chap, whipped tallow), alpaca products, and dog food from local small-batch producers.
• Club Card Membership Annual $45 membership that provides up to 10% discount on most products in the online marketplace, qualifies members for special vendor offers, and helps fund local food security initiatives and expanded purchasing power from local farmers.
• Farm Share 2026 (12-Week Seasonal Program) 12-week seasonal local food box program launched for 2026 in three household-size tiers (Small $595 for 1-2 people, Medium $775 for 2-4 people, Large $975 for 5-6 people) supporting local farmers, with optional add-ons for sourdough bread, free-range eggs, and delivery.
• Sponsor a Produce Bag (Community Voucher Program) Community produce voucher program allowing individuals and businesses to purchase $30 vouchers that sponsor fresh produce bags for families in need, with tiered sponsorship levels (Supporter $300/10 vouchers, Champion $600/20 vouchers, Community Builder $900/30 vouchers, Community Partner $1,500+/50+ vouchers).
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in denominations from $10 to $1000, delivered by email and redeemable for online purchases at the Small Scale Farms marketplace.
• Red Maple Farm School Hands-on learning space operated under the Small Scale Farms umbrella offering programs in food production, farming skills, practical life skills, and trades development, including teen farm and skills programs, corporate team building events, and community education initiatives.
• Grand Seeds (Heirloom Seed Partnership) Partnership offering high-quality heirloom vegetable, herb, and flower seeds organically grown in Southern Ontario by Grand Seeds, listed through the Small Scale Farms website for customers who want to grow their own produce.
• Local Delivery Service Scheduled weekly local delivery service across the Niagara and Hamilton regions on Wednesdays (Welland, Pelham, Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Wainfleet, West Lincoln) and Thursdays (St. Catharines, Thorold, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Grimsby, Lincoln, Hamilton) at a flat $7.50 weekly fee with free delivery available for qualifying orders.

Quantifiable outcome

• For every produce subscription sold, a $10 bag of produce is donated to a local community group

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• Comfort Farms (Bob & Leslie Comfort)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorComfort Farms raises animals for Small Scale Farms. Located in Pelham, ON. Animals are raised without antibiotics, without added hormones, and fed non-GMO feed milled on their farm. They are one of the company's most valuable vendors, providing beef, pork, and chicken products including ground beef, bacon, sausages, and various cuts.
• Kent Heritage Farms (Paul Kent and Family)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKent Heritage Farms is a family-run processor in St. David's (NOTL), Ontario since 1958. Pioneer of farm-gate to table movement in Niagara. Provides premium, air-chilled, grain-fed, free-run poultry, beef, and pork. All products are all-natural and 100% free of drugs, hormones, antibiotics, steroids, chemicals and preservatives. Makes sausages, bacon, and deli products.
• Packham Poultry FarmscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocated in Dunnville, Ontario. Supplier of farm fresh eggs for Small Scale Farms. Products include regular farm fresh eggs.
• Sheldon Creek Dairy (den Haan Family)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOwned and operated by the den Haan Family. Provides whole milk with cream top that is non-homogenized from their purebred Holstein herd. Cows are pasture fed in spring/summer and fed grassy alfalfa hay in winter, all grown on their farm. Products include whole milk, cream, and dairy products.
• Grand SeedsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHigh-quality heirloom seed supplier organically grown in Southern Ontario. Offers vegetable, herb and flower seeds at honest prices. Linked through Small Scale Farms website for customers interested in growing their own produce.
• Red Maple Farm SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHands-on learning space in partnership with Small Scale Farms. Provides education programs for food growing, tool use, animal care, and practical life skills. Programs include teen farm school, corporate team building, and land-based learning. Small Scale Farms helps support through community partnerships and sponsorships.
• Community and Corporate SponsorssupportingOthersRed Maple Farm School built through community support and local partnerships with businesses that believe in practical education, food security, and hands-on learning. Sponsorships help build infrastructure, run programs, and make education accessible. Sponsors receive public thank-you posts and partner recognition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SPUD (Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery): Canadian online grocery delivery service offering local and organic produce, meat, and dairy with subscription-style recurring orders. Directly comparable online grocery model with a local-produce emphasis and recurring delivery cadence.
• Mama Earth Organics: Ontario-based organic produce and grocery delivery service offering weekly subscription boxes and curated grocery bundles sourced from local and Canadian farms. Most directly comparable on geography (Southern Ontario), subscription model, and farm-aggregation marketplace approach.
• Lufa Farms: Canadian urban-farm network operating a marketplace that aggregates rooftop-grown and partner-farm produce into weekly subscription baskets delivered across Canadian cities. Closely aligned CSA/produce-box + local-farm aggregation model.
• 100km Foods: Toronto-based local food distributor connecting Ontario restaurants and retailers with regional farms. Comparable local-food aggregation model, though primarily B2B distribution rather than direct-to-consumer subscriptions.

Emerging players

• Local Line: Canadian farm-to-table e-commerce platform used by farmers and food hubs to sell online and manage CSA subscriptions. Operates in the same farm-aggregation + subscription software category, often powering the back end of similar local food hubs.
• FreshSpoke: Canadian wholesale food-tech platform connecting local farmers and food producers with buyers including restaurants and retailers. Comparable local-food aggregation technology layer, with partial overlap on the supply-side marketplace concept.

Broad incumbents

• Misfits Market: U.S.-based produce subscription box operator focused on 'imperfect' and surplus produce, expanded into broader grocery. Comparable subscription produce-box model at much larger scale; relevant for consumer behavior benchmarking rather than direct Canadian competition.
• Goodfood (Goodfood Market Corp): Canada's largest meal-kit and grocery subscription company, offering weekly produce, meal kits, and grocery essentials via subscription. Operates at national scale with broader assortment and stronger capital base — a broad incumbent competing for the same household grocery-subscription wallet.
• HelloFresh: Global subscription meal-kit leader with significant Canadian operations. While focused on meal kits rather than raw local produce, it competes for the same weekly subscription grocery budget and household convenience preference.

Regional players

• Fresh City Farms: Ontario urban organic farm and online market delivering produce bags and grocery items across the Greater Toronto Area. Closely comparable organic produce-bag subscription model with a strong local-farm identity, operating in an adjacent Ontario geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@smallscalefarms
• Facebookfacebook.com/smallscalefarming
• Instagraminstagram.com/smallscalefarms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/small-scale-farms

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Small Scale Farms