MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED
Made in Canada Brands Limited operates Made in CA, a Toronto-based online directory and resource platform founded in 2018 that aggregates Canadian-made products and services across 20+ categories and all provinces, serving Canadian consumers seeking to identify and support domestic businesses, particularly during US-Canada trade tensions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED does
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED operates Made in CA, a web-based directory and resource platform founded in July 2018 by Dylan Lobo and headquartered at 18 King Street East in Toronto. The platform aggregates Canadian-made products and services in one place, organized across 20+ categories (Automotive, Baby Products, Clothing, Electronics, Food, Furniture, Garden, Home Products, Personal Care, Pet Products, Sports, Tools, and others) and browsable by all Canadian provinces and territories, with supplementary local-services coverage (dry cleaners, moving companies) and specialized shopping guides for grocery and apparel.
The platform's core product is a searchable, curated directory supported by a business-submission portal, regional browse tools, newsletter subscription, and partner-retailer distribution into stores such as Costco, London Drugs, and Choices. Underlying technology is a conventional web-based CMS directory where listings are researched for accuracy and tagged with symbols indicating Canadian-owned versus publicly traded brands. Revenue mechanics combine three streams: freemium business listings with paid featured placements via a media kit, affiliate commissions on outbound referrals (e.g., Indigo books), and advertising/sponsorships targeting Canadian consumer traffic. The audience is Canadian consumers seeking to identify and purchase domestically-made goods, particularly during periods of US-Canada trade tension.
Growth has been catalyzed by geopolitical events rather than paid acquisition. Google Trends data show 'Made in Canada' and 'Buy Canadian' queries at record highs in February 2025, traffic tripled between January 1-20 and again on January 21, 2025, readership surpassed 100,000 on February 1 when 25% tariffs on Canadian goods were imposed, and over 4,000 product submissions were received within days. Earned-media coverage in NBC News, CBC, CTV News, Washington Post, and Business Insider has amplified reach. The business remains bootstrapped and founder-operated with 1-10 employees, no disclosed external funding, and no AI/ML capabilities articulated.
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED
- Legal name
- MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED
- Website
- https://madeinca.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Made in Canada Brands Limited operates Made in CA, a Toronto-based online directory and resource platform founded in 2018 that aggregates Canadian-made products and services across 20+ categories and all provinces, serving Canadian consumers seeking to identify and support domestic businesses, particularly during US-Canada trade tensions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Business Listings and Submissions: Canadian businesses submit their products to be listed on the directory. The platform monetizes through featured listings, submission fees, and potentially premium placements.
- Affiliate Revenue: The site uses affiliate links (e.g., for Indigo books) where the platform earns commissions on referred sales.
- Advertising and Sponsorships: Sponsored/featured business listings and media kit offerings for businesses wanting to reach Canadian consumers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free basic business listings with paid options for featured placement |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED operates the Made in CA online directory platform, which aggregates and lists Canadian-made products, services, retailers, and shopping guides organized by category and province/territory. The company enables Canadian consumers to discover domestically produced goods and supports Canadian businesses through free and featured business submissions, with additional monetization from sponsored listings, affiliate referrals, and a media kit for advertisers.
Product overview
Made in CA is a comprehensive directory and resource platform that aggregates Canadian-made products and services in one place. The platform operates as a curated directory with multiple category sections covering Automotive, Baby Products, Clothing, Electronics, Food, Furniture, Garden, Home Products, Internet Services, Kitchen, Miscellaneous, Outdoors, Personal Care, Pet Products, Retailers, Sports, Tools, Toys & Games, Arts & Crafts, Books/Publishing, and Finance. Key features include a Business Submission System allowing companies to be listed, a Regional Business Browser for geographic searches, specialized Shopping Guides (Grocery Store Guide, Clothing Guide), a Local Services Directory (including moving companies, dry cleaners), and a Newsletter Subscription Service. The platform also maintains regional browsing capabilities and update request functionality for maintaining listing accuracy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Made in CA Directory Platform A comprehensive online directory and resource platform that aggregates and showcases Canadian-made products and services across more than 20 categories, enabling Canadians to discover and support domestic businesses.
- Made in Canada Grocery Store Guide A specialized shopping guide focused on helping Canadians find grocery stores that carry Canadian-made products.
- Made in Canada Clothing Guide A specialized shopping guide focused on helping Canadians find Canadian-made clothing and apparel.
- Newsletter Subscription Service An email newsletter subscription service keeping subscribers informed about Canadian businesses, new additions to the directory, and the Canadian products movement.
- Local Services Directory A directory of Canadian local services (such as dry cleaners and moving companies) organized by region for users searching for domestic service providers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Traffic nearly tripled between January 1-20, 2025, then tripled again on January 21
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cycling CanadacoreGrynd Food Inc, a listed brand on Made in CA, has a partnership with Cycling Canada. This demonstrates the platform's role in connecting Canadian sports nutrition brands with national sports organizations.
- Western Hockey League (WHL)minorGrynd Food products are sold to 7 WHL teams, showing Canadian sports nutrition brand distribution through major junior hockey leagues.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Etsy: Global online marketplace connecting independent makers and small producers with consumers seeking unique, often locally-made goods. Comparable two-sided marketplace model where supply-side listings drive consumer demand.
- Faire: Wholesale marketplace connecting independent brands and makers with retailers. Comparable supply-side aggregation of independent producers organized by category, geography, and curation.
- Made Trade: Curated online marketplace for ethically and sustainably produced goods with a values-driven brand positioning. Similar model of aggregating vetted, mission-aligned producers for conscious consumers.
- Uncommon Goods: Curated online retailer of unique, often handmade or small-batch goods with strong storytelling and producer transparency. Similar positioning of cataloging distinctive products with an emphasis on origin and maker identity.
Emerging players
- Buycott: Mobile app and platform that helps consumers identify product origins, ethics, and corporate ownership while shopping. Adjacent concept of empowering consumers to make purchase decisions based on country-of-origin or values alignment.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon Handmade: Handmade/artisan goods section within Amazon's broader marketplace. A much larger incumbent offering overlapping inventory of artisan and locally-made products with significantly greater discovery and fulfillment infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED social profiles
Digital presenceMADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED 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 MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED
What does MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED do?
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED operates the Made in CA online directory platform, which aggregates and lists Canadian-made products, services, retailers, and shopping guides organized by category and province/territory. The company enables Canadian consumers to discover domestically produced goods and supports Canadian businesses through free and featured business submissions, with additional monetization from sponsored listings, affiliate referrals, and a media kit for advertisers.
Is MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED a public or private company?
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED founded?
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED based?
MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Business Listings and Submissions are the primary driver. The others are affiliate Revenue and advertising and Sponsorships.
Who are MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Etsy, Faire, Made Trade and Uncommon Goods. Buycott is listed as an emerging player. Amazon Handmade is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED have an API?
No public API is recorded for MADE IN CANADA BRANDS LIMITED.