How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $100000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the Support for biofood exports - individual projects?

Support for biofood exports - individual projects is funded by Export Group, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)

What are Support for biofood exports - individual projects's eligibility criterias?

Must be registered in the Quebec Business Registry with an establishment operating in Quebec Must be primarily a food processor, agricultural operation, fisheries or aquaculture company, or subcontract all food processing in Quebec

Support for biofood exports - individual projects

grant_single|update May 26, 2025

QC, Canada

SEB supports Quebec agri-food market expansion outside Quebec

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Grant and Funding

grant_single|eligibleIndustries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Manufacturing

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Export Group
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)

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The SEB program, funded by MAPAQ, offers financial assistance of up to $100,000 for regular projects and $250,000 for large exporter projects to support Quebec-based agri-food businesses in increasing sales outside Quebec through marketing and market development activities. Eligible activities include expenses for trade shows, marketing, business development fees, and travel outside Quebec.

grant_single_labels_website|terms_and_conditions

Financial assistance covers up to 50% of eligible project expenses, with a maximum of $100,000 per year per applicant.
A minimum of $30,000 in eligible expenses is required (minimum grant of $15,000).
A bonus of 10% of eligible expenses is granted for projects exclusively involving certified organic food products.
The cumulative total of government assistance, including all grants and government-backed loans, must not exceed 75% of eligible expenses.

grant_single_labels_website|projects

Development and implementation of export marketing strategies for biofood products outside Quebec.
Projects to prepare for entry into new Canadian (outside Quebec) or international markets, or to consolidate and diversify current export markets.
Market expansion initiatives targeting specific provinces in Canada (outside Quebec) and foreign countries.
Promotion and business development activities to increase sales of Quebec agri-food products in new markets.
Twelve-month projects aimed at strengthening the market presence of Quebec-based agri-food companies beyond Quebec.

grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample

$ 112,500

Promoting maple syrup in the Asian market

$ 100,000

Launching a new organic product line in the USA

$ 125,000

Expanding the market reach for vegan snacks in Europe

grant_single_labels_website|admissibility

The applicant must be registered in the Quebec Business Registry and operate an establishment in Quebec.
The business must engage primarily in food processing, agriculture, fisheries, commercial aquaculture, or subcontract all food processing within Quebec.
For projects targeting Canadian markets outside Quebec, the company must have yearly sales of at least $1 million, hold a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) license under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), and have marketed products outside Quebec for at least two years or sell regularly in another Canadian province or territory.
For projects targeting international markets (outside Canada), the company must have annual sales of at least $2 million, hold a CFIA license under the SFCR, have a Canada Revenue Agency import-export program account, and have marketed products outside Quebec for at least three years or sell internationally on a regular basis for at least one year.
The applicant must not be a first-time exporter; businesses with no export experience are not eligible.

grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply

Companies whose main economic activity is food processing
Agricultural operations
Companies in the fisheries sector
Companies in the commercial aquaculture sector
Companies that subcontract all their food processing in Quebec

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Groupings of companies (consortiums or associations of multiple businesses submitting a joint application).
Companies whose main products are natural health products (bearing a Natural Product Number, NPN, or falling under natural health products regulations).
Companies whose projects involve products with a Drug Identification Number (DIN).
Companies commercializing products that are laboratory-grown food, cell-cultured food, ornamental horticulture products, animal feed, seeds, saplings, tobacco, or food products containing CBC or THC.
Companies that have never exported outside Quebec.

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Fees related to GS1 product registry (subscription, registration, and associated services such as barcodes, GTIN, marketing content, planography content).
Salary, social charges, and benefits (up to 26% of salary) for a full-time market development specialist dedicated to export sales outside Quebec, or the salary difference in case of internal promotion to this role (maximum 52 weeks).
Professional external fees for eligible marketing activities (e.g., market research studies, consumer surveys, in-store tastings, adaptation of packaging and labels, content creation for advertising, translation, and traditional/online promotional activities).
External business development fees, including fixed monthly fees for brokers or specialists in client prospecting and merchandising (excluding commissions), trademark registration, updating commercialization or international market plans, establishing an office or subsidiary outside Quebec (excluding the U.S.), first-year rental of office space abroad (excluding the U.S.), association memberships, B2B platform subscriptions, and business sample shipments.
Costs for participation in professional trade shows (registration, booth rental, equipment, exhibit set-up, transport and handling of materials, shipment of product samples to events).
Travel and accommodation costs for employees traveling outside Quebec for market development missions or trade show participation, reimbursed as a flat-rate amount by destination, up to 24 trips per project and 2 employees per trip.
Travel and accommodation costs for hosting potential buyers from outside Quebec, reimbursed as a flat-rate amount by country of origin.

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Quebec

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Demonstrated strategy for diversifying export markets outside Quebec (0–3 points).
Use of main ingredients available in Quebec when sufficient (0–3 points).
Coherence of the project based on previous efforts to develop and diversify markets outside Quebec (0–3 points).
Realistic anticipated benefits in terms of additional sales on targeted markets (0–3 points).
Clearly identified, credible, and relevant success factors (0–3 points).

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Submit prequalification form

Download and complete the prequalification and financial data form (Excel file)
Send the completed form to seb@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca
Await confirmation regarding prequalification status from the Ministry

Submit full application

Receive instructions and forms for the complete financial aid application if prequalification is successful
Prepare all required documents: completed aid application form, detailed export marketing plan, justification arguments, cost breakdown form
Submit the full application within 20 business days

Application review and validation

The Group reviews the application to verify eligibility and completeness
Provide additional information or documents if requested within 10 business days
Await confirmation of the admissibility of your request from the Group

Receive decision and agreement

Receive a decision from the Group after final analysis
If accepted, obtain the grant letter and funding agreement
If refused, receive a written explanation

grant_single_labels_website|otherInfo

The program requires submission of a detailed, recent (less than two years old) export marketing plan as part of the application.
Applications and required attachments must be submitted in French, and all requested supporting documents must be transmitted in a single package.
A final project report is mandatory at the end of the project and is required to qualify for future funding rounds.
Document naming conventions and organization are specified and must be respected to ensure proper processing of the application.