Meet Jennifer Vivian, Manager of Entrepreneurial Services with the City of Brampton.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role.
I’m Jennifer Vivian, Manager of Entrepreneurial Services with the City of Brampton. My background is in supporting small business development and helping founders navigate the early stages of launching and growing their companies.
In my role at the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, I work closely with our team to create programs, resources, and connections that help food and beverage entrepreneurs succeed. Whether it’s guiding new founders through licensing and regulatory requirements, providing hands‑on business advising, or connecting them with commercial kitchen spaces, industry experts, and funding opportunities, our goal is to make the path to launching a food or beverage business clearer and more accessible.
Ultimately, I’m here to champion Brampton’s growing food ecosystem and ensure that local entrepreneurs have the support, tools, and community they need to bring their ideas to market.
What inspired you to work with food and beverage businesses?
One of the things that inspires me most about working with food and beverage entrepreneurs is the way this sector brings together creativity, culture, and community. Food businesses are often deeply personal; they’re rooted in family traditions, cultural heritage, or a desire to introduce something new and meaningful to the market. Supporting people who are turning those passions into viable businesses is incredibly rewarding.
I’m especially drawn to this sector because food and beverage founders often face more complex challenges like licensing, regulations, access to production space, scaling manufacturing, food safety, and many don’t know where to start. Being able to simplify that process, connect them to the right resources, and help them move from idea to launch is what motivates me.
What I enjoy most is seeing how these entrepreneurs contribute to Brampton’s identity. Our local food businesses drive vibrancy in our neighbourhoods, create jobs, and celebrate the diverse cultures that make Brampton unique. Playing a role in that ecosystem through the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre is truly fulfilling.
What types of businesses do you most often support in your region?
In Brampton, we primarily support early‑stage food startups, people turning homemade recipes or cultural dishes into a real business. We also work with many packaged‑goods creators, beverage startups, and entrepreneurs who are testing products in commercial kitchens.
A number of these founders eventually become vendors at the Brampton Farmers’ Market, which is often their first step into retail and a great platform to validate products with real customers. Our role at the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre is to help them navigate those early stages so they can confidently move from idea to market.
What are some of the most common challenges food and beverage entrepreneurs in your region are facing right now?
A big challenge we see is that many food and beverage entrepreneurs don’t realize they can’t legally produce most foods from their home kitchen. Once they’re ready to sell to the public, they need access to a commercially inspected kitchen, and those options are currently limited and often costly.
At the same time, they’re navigating regulations, pricing, and packaging. For many, the Brampton Farmers’ Market becomes their first real test to validate products and get customer feedback.
At the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, we help them understand these requirements early, explore kitchen options, and get ready for those initial sales channels.
What is one piece of advice you often give to food entrepreneurs?
One piece of advice I always share with food entrepreneurs is to test your product early with real customers before investing too much. Selling at places like the Brampton Farmers’ Market can give you honest feedback about taste, pricing, and packaging.
I also remind founders not to overlook two big areas: labelling requirements and scaling recipes for commercial production. Labels must meet strict regulations, and a recipe that works at home doesn’t always translate easily to a larger batch in a commercial kitchen.
Taking the time to validate your product and understand these details upfront can save entrepreneurs a lot of time, money, and stress as they grow.
Please share a recent success story from your region.
One of our standout recent success stories is Tropix Coconut Drops, founded by Denise Edwards. After moving to Brampton, Denise began recreating a traditional Jamaican treat for family and friends, and quickly realized there was a real market for it. She joined the Starter Company Plus program at the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, where she received mentorship, training, and a $5,000 grant that helped her upgrade packaging, streamline production, and strengthen her online presence.
Her growth didn’t stop there. In 2025, Denise participated in our Go Global program, which supports export‑ready businesses expanding into African and Caribbean markets. Through that program, her first international shipment departed for Antigua in December 2025. In 2026, she’s planning to expand into six additional Caribbean countries.
Today, Tropix Coconut Drops is sold online, in major retailers like FreshCo, and in specialty stores across Canada. It’s an incredible example of how cultural heritage, ambition, and the right support system can help a Brampton business grow from a home recipe to an internationally expanding brand.
Is there a business, initiative, event, or accomplishment you would like us to highlight?
One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is the launch of the Brampton Commercial Kitchen, the city’s first public health-certified shared kitchen. For years, food entrepreneurs have struggled to find an affordable, inspected space where they can legally produce their products, which often delays their ability to launch or grow.
This new 1,200 square foot facility in downtown Brampton fills that gap by providing commercial-grade equipment, a dedicated packaging and labelling area, and flexible booking options. It supports food startups, caterers, bakers, and home-based businesses as they move from concept to commercialization. The space is professionally operated by Grey Matlock Bakery to ensure smooth day-to-day management and certified staff on site.
For us at the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, this kitchen is a major step in strengthening our local food ecosystem and giving entrepreneurs the infrastructure they have been asking for.
Learn more at www.brampton.ca/bck
What trends or opportunities are you seeing in the food and beverage sector in your region?
We’re seeing several strong trends in Brampton’s food and beverage sector. There’s growing interest in culturally inspired and heritage-based foods, which really reflects Brampton’s diversity and creates opportunities for niche products. We’re also seeing more entrepreneurs exploring packaged goods and co‑packing, especially as they look to scale beyond farmers’ markets into retail.
With the launch of the new Brampton Commercial Kitchen, we expect even more innovation as entrepreneurs finally have an affordable, inspected space to test and commercialize new products.
Overall, it’s an exciting time with a lot of momentum for food founders in our City,
Is there anything else you would like the Foodpreneur Advantage network to know about your centre or your region?
Brampton has an incredibly vibrant and fast‑growing food ecosystem. Our entrepreneurs are innovative, culturally diverse, and eager to scale, and the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre is deeply committed to supporting them at every stage. With the launch of the new Brampton Commercial Kitchen and a strong pipeline of programs and partnerships, we’re creating an environment where food founders can test, grow, and take their products to new markets.
Food entrepreneurs can also book a complimentary consultation with one of our advisors to get personalized guidance and support as they grow.
If you are from the Brampton area, please book here.
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