CANADA issue: your input requested!

fleur-de-lis · Dec 14, 2011

I would like to send some gifts to some lovely older relatives who live in Canada. In past years, I have run into problems with sending gifts from US-based companies in the past (shipping delays, import restrictions on foodstuffs, absurd international postal charges), so was hoping to bypass some of those problems by ordering with a Canadian-based company. However, having been out of the Canadian advertising viewing area for years, I don't even know what the major companies which deal with holiday food/gift delivery are! Can anyone recommend a company/website for gifts in Canada?

The couples in question are husband-wife households where the recipients are in their 80s. As such, trinkets and other things to clutter their place seem less wise than consumable treats like food. My preconceived notions of gifts would be nice steaks, ready-to-go meals, candies/baked goods, preserves, or wine/cheese packs, but I am open to new ideas too. Budget is fairly open, but best to not be ostentatious (so $30-100?).

Please, lovely folks of PS, if you can offer ANY suggestions/links to Canadian companies for holiday gifts, it would really help me out!

vintagelover229 · Dec 14, 2011

That is such a sweet thing of you to do

What area in Canada do they live in? Some companies are only local but I would suggest googling a specialty food service in the area (such as brunos fine foods in Ontario and other areas) and contacting them via phone and asking them to put together a basket for you. Many of these places also deliver and can take your debit/credit card over the phone.

There is also the Healthy Butcher (not sure if that is all over or just in Ontario) that you could contact. Many of these places offer organic and specialty foods that you aren't able to get else where.

I hope this helps. I'm from the USA but married a Canadian and I can't tell you how many cash on delivery fee's I've had to pay. Drives me nuts when you already pay a fortune for shipping and most things come from the USA and we're supposed to have free trade/etc but they always get you with the 30.00 custom fee and then the wonderful 13% HST

And don't even get me started on lost/damaged packages. Shipping is a necessary evil but it's like the know you have no choice so they can lose/charge/etc and you still have to use them. UPS is the way I usually go if I can help it-but even they have issues. One package looked like it had been kicked all the way from the truck. I wouldn't sign for it until I opened it in front of the driver-who was highly annoyed by this but I wasn't accepting something if it was broken

Enerchi · Dec 16, 2011

M&M meats is probably the best and most well known for pre made food. Its flash frozen at perfection and we enjoy it frequently.
http://www.mmmeatshops.com/en/index.asp
You may have to plug in a postal code, so you get accurate pricing for the area where your recipient lives. I know you can eorder on line but not sure if they deliver. It may be something they need to pick up.... perhaps a phone call to their local store would help?

Enerchi · Dec 16, 2011

Just got this recommendation from a friend - its not premade treats, but if they still do their own meal prep, they are an organic company who sell freezer orders... not sure if this is ok to post or not, but here goes. My friend has had 2 great orders with no problems from them and they were recommended to her by another friend. I have no first hand experience at all - just passing along info.

Good luck!
http://www.nutrafarms.ca/