What is your business called and what does it do?

My business is called Tasty Tours Toronto, and we are the original and number one-rated food tour company in Toronto. Our tours celebrate the city through one-of-a-kind food experiences, and we focus on creating non-touristy tours that showcase the true tastes of Toronto, the kind of tours that locals bring their friends on. Each tour includes a guided walk around a Toronto neighbourhood with curated stops at various eateries for tastings of edible delights and interesting tidbits of food and Toronto history.

We are best known for our five-star rated, number one selling Kensington Market “Taste The World” Food Tour, and we also offer a Must-Do Toronto Food Tour that showcases hidden food gems in downtown Toronto alongside some the city’s most popular sights, the Grand Chocolate Flight which includes a helicopter tour over the city with a guided tasting from a chocolate expert, and our brand new Soccer & Spice Food Tour running in June and July that visits spots inspired by popular soccer nations to celebrate the World Cup coming to Toronto.

What made you want to do this work?

I’ve always had a love for entrepreneurship, starting from when I was selling homemade cookies to my neighbours in elementary school to raise funds for local charities. When I first graduated from university, I had some time on my hands in between jobs, and I thought I should seize the moment to start experimenting with entrepreneurship. I love eating, travelling and meeting new people, so starting a food tour felt like a natural fit!

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

At the time I started, there were no food tours in Toronto like the kind that was popular in the US and Europe. After taking them while travelling, I realized it was something fun and unique that Toronto was missing.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Tourists, of course! We also get a lot of locals who are looking for something fun to do on the weekend or to celebrate a special occasion. For our private group tours, we are popular among companies looking for interactive team bonding events, as well as event organizers for conferences, and so on that are looking for a way to combine sightseeing and eating.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

People pay for a tour ticket, which includes an experienced tour guide and all food samples on the tour.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Kensington Market is our special place. We are the first, longest running food tour in Kensington Market, which remains our most popular tour today. We are also the only company to offer a food tour in the downtown Toronto core!

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

“What makes you different from other food tours?”

Here’s our answer! We’re the first and longest-running Toronto food tour that’s still run by the founder, so there’s a lot of heart behind what we do. Our tours focus on hidden gems, cool local stories, and authentic flavours—not just trendy Instagram spots. Guests often say they walk away with full bellies but also a deeper appreciation for the city, its history, and its communities. If you want a tour that’s personal, engaging, and full of local flavour (in every sense), you’ll feel right at home with us.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

It’s so hard to choose! It’s a toss-up between meeting new and interesting people on every tour and saying hi to the familiar faces of our store partners on each tour (some of whom we’ve spent over a decade working with!) It’s a joy to help local businesses thrive and to connect with the local and global community.

There isn’t really a worst part. Sometimes you meet unreasonable guests, but most people are lovely, so that more than outweighs the few bad apples!

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

The classic one is how ‘hard’ it is to eat for a living!

Where can we follow you?

All of our tours are available to view on our website. And you can follow us for updates, photos and more on Instagram and Facebook.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

Le Dolci, a fun culinary classroom – it is one of the pioneers of unique food experiences in Toronto. Plus, the owner, Lisa, is a creative and business powerhouse with a truly genuine soul.

The post Homegrown Business: Audrey Ooi of Tasty Tours Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

I’m the founder of two Mississauga-based restaurants: East Tea Can, a full-service Middle Eastern eatery, and Soul Smash Burgers, a simple, back-to-basics smash burger spot.

What made you want to do this work?

I grew up surrounded by great food and hospitality in the Middle East, and when I moved to Canada, I saw a big opportunity to bring that same quality and feeling here.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

At East Tea Can, we wanted to solve a simple but meaningful problem: the lack of places that serve authentic, high-quality Middle Eastern food with the same social and cultural nuances you experience in the Levant. Food in our culture isn’t just a dish; it’s about the conversation, connection, and community. Our goal was to bring that feeling forward and create a space that reflects the love we have for our heritage.

With Soul Smash Burgers, the concept is completely different, but the intention at its core is similar. We wanted to cut through the noise of overcomplicated menus and trends by focusing on high-quality, no-fluff ingredients. It’s about making great food through a chef’s lens: thoughtful, simple, and delicious.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

For East Tea Can, our guests are incredibly diverse. The restaurant naturally attracts anyone seeking an authentic Levantine dining experience, from families and friends to people who simply love gathering around food meant to be shared. Our menu was intentionally designed for communal moments, so we see a wide range of guests who appreciate culture, flavour, and connection.

For Soul Smash Burgers, the demographic is just as broad. It’s a place for anyone seeking a simple, well-crafted burger made with quality ingredients and intention. Whether stopping by for a quick bite or enjoying a comforting meal, our guests are people who value flavour without the fuss.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

East Tea Can offers dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering, while Soul Smash Burgers focuses on dine-in, takeout, and delivery. Both are built on strong systems that ensure a consistent experience across all services.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Currently, both East Tea Can and Soul Smash Burgers are located in Mississauga, and our catering serves the entire GTA. We also plan to expand Soul Smash Burgers with additional locations in the west end of the GTA.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

What makes your food different?

At East Tea Can, everything is made 100% from scratch in our commissary using authentic Middle Eastern ingredients sourced from reputable importers.

Soul Smash Burgers was built with a single goal: to focus on the fundamentals and do them exceptionally well. Each burger is made with AAA prime-grade Ontario beef that is hormone-free, sustainably raised, and cooked fresh to order. With morning and evening deliveries and the beef ground twice daily, every burger is served at peak freshness.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

Best: Watching people look around the restaurant with a smile while waiting for their food, at East Tea Can, it feels like a busy Middle Eastern market, with trays flying by and energy everywhere.

Worst: As a leader, you have to jump in and problem-solve, whether it’s something in your expertise or not. There are times during a busy service when something goes wrong, like equipment failing, a supply issue, and I have to step in to keep things running smoothly and support the team. It can be stressful, but it’s just part of managing everything when things get hectic.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

People think running restaurants is easy.

Where can we follow you?

You can follow us at @eastteacan and @soulburgers.ca

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

Honestly, all the neighbours in our plaza. We support each other, and everyone is working hard to build something great.

The post Homegrown Business: Shakir Al-Qanbar of East Tea Can appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Founded by Jenelle Simpson, the global magazine is built on a simple but demanding premise, that truth, when told without dilution, has the power to shift how people see themselves. Through interviews, reflections, and deeply personal narratives, Simpson has created a platform that does not just publish stories, it invites people to confront them, carry them, and ultimately be changed by them.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Mirror to the Mic is a global magazine and media platform that amplifies real stories of healing, identity, and legacy. Through powerful interviews, personal reflections, and editorial storytelling, we create a space where truth-telling becomes a form of liberation and where voices that are often silenced are finally heard.

What made you want to do this work?

This work was born out of lived experience. I know what it feels like to carry stories that were never given space to breathe. I created Mirror to the Mic because I wanted to build something that does not just tell stories but transforms people through them. It is about breaking generational silence and giving people permission to reclaim their voice without apology.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

There is a gap in media where real, raw, and deeply human stories are often filtered, softened, or overlooked entirely. Many people are navigating trauma, identity struggles, and personal transformation without ever seeing themselves reflected honestly in mainstream platforms.

Mirror to the Mic was created to solve that. It provides a space where truth is not edited for comfort and where people can see their experiences validated. It bridges the gap between storytelling and healing, allowing individuals to feel seen, understood, and empowered to rewrite their own narratives.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our audience is global but deeply rooted in community. We primarily serve women and men who are navigating personal growth, healing, and self-discovery. This includes entrepreneurs, creatives, professionals, and individuals who are committed to breaking cycles and building intentional lives.

Many of our readers are in their mid-twenties to mid-forties, but our message resonates across generations because the themes of identity, truth, and legacy are universal.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Mirror to the Mic generates revenue through magazine sales, both digital and print, brand partnerships, sponsored features, and advertising placements. We also collaborate with aligned brands and individuals who want to share meaningful stories with our audience.
The platform operates as both a publication and a movement, where storytelling drives connection and connection drives growth.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

While Mirror to the Mic is a global platform, I am based in the Greater Toronto Area. My work lives both online and within the community through media, events, and collaborations that bring people together in meaningful ways.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

The best question someone can ask is, will my story be told with truth or just for content?

At Mirror to the Mic, the answer is always truth. We do not approach storytelling as something to package or perform. We approach it with care, intention, and respect for the person behind the story. Our goal is not just to publish content but to create impact.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part is witnessing people see themselves differently after sharing their story. There is a shift that happens when someone moves from silence to expression, and being part of that is powerful.

The hardest part is carrying the weight of those stories. When people trust you with their truth, it is not something you take lightly. It requires emotional presence, responsibility, and care.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

People think running a magazine is all photoshoots and glam, but most days it is me answering emails, editing stories, and building something from the ground up in real time. The joke is that it looks effortless, but it is actually a full-time commitment to vision, detail, and purpose.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Magazine | Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

Trending Painters

The post Homegrown Business: Jenelle Simpson of Mirror to the Mic appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Tonica Kombucha; we make delicious, lightly sparkling kombucha here in Toronto, and we bottle it up and ship it across Canada to over 2,500 stores. Our kombucha is authentic (which means it has living enzymes that are great for gut health!), made with organic ingredients, and is low in sugar.

What made you want to do this work?

I fell in love with the digestive benefits I got from drinking kombucha and started to make it for myself, friends & family. When I started brewing kombucha, there was no kombucha available in Canada in stores, back in 2006. At that time, I had no plan to build a business, but it organically blossomed into a larger and larger operation as demand grew. Little by little, I stopped my day job of teaching yoga, and Tonica became my full-time job.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

I wanted to make kombucha taste delicious so that everyone could benefit from the digestive boost it contains. Often, the kombuchas on the market are very strong and have an overly vinegar type taste, which can turn off many who would otherwise benefit from it, so my goal was to make a sparkling and delectable fruit-forward flavour profile that everyone would enjoy.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

The kombucha demographic is fairly wide ranging, from young folks and families looking for low sugar and alcohol free alternatives, to baby boomers with declining digestive fire. Kombucha is the perfect lightly sparkling beverage for all those looking for functional beverages to add to their daily lives because it is both delicious and has the added digestive boost benefit.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell our product, Tonica kombucha, across Canada to retail grocery chains, independent shops, cafes, gyms, and yoga studios.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

In Toronto, you can find Tonica Kombucha at Metro, Farmboy, Rabba, Sobeys, No Frills, Fortinos, Longos, Healthy Planet and many more wonderful stores!

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

A great question to ask is: Is all Kombucha the same? Do all kombuchas have digestive benefits?

The answer: while authentic kombucha is fermented for up to 60 days and is filled with living enzymes and natural probiotics, many kombuchas today are made using synthetic probiotics that will die in packaging before they reach the consumer. Not all kombuchas are created equally!

For maximum digestive benefit, make sure your kombucha is living, or “raw”. It should say “always refrigerate,” and the real living kombucha will only be sold in refrigerated coolers (if it is shelf stable, it can’t be an authentic living kombucha, or it would explode in its packaging). And look for the KBI seal on packaging, which is a 3rd party international seal that certifies the kombucha is pure and unprocessed.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

There are so many “best” parts, but a couple that tie for best: bringing together amazing people on our team and giving them tools and space to grow into their superpowers and watch how they transform themselves and the Tonica team around them.
I also LOVE when I meet random people and find out they are Tonica customers and they tell me how much they love our product, or how much it has changed their lives.

On the other hand, seeing so many “greenwashed” kombuchas on the market that are riding the coattails of real functional kombucha, and confusing the customer by making products that don’t actually have any digestive benefits.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

That my company grew organically just like our kombucha SCOBYs do! First selling one case, then doubling, then tripling…same with every batch we make; every scoby creates a “baby” and doubles with each brew!

Where can we follow you?

Follow us on Instagram @tonicakombucha and @zoeytonica and visit our website.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

I love the snacks from Nudfood & the organic pumpkin seeds from Prana

The post Homegrown Business: Zoey Shamai of Tonica Kombucha appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Our business is called Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps, and we are a clean-label seed crisp that is powered by 7 super seeds, including watermelon seeds, offering 22g of protein and 13g of fibre per bag. We’re USDA Organic, gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, kosher, and strictly avoid seed oils, hitting every requirement for the modern, health-conscious shopper.

What made you want to do this work?

Over the last 15 years, I have worked for several global food & beverage companies such as Kraft, Unilever, Hershey, McDonald’s, and Mondelez International as a consumer strategist, understanding how and what consumers want to eat and drink.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

My trip to beautiful Sweden in 2019 inspired me to create Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps. I discovered crisp bread on the trip, but most crisp bread is wheat-based, and given we are a gluten-free household, I decided to recreate crisp bread and make it gluten-free and better for you!

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Health-conscious foodies who value functional benefits and culinary elevation

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell in retail such as Loblaws, Farm Boy and Whole Foods, in natural grocery, also food service and directly to consumers.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Our crackers can be found at multiple locations across the city, including Loblaws, Whole Foods, Real Canadian Superstores, Summerhill Markets, Farm Boy, Eataly, Healthy Planet and Nature’s Emporium.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

What differentiates your brands from other healthy crackers on the market?

At Joëy, culinary exploration means drawing inspiration from ancient Nordic tradition and global food culture to create something truly unique.

We only work with rare, thoughtfully sourced, super premium ingredients such as Blue Salt, Truffle, and Saffron to develop a cracker that elevates your everyday snacking.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part of what we do is bringing to life a product that consumers genuinely love, and seeing the many ways they enjoy our crackers across different moments and occasions. The toughest part is the pace: we’re constantly on the go, which makes it challenging to carve out personal time. It means we have to be intentional about protecting our calendars and creating space for ourselves.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

We spent $40k on a consumer focus group just to confirm that people, indeed, like things that taste good and cost less

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Website

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

We are huge fans of Pod Squad! They make crispy waffle bites made with organic beans, whole-grain oats, and milled flax seeds, high in protein, fiber and all natural!

The post Homegrown Business: Joseph Chen of Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps appeared first on Toronto Guardian.