Basic HTML Version
11
Business Considerations
Developing and expanding your business is not a
1-2-3 process. It does not move along one step at a
time. You are often thinking of many aspects of the
business at once. Some parts of the planning and
development may be easy for you. Sometimes you
may struggle with a decision. This section covers a
variety of business topics that you need to consider
as you expand your business.
Choosing a Name
For food companies, the choice of business and
product names is extremely important. Select a name
that conveys what you and your product are about.
Make sure that the name you select will not be
confused with an already existing business or
product. The name of your business must be
descriptive and distinctive. Often the first word in a
business name is distinct, followed by a word that
describes the nature of your business.
Once you have decided on a name, conduct a name
search. Look under Searchers of Records in the
Yellow Pages to select a private firm that offers this
service. An Alberta search costs less than $50. Once
the name is approved, your business can be
registered.
Intellectual Property
The Canadian Intellectual property office is where
you can register and search intellectual property
such as patents and trademarks.
Contact:
Industry Canada
Room 725, 9700 - Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4C3
Telephone: 1-800-461-2646
www.ic.gc.ca
Trademarks
Trademarks are words, symbols and phrases that
identify a product or service. Because they are the
identity of your product it is important to protect
your trademarks and shield their use from
competitors. Trademarks do not have to be
registered. They can become property over time. By
registering a trademark you gain exclusive rights for
15 years and avoid the problems related to proving
ownership. Trademarks can be renewed every 15
years. For more information on trademarks and to
obtain a copy of the publication
A Guide to Trade-
marks
, contact Industry Canada.
Patents
A patent is a document protecting the rights of the
inventor on physical objects. It gives the inventor the
right to exclude others from making, using or selling
his/her invention from the day the patent is granted
by the government to a maximum of 20 years after
the day which the patent application was filed. Note
that recipes cannot be patented.
In the food manufacturing industry, patents are
primarily used for protecting inventions for
processing. Costs vary greatly depending on the
complexity of the invention. For more information
on patents, and to obtain a copy of the publication
A
Guide to Patents
, contact Industry Canada.
Business Number (BN)
All businesses operating in Canada must obtain a
business number (BN) from Canada Revenue
Agency. The BN is a numbering system that
simplifies and streamlines the way businesses deal
with the government. A BN is assigned to each
business and stays the same, no matter how many
accounts a business has. It is based on the idea of
one business, one number.