How to Distribute to Quebec City

Quebec City is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. Quebec City’s 2020 population is now estimated at 826,109. The city has grown by 31,865 since 2015, which represents a 0.79% annual change. These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects.

Québec City has several historical sites, art galleries, and museums, including Citadelle of Quebec, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Ursulines of Quebec, and Musée de la civilization. Other tourist attractions include Montmorency Falls, and, just outside the city limits, the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, the Mont-Sainte-Anne ski resort, and the Ice Hotel. All these bring people to Quebec City every year. The only event that has slowed down this huge traffic is the COVID-19 pandemic.

A manufacturer who wants to distribute products to this city can use distributors or go directly to retailers. The manufacturer can even decide to take full control of the entire distribution channel.

To fully understand how to distribute to Quebec City, it will help understand how the distribution of products works within the city. This will give a clearer picture of how to approach the city.

Distributing to La Cité-Limoilou

La Cité-Limoilou is the central borough of Quebec City, the oldest (in terms of architecture), and the most populous, comprising 21.85% of its total population. As an administrative division, it is very new, having only been formed on November 1, 2009, from the former boroughs of La Cité and Limoilou.

By the 2016 population census in Canada, this borough had over 107,000 residents. This is a large market. The manufacturer can penetrate this neighborhood by engaging a distributor.

Many experienced distributors have worked in this community for a long time, and they understand how to get to the markets and the peculiarities involved. It is to the advantage of the manufacturer to work with this kind of distributor as they can help to launch the product in the neighborhood. Of course, this is to be coupled with precise and well-targeted marketing messages in places where the people in this community will see them.

When a manufacturer outsources its distribution to them, they start to map out areas to get the products to. They take marketing materials along to pitch to retailers. With the relationships they have forged with retailers over the years of being in business, it is easier to get the products on the shelves.

Distributing to Les Rivières

Les Rivières is one of the six boroughs of Quebec City. It comprises five neighborhoods: Neufchâtel-Est, Lebourgneuf, Duberger, Les Saules, and Vanier. The borough is geographically located in the center of Quebec City and contains the Galeries de la Capitale shopping center.

The borough is mostly an industrial area with a few residential neighborhoods (Vanier, Duberger, and Les Saules.) In recent years, the population has increased following a large amount of residential development, particularly condos’ construction along Boulevard Robert-Bourassa.

To distribute to this borough, it may help to work with retailers. You can connect with retailers within retail associations.

Retail associations have retailers as members. They are geographically-based and are well-organized. Some of these retail associations are based on products or industry. For instance, if you want to connect with grocers in this city, it is easy to connect with a grocers’ association with the city members.

More, working with retailers directly comes with its benefits for your brand. The insulation between the brand and the customer is reduced. With a well-oiled relationship with retailers, it is easy to get customer feedback and suggestions about the products.

Distributing to Charlesbourg

Charlesbourg is a borough of Quebec City, in the northeastern part of the city, west of Beauport’s borough. This residential suburb of Quebec City is the fourth-largest urban center of the Québec Urban Community. Like Beauport, it has increased by more than 20,000 people over the last 25 years.

A manufacturer can penetrate this area through any of the distribution methods stated above. The manufacturer can also take full control of the distribution channel. This is when the manufacturer handled everything down to sales and even servicing.

It costs a lot to take full control of the distribution method. Moreover, the manufacturer has to be in constant touch with the consumers. It is worth noting, however, that this method has its benefits. There is no insulation, whatsoever, between the manufacturer and the consumer. More, it strengthens the brand’s position with the consumer.

It is also worth noting that not all products can be distributed through this method. Some brands like Tesla have found success with it. But a milk manufacturer may find it hard to find success with it.

Things to Note When Distributing to Quebec City

Marketing

You almost can’t run the same marketing throughout Canada. In places like Quebec, where the French language and culture are pretty dominant, you want to speak the language. You should put this into consideration in your marketing.

More, marketing is as vital as the product you’re selling. You should invest considerably in marketing to get your brand message to your target audience. Ensure you tailor the message to them.

Laws and Codes

Canada is different from the United States. Different laws apply here. It is important to note whether all products – or some – need to be certified by a regulatory authority. For instance, in the United States, the FDA has to certify food and drug items as fit for public consumption before it can be sold to the public.

Large Market

Quebec City has a population of over 800,000 people. This makes it a huge market and also a diverse one. This means that the competition for the market is high. You should focus on a unique selling point to distinguish your brand.