29 Jul 2026 -
While many Quebec businesses are still focused primarily on their local markets, others are already selling their products around the world through online marketplaces.
A quick search on Amazon Dubai, for example, will reveal well-known Quebec brands such as Attitude, Homeocan, Adrien Gagnon, and many others. The good news? This opportunity is now far more accessible than most people think.
Do you have a gin brand? Why not sell on Amazon France or Amazon UK?
Alcohol sales are permitted on these platforms, provided you use the appropriate logistics solution and comply with applicable regulations.
Do you produce maple syrup?
Japan could be an excellent market for your products. In fact, brands such as Citadelle and Mon Favori are already established there and generating substantial sales.
A closer look at international marketplaces reveals that at least ten well-known Quebec brands are already present on most major platforms worldwide. What's particularly interesting is that many of these products are not necessarily being sold directly by Amazon or by the brand owners themselves. Instead, distributors and entrepreneurial resellers have identified opportunities and exported the products on their own.
However, identifying an opportunity does not automatically give you the right to sell a product. Sooner or later, your products will be subject to Amazon's verification and compliance processes, and they may be removed if they fail to meet regulatory requirements.
Ten years ago, exporting meant finding an agent, convincing a distributor, and waiting 18 to 24 months before making your first sale. Every intermediary took a margin and controlled the customer relationship.
Today, more than half of global e-commerce flows through marketplaces, and an SME in Montérégie can now reach buyers directly in New York, Tokyo, Paris, or Dubai.
What the most forward-thinking entrepreneurs have realized is that marketplaces operate in much the same way regardless of the country. The challenge is simply finding the right path to market and getting started.
And marketplaces are no longer limited to Amazon. Internationally, businesses now have access to platforms such as TEMU, TikTok Shop, and Walmart Marketplace—sales channels that were virtually inaccessible only five years ago. Looking to expand your wholesale business? Platforms such as Alibaba and Faire can open entirely new opportunities as well.
Does all this sound complicated?
In reality, artificial intelligence has dramatically lowered many of the traditional barriers to exporting. Creating multilingual product listings, analyzing competitors, monitoring new markets, and providing automated customer service in your customers' time zones are tasks that once required a dedicated export team.
Today, much of that can be accomplished with a handful of AI-powered tools.
"I don't speak Japanese" is no longer a valid excuse.
On Thursday, September 3, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., I will show you:
This webinar is not focused on any one country. It explores the marketplaces that enable Quebec SMEs to sell worldwide—whether in the United States, Europe, Asia, or the Middle East.
Most importantly, there will be a live Q&A session where you'll receive answers tailored to your business reality. You'll leave with practical next steps and solutions to your own challenges.
It's online, it's only 90 minutes, and it could change the trajectory of your business.
Jean-Philippe Paquette is President of Marché Distribution, where he helps Quebec manufacturers and brand owners expand their presence on global marketplaces.