Filipino food vendor faces harsh reality of small business after zero sales at pop-up

Chef Larra Libo-on called it one of the most discouraging days of her life. After spending hours preparing over 500 pieces of her signature dumplings and other products for a recent pop-up event, the Filipino mobile food vendor faced a harsh reality: zero sales in three hours.

"I think that's the first time that for three hours, I had zero sales," Libo-on told OMNI News. Despite the disappointment, she did not let the food go to waste. She packed up and brought her products to a basketball event in Scarborough, where she recovered some of her loss. "They bought siomai, empanada, they bought all the drinks I had … I made $350 in just one hour."

Libo-on is not alone. A Statistics Canada report released in May found that just over one in six businesses in the Accommodation and Food Services sector expected an increase in sales in the next three months, with inflation being the most cited obstacle by more than half of surveyed businesses.

Economist Michael Batu explained that households are already being selective about spending. "What happens here is fewer people attend events or buying food or eating out," he said. Canada is one of the countries with the highest inflation in food prices, meaning vendors like Libo-on operate on razor-thin margins. "Any small changes, or small increase in input prices, that might drive them out of business."

Joining markets and pop-ups are inherently risky for vendors due to factors beyond their control — weather, event turnout, foot traffic. But Libo-on emphasized that customer support is crucial. "They don't just buy food. They also help our dream to be successful in our chosen career."