Bento Sushi is Canada’s largest sushi company, founded in 1996 in downtown Toronto by Ken Valvur. Starting as a small takeout shop offering sushi, bento boxes, and ready-to-eat foods, the brand quickly expanded into supermarkets and food courts in the late 1990s.
Today, Bento operates hundreds of fresh-food sushi counters across Canada and the United States, including grocery stores, universities, airports, and quick-service retail outlets.
Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Bento Sushi remains committed to quality, consistency, and value in every roll. The company is a proud member of the Canadian Franchise Association and began expanding its franchise model significantly in the 2000s and 2010s. By 2013, Bento had launched its first on-site grocery sushi bar in the U.S., and by 2018 it had reached over 15 states.
What sets Bento apart is its chef-prepared, on-site fresh sushi made daily under strict food-safety standards, backed by sustainable seafood sourcing certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
Bento Sushi offers 5 types of franchises:
We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Commissary-Based Bento Sushi Operation franchise.
For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Below are some of
Bento Sushi
key competitors in the
Seafood
sector.
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$2,000 - $100,000
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Bento Sushi provides a comprehensive training program for its franchisees to ensure effective and compliant operations. The franchisor mandates that all principal owners and personnel complete specified training elements before and after opening a sushi counter. Below are the key training programs offered:
Bento Sushi does not offer territory protection or exclusivity to its franchisees. The franchisor explicitly states that franchisees will not receive any territorial or marketing exclusivity, meaning they may face competition from other franchisees, company-owned outlets, or other channels of distribution operated by the franchisor.
Each franchisee is only granted the right to operate a single Sushi Counter at a designated location as specified in their Franchise Agreement. Moreover, Bento Sushi retains the right to open or license others to operate similar outlets under the same or affiliated brand names anywhere, even in close proximity to existing franchisees.
This policy allows the franchisor to sell products or grant additional franchises without restriction, potentially affecting the market share and operational environment of existing franchisees. The franchisee’s right to a location is contingent upon the continued consent of the host facility, adding another layer of uncertainty.
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