r/BuyCanadian • • 20h ago

General Discussion 💬🇨🇦 Roots shareholders approve deal to take it private under U.S. ownership, with Canadian operating partner

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thestar.com
777 Upvotes

I think its time to replace Roots with TenTree


r/BuyCanadian • • 20h ago

Maple-Washing/Mislabelling 🍁🏷️ Shameless maple washing from Oatly

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629 Upvotes

Googled it and saw Oatly was a Swedish brand. This should absolutely be illegal.

Edit: Big lol, people here thinks the 48pt CANADIAN text on the package innocent. The A/B test worked well for them I guess.


r/BuyCanadian • • 6h ago

Canadian-Owned Businesses 🏢🍁 Wear Tough Duck pants! Eat Hardbite chips!

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277 Upvotes

r/BuyCanadian • • 5h ago

Canadian-Owned Businesses 🏢🍁 Chocolate

30 Upvotes

I just discovered Galerie au chocolat brand chocolates. Made in Canada, Canadian owned, and pure natural ingredients. It’s absolutely delicious. I’m hooked on Maple Crunch.


r/BuyCanadian • • 1h ago

General Discussion 💬🇨🇦 I want to talk to you all about something on mind...

• Upvotes

We have a chance right now to really live good and healthy lives, we could prop up our neighbors and vote with our money and keep it all in Canada if we wanted. We could keep the ball rolling and really just focus on buying good and healthy Canadian products that uplift our country and heal our bodies, we could use this pride to lobby and vote to make our food products some of the most quality in the world, that every first world country would want what we have. We could collaborate and stop anti Canadian and anti human politicians in their tracks. We could buy Canadian and start to really live Canadian as we start to really ween other countries media and social ideals out of our inner worlds. We really have a chance here, we could be healthy like Sweden, wealthy like Germany, we could be green like Costa Rica, we can especially be careful and smart in our future resource extraction plans. We could be more than the greatest country on earth we could be a place to really thrive. I have driven across Canada from coast to coast and I believe this is the most special place on earth, if we all held it in this regard the landscape of Canada would change overnight!

I believe, not in politics or CEOs, I believe that Canada and humanity is and always has been a collection of communities and we need more grass roots local community based organizations, business, groups and initiatives that will build from the ground up; good local food, quantity local products, community share programs, community trade, community jobs and bring community abundance.

Cheers to all who have been supporting and making efforts for Canada 🍁❤️


r/BuyCanadian • • 12h ago

Questions ❓🤔 Canadian products & services in EU

11 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I'm an european guy and I'd love to explore some canadian products and services. Here in Europe we have GoEuropean, which I've been using a lot, but do you have anything similar, in Canada?


r/BuyCanadian • • 1h ago

General Discussion 💬🇨🇦 I investigated Vittelo, the "Proudly Canadian" belt company. The Canadian business is real, but its overseas sourcing raises questions.

• Upvotes

Disclosure and methodology: This is an independent, non-commercial consumer research post based on publicly available information reviewed as of October 15, 2026. I have no affiliation with Vittelo, its competitors, or the individuals discussed. I distinguish between corporate records, statements published by Vittelo, third-party customer experiences, and my own assessments. Customer reports have not been independently verified, and my conclusions are not findings of misconduct. The purpose is to help Canadians understand what they are purchasing, not to allege fraud or unlawful behaviour. I welcome factual corrections, additional evidence, and a response from Vittelo.

TL;DR

Vittelo markets itself as a proudly Canadian belt company based in Newmarket, Ontario.

I investigated its corporate records, trademarks, website, advertising, technical infrastructure, and customer feedback.

Here's what stood out:

  • There is a traceable Canadian corporation behind the brand.
  • Vittelo prominently emphasizes its Canadian identity in its marketing.
  • Its own website acknowledges working with overseas suppliers.
  • Multiple customers report receiving shipments originating in China, including packaging with Chinese markings.
  • Customer feedback includes complaints about extended delivery times and confusion over shipping origin.
  • The brand uses a conversion-focused direct-to-consumer business model with significant social media marketing activity.
  • I could not establish that its belts are manufactured in Canada.

My conclusion: Vittelo appears to be a Canadian-operated e-commerce brand with overseas sourcing. Consumers specifically seeking Canadian-manufactured products should not assume its belts qualify simply because the company is Canadian.

That distinction deserves more attention, particularly in a subreddit dedicated to supporting Canadian businesses.

1. Who actually owns Vittelo?

I started with corporate records rather than advertising.

My review identified the following Canadian corporation associated with the brand:

  • Legal entity: Lift Plus Corp.
  • Federal corporation number: 15944376
  • Incorporation date: April 12, 2024
  • Jurisdiction: Canada
  • Registered location: Newmarket, Ontario
  • Status in records reviewed: Active

The corporate records I reviewed listed two directors:

  • William Sun Carter
  • Boris Ryssine

Vittelo's website identifies William Carter as its founder.

I also identified trademark activity connected to the VITTELO name, including a U.S. registration and a Canadian application.

The domain dates back to October 2023, preceding the corporation's incorporation.

These are meaningful indicators of an established commercial operation, rather than a completely anonymous online storefront.

The Canadian corporate connection is real. But corporate registration and product manufacturing are entirely different questions.

A Canadian corporation can legally sell products manufactured anywhere in the world. There is nothing inherently improper about that.

For shoppers trying to support Canadian manufacturing, however, incorporation alone tells us very little.

2. The most interesting discovery came from Vittelo itself

Vittelo's website contains a page titled 6 Reasons The Vittelo Belt Belongs in Every Canadian Wardrobe.

Under the heading "Proudly Canadian Company", Vittelo describes its Newmarket roots, its involvement with local co-op students, and its partnerships with overseas suppliers.

That last point is important.

The company itself acknowledges that overseas suppliers help bring its designs to market.

Source: https://www.vittelo.com/pages/7-reasons-canadians

To be fair, this is a disclosure, not evidence that the company is trying to conceal its supplier relationships.

But it raises an obvious question:

When consumers see advertising emphasizing that Vittelo is a Canadian company, do they understand that the physical products may be manufactured abroad?

Personally, I think that distinction should be much clearer.

There is a considerable difference between:

  • A Canadian company manufacturing belts in Ontario.
  • A Canadian company designing belts in Ontario and having them manufactured overseas.
  • A Canadian company importing finished belts and selling them under its own brand.

All three models are legitimate.

But they provide very different levels of support for Canadian manufacturing and domestic supply chains.

I couldn't independently establish exactly which manufacturing arrangements Vittelo uses for every product.

3. Customer reports point toward Chinese shipping and fulfilment

This was the second significant finding.

I reviewed customer feedback on Trustpilot and other publicly available sources.

A recurring theme in some complaints was the apparent disconnect between expectations of a Canadian business and the shipping experience.

Customers have reported:

  • Tracking information showing shipments originating in or passing through China.
  • Parcels with Chinese-language shipping labels or markings.
  • Delivery periods extending beyond what they expected from a Canadian business.
  • Confusion about whether the products were being shipped from Canada.
  • Frustration with shipping transparency or customer support.

For Ontario customers in particular, some reported delivery experiences seemed inconsistent with their expectation of locally stocked merchandise.

These are customer allegations and experiences, not independently verified findings about Vittelo's entire fulfilment operation.

A product can also be manufactured in one country and shipped from another.

Nevertheless, the combination of Vittelo's acknowledged overseas supplier relationships and these customer reports is relevant to understanding its supply chain.

What I could not establish: Whether all, most, or only some Canadian orders are fulfilled from China, and whether every belt is manufactured there.

Those details would require reliable order-level or supplier information.

But I think the available evidence is sufficient to justify asking Vittelo to identify the manufacturing country and fulfilment origin of its products.

4. The advertising strategy is worth examining

Vittelo appears to follow a familiar direct-to-consumer e-commerce model.

Its storefront runs on Shopify, with customer service, order tracking, promotions, bundles, and related conversion tools.

The advertising strategy observed in my research emphasizes:

  • Canadian business identity.
  • Product demonstrations.
  • Attractive bundle discounts.
  • Limited-time or promotional offers.
  • Social media advertising intended to convert viewers into buyers.

Again, none of this is inherently problematic.

These are standard e-commerce marketing practices.

What interests me is the emphasis on Canadian identity as part of the purchasing proposition.

In a market where many consumers are deliberately looking for Canadian alternatives, "Proudly Canadian" is a meaningful marketing message.

It may encourage consumers to choose the product over an otherwise comparable imported option.

That's where I think the distinction between Canadian ownership and Canadian manufacturing becomes particularly important.

The concern isn't that Vittelo uses overseas suppliers. It's whether its Canadian-focused marketing provides consumers with a sufficiently clear understanding of what is actually Canadian about the product.

That is a consumer transparency question, not an accusation about the company's intentions.

5. There's also a marketing background behind the business

One of the directors identified in my corporate research, Boris Ryssine, has a publicly visible professional presence associated with digital marketing, paid customer acquisition, and e-commerce growth.

The public materials I reviewed include discussions of advertising creative, customer acquisition funnels, and scaling online businesses.

This background is consistent with the marketing-led business model visible in Vittelo's online presence.

It isn't evidence of misconduct, and I wouldn't suggest otherwise.

In fact, sophisticated digital marketing is a perfectly legitimate business capability.

I mention it because the brand's approach appears to rely heavily on direct-response advertising rather than the sort of manufacturing-focused presence one might expect from a traditional domestic leather-goods producer.

That is an observation about the apparent business model, not proof of where its products are made.

6. What about product quality and customer satisfaction?

The customer feedback isn't uniformly negative.

The Trustpilot profile I reviewed contained hundreds of reviews, with both positive and negative experiences.

Some customers praised the ratchet mechanism, adjustability, appearance, and value.

Others described shipping delays, origin-related concerns, or dissatisfaction with aspects of customer service.

I wouldn't conclude that Vittelo makes poor products based on those complaints.

Indeed, the belts may offer perfectly acceptable value.

But product quality and product origin are separate issues.

Someone could buy a Vittelo belt, love it, and still discover that the purchase did not support Canadian manufacturing in the way they had expected.

For r/BuyCanadian, that distinction matters.

7. Why Canadian origin claims deserve scrutiny

This isn't simply my personal interpretation of what "Canadian" should mean.

The Canadian Competition Bureau has published guidance distinguishing between "Made in Canada" and "Product of Canada" claims.

Generally speaking:

Made in Canada

  • At least 51% of total direct production or manufacturing costs incurred in Canada.
  • The last substantial transformation occurred in Canada.
  • An appropriate qualification identifies imported content.

Product of Canada

  • At least 98% of total direct production or manufacturing costs incurred in Canada.
  • The last substantial transformation occurred in Canada.

These are the Bureau's general enforcement guidelines for non-food products, not automatic legal determinations.

More importantly, the Bureau considers the general impression created by advertising.

That includes wording, images, symbols, and the overall presentation.

Source: https://competition-bureau.canada.ca/en/deceptive-marketing-practices/made-canada-claims

To be absolutely clear, I am not claiming Vittelo has violated these rules.

I have not established that Vittelo makes an explicit "Made in Canada" or "Product of Canada" representation, nor do I have the manufacturing-cost information required to assess eligibility.

My point is narrower:

Canadian-themed marketing can create expectations about product origin that go beyond the literal meaning of "Canadian-owned".

And when consumers are specifically trying to support Canadian manufacturing, those expectations deserve attention.

8. My assessment (opinion) after reviewing the evidence

Here is where I landed.

Question Finding
Is there a Canadian business associated with Vittelo? Yes, according to the corporate records reviewed
Is the business based in Ontario? Vittelo describes itself as Newmarket-based
Does the company prominently market its Canadian identity? Yes
Does Vittelo acknowledge overseas suppliers? Yes, explicitly
Have customers reported shipments from China? Yes
Does this prove all belts are Chinese-manufactured? No
Could some products be manufactured in Canada? Possible; not established
Is the Canadian share of product manufacturing disclosed clearly enough for me to verify it? No
Would I classify Vittelo as a verified Canadian manufacturer? No

Based on the evidence available to me, Vittelo is better characterized as a Canadian e-commerce brand with international supplier relationships than as a verified Canadian manufacturer.

Its business model appears consistent with private-label or internationally sourced direct-to-consumer retail, although I have not independently confirmed the terms of its manufacturing agreements.

That isn't inherently a criticism of the business model.

It is a criticism of how easily consumers can confuse a Canadian brand identity with Canadian-made merchandise.

9. The questions I'd like Vittelo to answer

If someone from the company reads this, I'd genuinely welcome clarification.

  1. Where are Vittelo belts manufactured? Please identify the countries for the leather, tactical, and ratchet-belt product lines.
  2. Are any Vittelo belts made in Canada? If so, which models?
  3. What happens in Newmarket? Product design, research, customer service, marketing, warehousing, or other functions?
  4. Where are Canadian orders fulfilled? From Canadian inventory, U.S. warehouses, overseas suppliers, or a combination?
  5. What proportion of the product's manufacturing value is generated in Canada? Even a general explanation would help consumers make informed decisions.

I think these are reasonable questions for any company whose Canadian identity features prominently in its marketing.

I'd be pleased to update this post with substantive answers.

10. My final thoughts

I support Canadian entrepreneurship.

A Canadian business employing Canadians, generating economic activity, and competing internationally has value even when it sources products overseas.

But I also believe we should distinguish between supporting Canadian businesses and supporting Canadian manufacturing.

Those are different economic choices.

If I buy a belt manufactured in Ontario, I'm potentially supporting Canadian manufacturing workers, production facilities, and domestic suppliers.

If I buy an imported belt from a Canadian-owned online retailer, I'm supporting a different combination of Canadian and international economic activity.

Neither transaction is inherently wrong.

But I want to know which one I'm making.

My concern with Vittelo isn't that it appears to work with overseas suppliers. It's that Canadian identity plays a prominent role in its marketing while the actual manufacturing origin of its belts remains difficult for me to establish.

Perhaps Vittelo has a compelling explanation for its sourcing arrangements and Canadian operations.

If so, I would welcome that information.

Until then, I personally would not categorize its belts as verified Canadian-made products.

For anyone specifically trying to buy Canadian-manufactured goods, I would recommend asking for confirmation of the country of manufacture before ordering.

Sources

Information reviewed as of October 15, 2026:

Some corporate identifiers and third-party observations were gathered during my research and should be independently checked against the linked primary records. Reviewers' experiences are presented as reported experiences, not independently verified facts.

Question for the community:

Have you purchased a Vittelo belt? Where was it shipped from, and did the packaging identify where it was manufactured?

More broadly, should r/BuyCanadian differentiate between Canadian-owned brands, Canadian-designed products, and products actually manufactured in Canada?

I'd be interested in hearing how others approach this distinction.


r/BuyCanadian • • 51m ago

Questions ❓🤔 Reef Safe Suncreen

• Upvotes

Hello! We are going to Belize next month and I would like to purchase some reef safe sunscreen for our trip. Preference is Canadian made but anything but American works as well. It will need to be for both adults and kids and water/sweat proof.

Edit: I'm a nimrod and realized I spelled it suncreen right as I clicked post, my apologies!