Market Development and Trade

Market Development


The Market Development program is designed to advance the agriculture, agri-food and agri-product sector's innovation and business capacity to maintain existing markets and capture emerging market opportunities. The program will provide financial assistance to eligible recipients for market development activities that enhance the interprovincial trade and export capacity of individual businesses and improve overall domestic and international trade access for the sector.


Intake information

The intake for this program is currently open; funding requests will be accepted from February 22, 2024, to 11:59PM on April 4, 2024.

Eligible Applicants

  • Agri-food processors
  • Agri-product processors
  • Abattoirs
  • Brand owners
  • Indigenous government, businesses, communities, and organizations

Eligible Expenses

Eligible expenses include primary and secondary market information and research, market development and export training, professional fees for consulting, agencies and firms to create long-term market development and export plans, product development, commercialization and enhancement and participate in domestic and international market development activities that build brand awareness and support products in market. The program will support the following actions:

  • Market Information and Research
  • Market Development, Planning and Training
  • Product Commercialization
  • Domestic and International Development Activities

Market Information and Research

Funding to assist businesses to conduct market research and gather market intelligence to determine the viability of successfully entering a new market or expanding an existing market. This includes projects that conduct primary market research and development of market intelligence reports and studies and the purchase of secondary market intelligence reports and studies.

Market Development, Planning, and Training

Funding to assist businesses to participate in market development and export training, create long-term marketing and export plans, marketing materials and participate in retail marketing programs. This includes projects that provide market development and export training, creation of a long-term marketing and export plan, marketing materials, website, social media strategy and participating in retail marketing programs in-store.

Product Commercialization

Funding to assist businesses with pre-commercialization, commercialization, and enhancement of new and existing innovative products to market. This includes projects that support product development, enhancement and scale-up, shelf-life testing, product analysis, label design and compliance.

Domestic and International Development Activities

Funding to assist businesses with business-to-business (B2B) market expansion in new and existing domestic and international markets. This includes participation in B2B market development events such as trade shows, missions, and meetings.

Project Timeline

Projects must be completed by March 31, 2025

Cost Share Funding

A cost share ratio of 50 per cent government and 50 per cent applicant to a maximum contribution of $30,000 per applicant per intake.

Additional Information and Documents

Viewing Forms: left click on the file name below and the form will open in your web browser.

Completing Forms: to complete the Applicant Information Form and the Application Worksheet, right click on the file name below, select "Save link as" and save document to your desktop. Open document by selecting file name from desktop, ensuring that the document is being opened with Adobe. If there are any issues in opening the form(s), please ensure that you have installed the most up-to-date version of Adobe.

Additional Resources: two pre-recorded Market Development program training webinars are available on the Manitoba Agriculture YouTube channel to provide you with an overview of the program and guidance on how to complete your application worksheet. Click on the Sustainable CAP Market Development Program Overview and/or Sustainable CAP Market Development - Guidance for Completing your Application links to access the webinars.

Terms and Conditions Program Guide Applicant Information Form Application Worksheet