British Food Products Missed By Brits Living In Canada

Contrary to popular belief, when given the option, many expats will choose to live in Canada instead of the United States and this is actually an incredibly popular destination for Brits to move to. Canada is listed as one of the best countries in the world for expats and it is praised for its welcoming society and providing expats with brilliant quality of life, so it is no surprise that hundreds of thousands of Brits now call Canada home.

However, like expats all over the world, when moving to Canada, there are some things that Brits really miss about the UK. Aside from their family and friends, many will miss the brilliant British food products that line the shelves in British supermarkets. If you’re considering moving to Canada and you’re wondering what food and drink products you may struggle to find here, below are some of the most missed products by Brits living in Canada. 

‘Good’ tea 

As you may expect, one of the main things that British expats miss when they move to Canada, or anywhere in the world really, is ‘good’ tea. From brands such as Yorkshire tea and PG Tips, many will say that nothing in Canada compares to a British cup of tea. It isn’t uncommon for expats to miss the Earl Grey tea they used to have here in the UK too. 

British chocolates

Even though you can get lots of different types of chocolate in Canada and it is even easy to get your hands on a bar of Cadburys, lots of British expats find themselves missing other classic chocolate brands. Things such as Hotel Chocolat and Thorntons can be impossible to find in Canada, so importing this type of chocolate is your only option. 

Marmalade and jam 

You will be able to get a range of different marmalades and jams in Canada, but this is something else that lots of British expats say simply isn’t the same. Here in the UK, we have a number of well-known brands to choose from when you’re buying marmalades and jams, but you will struggle to find favourites like Wilkin & Sons from Tiptree when you’re in Canada. 

Cheese and chutney

When enjoying a cheese board in Canada, all of the products will be very different from what you get here in the UK. Lots of expats miss artisan English cheese and also the British chutneys that they would usually have alongside them. You may not be surprised to hear that many really miss Branston pickle and the other delicious chutneys that Branston make.  

Unique crisp flavours 

There is no denying that both the US and Canada have some brilliant crisps and brands like Cheetos are incredibly sought after. However, when it comes to crisps, lots of expats miss the various unique flavours that you can only really get here in the UK. From classics like prawn cocktail to obscure options like sausage roll and pickled onion, no one does crisps like Brits. 

British sweets

Of course, there are also a number of different sweets that you’re unable to pick up from stores in Canada and lots of British expats will miss things such as Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums and Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles. In general, Canadian sweets are very different to British sweets, so many struggle to find brands and packets to replace their favourite UK sweets with. 

Buying British food products in Canada

Whilst there is no denying that Canada is an amazing place to live and it has so much to offer British expats, not being able to easily get hold of the food products mentioned above is definitely a downside. Many will result in stocking up on these food products when they visit the UK or asking anyone coming to visit them to bring things in their suitcase so they can still enjoy the British classic they know and love. 

If you’re looking for somewhere to buy British food products in Canada, be sure to check out the British Essentials website. We pride ourselves on being able to import British foods and drinks all over the world, so no matter where you live now, if you’re missing your favourite British products, we are the best company to turn to. We invite you to browse through our product pages today to see what we can offer you when you’re living in Canada.