Most catering businesses in Canada change hands at a multiple of their normalized earnings, typically EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), adjusted for owner add-backs. The multiple itself depends on your size, location, growth trajectory, and how much the business depends on you, the owner.
Catering companies are valued on recurring corporate and institutional contracts, repeat event bookings, and whether the kitchen runs without the owner. Contracted corporate accounts, a strong booking pipeline, and managers who run events lift value; one-off event revenue, seasonality, and owner-led sales and cooking weigh it down.
Pushes the number up
- Recurring corporate and institutional catering contracts
- A strong repeat-event booking pipeline
- Managers and chefs who run events
- A commissary or kitchen with capacity to grow
Pulls the number down
- Mostly one-off events with little recurring base
- Seasonal or weekend-concentrated demand
- Owner personally sells and cooks
- A short lease or kitchen-access uncertainty
You put in your numbers. We show you two things.
Market data: Sector-specific transaction multiples based on aggregated business transaction reports. Updated quarterly.
Peer benchmarks: Estimates from verified owners in your sector and size range. See what similar businesses are worth, and compare your own expectations against market data and transaction multiples.
Takes about three minutes.
No pitch. No account required. Just your numbers in, and market context out.
Get My InsightsCatering companies are valued as a multiple of normalized EBITDA. Recurring contracts, the booking pipeline, seasonality, and owner dependence all move the number. Clariva shows the benchmark range for your size and province.
Higher for caterers with recurring corporate contracts and managers who run events; lower for seasonal, owner-led operations. Enter your numbers to see your range.
Yes. Recurring corporate and institutional contracts make revenue predictable across the year, which buyers reward over one-off event work.
No. The estimate is for benchmarking and context only, and does not replace a formal business valuation. For a transaction, work with an M&A advisor or a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV).
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Not financial advice. Clariva is a data aggregation and compilation tool. All ranges shown on this platform are derived from publicly available transaction data and anonymized user submissions, and are provided for informational and benchmarking purposes only. Nothing on this platform constitutes a formal business valuation, financial advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell. Consult a qualified M&A advisor, Chartered Business Valuator (CBV), or legal counsel before making any financial or transactional decisions. Individual data is never shared or sold. Anonymized, aggregated insights may be used for industry research. You can request deletion of your data at any time by emailing tanner@clariva.ca.