Business / Opening Ramadan’s Business Potential to Canada’s Growing Muslim Community

Opening Ramadan’s Business Potential to Canada’s Growing Muslim Community

Business Mar 11, 2024

by Tushar Unadkat | Features Editor - Business

Ramadan 2024 began Sunday, March 10, and will end on Tuesday, April 9, leading into the Eid-ul-Fitr festival. Many businesses, whether large corporations or small enterprises, can adapt their strategies and operations to cater to the needs and traditions of the Muslim community during this period. Here are some ways businesses can engage with Ramadan.

Ramadan holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for Muslims in Canada and worldwide. It is a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Muslims observe fasting from dawn until sunset, refraining from food, drink, smoking, and negative behaviors. This period fosters self-discipline, empathy, and gratitude while bringing communities together for iftar meals and special nightly prayers. Ramadan emphasizes spiritual purification, generosity towards others, and a deeper connection with Allah. Businesses can recognize this significance by offering products and services that align with the values of Ramadan, fostering unity, empathy, and spiritual growth within the Muslim community.

Dates & Prayer Beads — Opening Ramadan’s Business Potential to Canada’s Growing Muslim Community. Photo Credit: Unsplash.

According to StatCan, in 2021, Islam became Canada’s second most reported religion after Christianity, with almost 1.8 million followers, which means about 1 in every 20 people. Over the past 20 years, the number of Muslims in Canada has more than doubled, rising from 2.0% of the population in 2001 to 4.9% in 2021. With a growing Muslim population in Canada, there is a demand for various products and services during the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan festivities can offer multiple business prospects, and the following are a few potential opportunities.

Food and Catering: Many Muslims break their fast with a special meal called iftar. Restaurants, catering companies, and food delivery services can offer special iftar menus or packages during Ramadan.
Retail and Gifts: Muslims often exchange gifts during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan. Retailers can offer unique Ramadan-themed products, such as decorations, clothing, greeting cards, and gift baskets.
Online Platforms: Creating online platforms or apps that offer services related to Ramadan, such as prayer time reminders, Quranic study resources, or community forums for Muslims to connect and share experiences, can be profitable.
Events and Entertainment: Hosting Ramadan events, such as iftar dinners, charity fundraisers, cultural performances, and educational workshops, can attract Muslim and non-Muslim attendees.
Tourism and Hospitality: Canada’s diverse Muslim population may attract Muslim tourists during Ramadan. Hotels and travel agencies can offer special packages and services tailored to Muslim travelers during this time.
Health and Wellness: With fasting being a significant aspect of Ramadan, there’s a potential market for health and wellness products and services tailored to fasting individuals, such as nutritional supplements, meal planning services, and fitness programs.
Media and Advertising: Advertising agencies can create targeted campaigns for businesses wishing to reach Muslim consumers during Ramadan, utilizing social media, television, radio, and print media.

These are just a few examples. It’s important to know what the Muslim community in Canada wants and likes so you can give them what they need during Ramadan. Doing well in these businesses depends on understanding why Ramadan is important, respecting different cultures, and genuinely caring about bringing people together and making them feel good. By doing this, businesses can do well and help make Canada even more diverse and welcoming.

Tushar Unadkat | Features Editor - Business

Author

Internationally celebrated, award-winning media personality and author of several business and lifestyle articles, Tushar Unadkat, is the CEO, Creative Director of MUKTA Advertising, Founder, and Executive Director of Nouveau iDEA, Canada. He holds a Master of Design from the University of Dundee, S...

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Opening Ramadan’s Business Potential to Canada’s Growing Muslim Community

by Tushar Unadkat | Features Editor - Business

Tushar Unadkat | Features Editor - Business

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