Jonathan Étienne Charrier is a Montreal-based entrepreneur and the founder of Charrier Global Imports, a specialty import and export company serving more than 300 boutique retailers across North America. His work connects small-scale producers in Europe, Africa, and South America with independent shops, cafés, and restaurants in Canada and the United States.
Jonathan grew up in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie in a bilingual household shaped by hospitality. His father was a chef for nearly three decades. His mother built a career in hotel management. Weekend visits to Jean-Talon Market sparked his early interest in global foods and craftsmanship.
He studied International Business at HEC Montréal and completed an exchange semester in Lyon, France. His capstone project focused on market access barriers for small agricultural producers in emerging economies. That research later shaped his business model.
From 2007 to 2009, Jonathan traveled through France, Italy, Peru, Brazil, and Morocco. He worked with vineyards, textile collectives, cacao farms, and women-led cooperatives. He saw firsthand how skilled producers struggled to access larger markets.
In 2012, he launched Charrier Global Imports from a small warehouse in Mile End. He handled customs paperwork, sales outreach, and deliveries himself. Over time, the company expanded its warehouse, team, and product catalog while maintaining a focus on ethical sourcing and long-term supplier relationships.
Jonathan is also active in Montreal’s entrepreneurial community and supports local food programs and international cooperatives.
Q&A with Jonathan Étienne Charrier on Success
What does success mean to you today?
Success used to mean growth. More retailers. Bigger warehouse. More products on shelves.
Now it means stability with integrity. I measure success by how many supplier relationships have lasted five or ten years. I look at whether producers feel secure working with us. I also look at whether our retail partners reorder because they trust the quality.
If growth comes at the cost of those relationships, it is not success.
How did your early life shape your idea of business?
I grew up in a restaurant family. My father worked long hours as a chef. My mother ran hotel operations. I saw that service is about consistency, not one big moment.
At 14, I was helping prep ingredients in the kitchen. That taught me discipline. Later, organizing an International Food Fair in high school showed me how food connects people. Business felt less like numbers and more like coordination.
Those early lessons stayed with me when I started importing.
What was the biggest turning point in your career?
The turning point was not launching the company. It was during my travels from 2007 to 2009.
In Peru, I worked with a textile collective in Cusco. The quality was incredible. But they had no reliable way to reach North American buyers. The same pattern showed up in Morocco with a women’s argan oil cooperative.
I realized that access, not talent, was the barrier. That shaped the business model when I returned to Montreal in 2012.
What did the early days of Charrier Global Imports look like?
Very practical. I rented a 900 square foot warehouse in Mile End. I filled it with olive oil from Provence, Moroccan spice blends, Peruvian alpaca scarves, and Brazilian cacao.
I handled customs paperwork myself. I loaded boxes into a used Ford Transit van and made deliveries to boutique retailers. I spent a lot of time explaining the story behind each product.
There were weeks when cash flow felt tight. I learned to track inventory carefully and avoid over-ordering. Discipline in logistics was just as important as passion.
How do you define sustainable growth?
Sustainable growth means building systems before scaling volume.
When we expanded to a 5,000 square foot warehouse in Little Italy, I hired an operations manager first. I invested in compliance training. I completed certifications related to food safety and import regulations.
I also moved from one-off purchases to long-term supplier agreements. That gave producers stability. It gave us better forecasting.
Growth without structure creates stress. Structure allows growth to feel controlled.
What habits helped you succeed?
Travel with intention. When I visit producers three or four times a year, I do not just negotiate pricing. I observe operations. I ask about harvest cycles. I look at packaging waste. Small observations lead to better decisions later.
I also review contracts personally. It keeps me grounded in the details.
Outside work, cycling along the Lachine Canal clears my head. It gives me space to think strategically. Consistent physical routines support mental clarity.
What mistakes taught you the most?
Early on, I tried to expand the catalog too quickly. I added products because they were interesting, not because there was clear demand.
Inventory sat longer than expected. That tied up cash. I learned to test small quantities first and listen closely to retailer feedback.
Another lesson was communication across cultures. Email can create misunderstandings. Face-to-face visits solve problems faster.
Why does your approach matter right now?
Global trade can feel distant and transactional. I think there is value in slowing it down.
When a boutique retailer in Montreal stocks Moroccan spices or Portuguese ceramics, there is a chain of relationships behind that product. My role is to protect that chain.
Success, for me, is when both sides of that chain feel respected and secure. That is what keeps the business strong over time.