How Cedar Planters set up a UK subsidiary in just over two months
A Canadian garden products brand that started on a condo balcony grew 300% in three years. Europe was next, starting with the UK. Here is how we got its UK business ready to trade.
From a balcony project to a first European market
Cedar Planters sells gardening products, including raised garden beds handmade from Western Red Cedar. Owners Haley and Jason started woodworking at home during the pandemic. A raised bed built for their condo balcony went up on Facebook Marketplace, and the orders followed.
Sales spread across Canada and the US, almost entirely online. "We have our website on Shopify, and now our biggest market is in the US, around 70% of the business," says Maria Gil, Supply Chain and Operations Manager. "We have grown, between 2021 to 2024, by easily 300%." Demand meant new warehouses and a flatpack format.
Europe was the next step, and the UK came first, thanks to the shared language and the trade agreement between Canada and the UK. The team now needed a UK business, tax setup, banking and board structure, run from Canada.
Before
A fast-growing Canadian e-commerce brand with no UK entity, no UK tax setup and no UK bank account.
After
A UK subsidiary owned by the Canadian company, with tax, banking and board meetings in place, and UK sales under way.
Clear steps, then we did almost everything
"We found Paul on Google and the reviews were so positive," says Maria. Wendy from our team ran the first meeting and a short orientation on what setting up in the UK involves. "They were really clear about what we needed to send or submit," says Maria.
We recommended a UK subsidiary owned by the Canadian parent. "It turned out to be easier to do it with the entity to entity, where the Canadian company owns the UK one," Maria explains. The trade agreement between Canada and the UK made the Canadian company easier for the UK to verify.
- 1First meeting
Orientation with Wendy
A clear list of what Cedar Planters needed to send and submit.
- 2Structure
UK subsidiary set up
We set up the UK business, owned by the Canadian company.
- 3Tax and banking
Ready to trade
We organised UK tax arrangements, helped with banking and set up board meetings.
- 4Just over 2 months
UK launch
Key setup complete, and Cedar Planters launched in the UK.
UK sales ahead of projections
UK and European progress has beaten Cedar Planters' initial projections. "We are already having sales, which is good, and positive feedback from the people who already received the product, they love it," says Maria. The team is working with UK content creators on social media and developing a balcony product for European buyers.
Hiring is next. Maria expects to need UK staff within two years, and we will run UK payroll. "We don't want to deal with payrolls and so on from here," she says.
"Actually, they did almost everything. Set up the business, organised our tax arrangements, helped with banking and got our board meetings up and running."
Setting up a UK subsidiary from Canada?
Paul Beare helps Canadian companies set up a UK subsidiary, from structure and tax to banking, board meetings and payroll. Talk to our team about your plans.
