About DEMES
The taste of Tehran's deli counters, made in Toronto
DEMES was born from a simple homesickness: the taste of a real Persian deli counter. We brought the recipes, sourced the spices directly from Iran, and built a Halal, CFIA licensed production kitchen in Toronto to make them fresh.
How It Started
From homesicknessto smokehouse
The craving
A taste you could not buy here
You can find deli meat anywhere in Toronto, but not that deli meat from the corner shop back home.
The recipes
Tehran formulas, batch by batch
Classic Tehran formulas, refined batch after batch until the slice tasted like memory.
The spices
Sourced at origin
Our signature blend is sourced directly from Iran and prepared in-house. We never substitute it.
The facility
A production kitchen of our own
A dedicated Halal, CFIA licensed facility in Toronto. Fresh meat to sealed pack, under one roof.
Today
On counters and tables across the GTA
Persian restaurants, cafés, retailers and home tables across the GTA, served fresh weekly.
What We Stand For
Six values, zero compromises
Uncompromising quality
From sourcing to packaging, quality is the first principle at every step. Every batch meets the same standard, every time.
Freshness first
Fresh Halal Canadian meat in, fresh product out. Nothing is frozen at any point between our kitchen and your table.
100% Halal, always
Halal is not a product line for us, it is the whole company. Every ingredient, every supplier and every batch.
Handmade craft
Recipes measured by hand, casings tied by hand, smoke watched by eye. Machines help, but craft decides.
Honesty & transparency
Clear ingredients, clear processes, clear answers. We share what goes into our products because trust is earned with openness.
Respect for your health
Food-safe production, full cold chain and no shortcuts. Your health sits at the heart of every decision we make.
Our Production Philosophy
In-house. From scratch.No exceptions.
Made from scratch
Every batch starts with fresh Halal Canadian meat and whole spices. No pre-made bases, no flavor concentrates.
Nothing outsourced
Grinding, seasoning, casing, smoking, cooking, slicing and packing all happen in-house, under one roof and one standard.
Naturally smoked
Real smoke and patience build the flavor. We have never used liquid smoke and never will.
Fresh, never frozen
An unbroken cold chain carries every order from our facility door to your counter, chilled and never frozen.
Certifications
Certified, inspected, accountable
Two certifications stand behind every single pack that leaves our facility.
100% Halal Certified
Every product, every ingredient and every supplier is Halal certified. There is no separate Halal line at DEMES; Halal is the only way we make food.
- Certified Halal meat from audited Canadian suppliers
- Halal-compliant handling through the entire production line
CFIA Licensed Facility
Our Toronto production kitchen operates under a Canadian Food Inspection Agency licence, with food-safety controls applied to every batch.
- Federally regulated standards, documented batch by batch
- Full traceability from raw meat to sealed pack
Certification documents are available to wholesale partners on request. Read more about our certifications
The People
A small team,one obsession
DEMES is a handful of people who take deli meat far too seriously. Different stations, one shared test: would we serve this at our own table?
The Butchers
Fresh Halal meat trimmed, ground and seasoned by hand at the start of every batch.
The Spice Master
Guardian of the signature blend, balancing every kilogram to the original Tehran formula.
The Smokehouse Crew
Tending real smoke, slow heat and time, the part of the process no machine can rush.
Quality & Food Safety
Checking, logging and tasting every batch against CFIA standards before it ships.
Wholesale inquiries welcome
We supply restaurants, cafés and retailers across the GTA
Consistent quality, reliable delivery and wholesale pricing tailored to your volume. Request a quote or ask for samples; we will get back to you within one business day.