Ganong Bros.
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Ganong Bros., Limited is a Canadian chocolate and confectionery company based in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Founded in 1873 by brothers James and Gilbert Ganong, it is the oldest company in its industry in Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The family-owned company is in its fifth generation of ownership.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Primarily a producer of boxed chocolates and the first to introduce heart-shaped boxes,<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> it now provides many chocolates for Laura Secord stores.
History
Ganong Bros. Limited was founded on June 5, 1873,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as G. W. Ganong, Commission Merchant, Etc.<ref name="OttawaCitizen-1">Template:Cite news</ref> James H. Ganong had convinced his brother, a teacher and aspiring physician named Gilbert Ganong, to start a grocery store with him in St. Stephen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They advertised their opening in the Saint Croix Courier,<ref name="OttawaCitizen-1"/> though the business began failing. They then started selling candy goods, then began manufacturing it themselves after struggling to get suppliers to do business with them.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1884, the brothers' partnership was dissolved; Gilbert maintained this business, while James left to focus on the St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company, a soap manufacturer based in the same town.<ref name="OttawaCitizen-1"/>
Ganong Bros. Limited has been one of the Canadian chocolate industry's most important companies. Arthur Ganong was the first to make any sort of a wrapped chocolate bar; Ganong began selling the first chocolate bars in 1910. In 1920 they began using the brand name "Pal-o-Mine" for their chocolate bar.Template:Citation needed
The company also was the first to introduce a heart-shaped box of chocolates in North America. The heart-shaped boxes were originally used for presents over the Christmas season before it also succeeded around Valentine's Day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1911, Ganong Bros. purchased the bankrupt White Candy Company in Saint John, New Brunswick and operated a factory there until 1931. In 1988, due to the rising costs of production, a plant was built in Bangkok, Thailand, due to lower labor costs and the close proximity to raw ingredients, and equipment from the St. Stephen factory was shipped there. The majority of the products from this factory is shipped to Canada.<ref>Candymaking in Canada, David Carr, p. 106-107, The Dundurn Group, 2003.</ref> In 1990, a new factory was opened on Chocolate Drive, St. Stephen and continues to produce to this day. The old factory eventually became the Chocolate Museum.Template:Citation needed
In 1997, the company acquired the manufacturing and marketing license for fruit snacks under the Sunkist brand in Canada from Sunkist as well as Lipton.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Today
In 2008, for the first time in its history, Ganong selected a president and CEO from outside the family. Doug Ettinger, who had been a senior executive in the food industry for 20 years, was approved by the Ganong board of directors as the top executive of Canada’s oldest candy company.Template:Citation needed
In 2015, the first female CEO was appointed: Bryana Ganong, part of the fifth generation of Ganongs. David Ganong maintains an advisory role on the company’s board and remains the controlling shareholder.<ref>http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1068765.htmlN.B. candy company to select boss outside family for first time Template:Webarchive</ref>
Company heads
- James H. Ganong, co-founder
- Gilbert W. Ganong, co-founder
- Arthur D. Ganong, president 1917–1957
- R. Whidden Ganong, president 1957–1977
- David A. Ganong, president 1977–2008
- Doug Ettinger, president 2008 to 2012
- David A. Ganong, president 2012 –2014
- Bryana Ganong, president 2014 to present
Chocolate Museum
Ganong's long history is showcased at its Chocolate Museum (Fr:Le Musée du Chocolat) which opened in 1999 in their old factory building in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Exhibits describe the Ganong brothers and the company, and include hands-on and interactive displays about the process of making chocolate and candies historically and currently, and a display of historic chocolate boxes and antique candy-making equipment. Visitors can also taste chocolate samples. The building also houses the Ganong Chocolatier company store.
In conjunction with the community, the museum co-hosts the annual St. Stephen Chocolate Festival, which has been held since 1985.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2000 the town was registered as "Canada's Chocolate Town".
Products
| Product | Introduced | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Bones | 1885<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | Dark chocolate surrounded by cinnamon-flavored candy |
| Delecto | 1917 | Boxed chocolates |
| Hillcrest | "Nearly Perfect" assorted chocolates and chocolate cherries. An economy brand of chocolates | |
| Pal-o-Mine | 1920<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | A soft fudge, coconut and peanut bar covered in dark chocolate |
| Red Wrap | Originally, a 5 lb box of assorted milk and dark chocolates. Usually available during the Christmas season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Originally named "Ganong's Best" (GB),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the nickname "Red Wrap" (due to the red packaging) was officially adopted as the name in the 2000s (decade) | |
| Sunkist fruit snacks | 1997 | Sunkist-branded fruit snacks, of which Ganong Bros. is the official licensee in Canada |
Discontinued products
Mints
Ganong Bros.'s "double-thick" wintergreen mints were, until being discontinued in 2019,<ref name="CBC-mints">Template:Cite news</ref> manufactured by the company since around 1889.<ref name="Courier-mints">Template:Cite news</ref> They came in white and pink colours, were particularly larger than the average mint candy, and were coated with a powder.<ref name="CBC-mints"/> Since the company used traditional "antiquated equipment," manufacturing the mints had grown to be too costly. In 2021, they were temporarily re-released for a limited time.<ref name="Courier-mints"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Fruitland Chews
Fruitland Chews were a line of jelly fruit snacks<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> that Ganong Bros. began manufacturing in 1989,<ref name="Transcript-chews">Template:Cite news</ref> as a means of competing against the dominating Betty Crocker.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They used fruit purée to make them.<ref name="Transcript-chews"/> The line was merged in 1997 when Ganong Bros. acquired the rights for Sunkist in Canada.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
See also
- Laura Secord Chocolates
- List of food and beverage museums
- Purdy's Chocolates
- J. Howard Crocker, machinist at Ganong Bros.
References
- Craigs, Melodie. Ganong, The Candy Family (1984) Literacy Council of Fredericton Template:ISBN
- Folster, David. The Chocolate Ganongs of St. Stephen, New Brunswick (1991) Goose Lane Editions Template:ISBN
External links
- Canadian chocolate companies
- Canadian brands
- Food and drink companies established in 1873
- Ganong family
- St. Stephen, New Brunswick
- Privately held companies of Canada
- Family-owned companies of Canada
- Food and drink companies based in New Brunswick
- 1873 establishments in New Brunswick
- Canadian companies established in 1873