Ganong Bros. Explained

Ganong Bros., Limited
Type:Private
Hq Location:1 Chocolate Drive
Hq Location City:St. Stephen, New Brunswick
Hq Location Country:Canada
Key People:[1]
Industry:Confectionery
Products:Chocolate (including Pal-o-mine)
Num Employees:300[2] (2022)

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.[3] [4] The family-owned company is in its fifth generation of ownership.[5] Primarily a producer of boxed chocolates and the first to introduce heart-shaped boxes,[6] it now provides many chocolates for Laura Secord stores.

History

Ganong Bros. Limited was founded on June 5, 1873,[7] as G. W. Ganong, Commission Merchant, Etc.[8] 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.[9] [10] They advertised their opening in the Saint Croix Courier,[8] 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.[11]

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.[8]

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.

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.[12]

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.[13] 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.

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.[14] [15]

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.

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.[16]

Company heads

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.[17] In 2000 the town was registered as "Canada's Chocolate Town".

Products

ProductIntroducedDescription
Chicken Bones1885[18] Dark chocolate surrounded by cinnamon-flavored candy
Delecto1917Boxed chocolates
Hillcrest"Nearly Perfect" assorted chocolates and chocolate cherries. An economy brand of chocolates
Pal-o-Mine1920[19] A soft fudge, coconut and peanut bar covered in dark chocolate
Red WrapOriginally, a 5 lb box of assorted milk and dark chocolates. Usually available during the Christmas season.[20] Originally named "Ganong's Best" (GB),[21] the nickname "Red Wrap" (due to the red packaging) was officially adopted as the name in the 2000s (decade)
Sunkist fruit snacks1997Sunkist-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,[22] manufactured by the company since around 1889.[23] They came in white and pink colours, were particularly larger than the average mint candy, and were coated with a powder.[22] 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.[23] [24]

Fruitland Chews

Fruitland Chews were a line of jelly fruit snacks[25] that Ganong Bros. began manufacturing in 1989,[26] as a means of competing against the dominating Betty Crocker.[27] They used fruit purée to make them.[26] The line was merged in 1997 when Ganong Bros. acquired the rights for Sunkist in Canada.[28]

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Ganong does sweet deal with Cooke . June 6, 2024 . . October 13, 2022.
  2. News: Glenn Cooke Makes 'Major' Investment In Ganong . June 6, 2024 . . October 13, 2022 . en-CA.
  3. News: New Brunswick’s Ganong Bros. teams up to take candy company global . June 6, 2024 . . . October 14, 2022.
  4. Matei . Adrienne . Canada's Oldest Confectionery . June 6, 2024 . NUVO . February 12, 2016.
  5. News: Merotte . Bertrand . Fifth-generation Ganong to lead iconic New Brunswick chocolate maker . June 6, 2024 . . April 28, 2014 . en-CA.
  6. Web site: Ganong Bros., Limited. Dun & Bradstreet.
  7. News: Ligeti . Arik . Lorinc . Jacob . Morning Update: Ottawa to redraft broadcasting laws; Ford sued by late brother’s widow . June 6, 2024 . . June 5, 2018 . en-CA.
  8. News: Enman . Charles . Still going Ganong: After 127 years, the Ganongs still supply chocoholics. Charles Enman tells the sweet story of the N.B. family. . June 7, 2024 . . . December 29, 1999.
  9. News: Southwick . Reid . Old money, new blood; Savvy Succession of Ganong is part of a growing trend spreading across the country . June 7, 2024 . . July 19, 2008.
  10. Web site: McCallum . Margaret E. . Gilbert White Ganong . . June 7, 2024 . en . June 2, 2008.
  11. Web site: Ganong Bros. . Council of Archives New Brunswick . June 7, 2024.
  12. Web site: Ganong Chocolate Factory. 11 April 2020 .
  13. Candymaking in Canada, David Carr, p. 106-107, The Dundurn Group, 2003.
  14. Tiffany . Susan . Ganong Bros.-- 125 years of sweet success . Candy Industry . February 1998 . 163 . 2 . 20-23 . June 7, 2024.
  15. Pacyniak . Bernard . Perfect timing . Candy Industry . February 2003 . 168 . 2 . 18-25 . June 7, 2024.
  16. http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1068765.htmlN.B. candy company to select boss outside family for first time
  17. Web site: Welcome to the Chocolate Museum . 2009-12-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090903090216/http://www.chocolatemuseum.ca/home.htm . 2009-09-03 .
  18. News: Wright . Julia . The story behind the weirdest Maritime Christmas candy . June 7, 2024 . . December 24, 2017.
  19. News: Wright . Julia . What the heck happened to the Pal-O-Mine bar? . June 7, 2024 . . May 30, 2022.
  20. News: Hughes . Alison . Its Christmas season year-round at Ganongs; The candy factory starts planning a year ahead for the Yuletide season when it sells more than 80 per cent of its boxed chocolates . June 7, 2024 . . December 22, 1999.
  21. News: Holiday lunch roundup: Days 1 through 5 . June 7, 2024 . . December 24, 2016.
  22. News: Ibrahim . Hadeel . That sucks: Ganong drops classic double-thick mints . June 7, 2024 . . March 1, 2019.
  23. News: Green . Sari . Ganong peppermints back by popular demand, for a limited time . June 7, 2024 . . February 24, 2021.
  24. News: Sirois . Stephanie . N.B. Favourite Returns In A New Form . June 7, 2024 . . February 15, 2021 . en.
  25. News: Morgan . Sandy . Candy business growing strong . June 7, 2024 . . September 15, 1998.
  26. News: Ferguson . Heather . Ganong Bros. Limited has a rich, sweet history . June 7, 2024 . . September 10, 2010.
  27. News: Entrepreneur . June 7, 2024 . . December 24, 2004 . 76.
  28. Burn . Doug . Sweet exports soar . Food in Canada . May 2003 . 63 . 4 . 52-54 . June 7, 2024.