Ganong Bros. facts for kids
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Ganong Bros. factory, pictured in 2006
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| Private | |
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | June 5, 1873 |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters | 1 Chocolate Drive,
St. Stephen, New Brunswick
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Canada
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Key people
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| Products | Chocolate (including Pal-o-mine) |
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Number of employees
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300 (2022) |
Ganong Bros., Limited is a Canadian company that makes delicious chocolate and other sweet treats. It is located in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Brothers James and Gilbert Ganong started the company in 1873. It is the oldest candy company in Canada.
Ganong Bros. is still owned by the Ganong family. The family's fifth generation now runs the business. The company is famous for its boxed chocolates. They were also the first to sell heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. Today, Ganong makes many chocolates for Laura Secord stores.
Contents
The Story of Ganong Bros.
Ganong Bros. Limited began on June 5, 1873. It was first called G. W. Ganong, Commission Merchant, Etc. James H. Ganong convinced his brother, Gilbert Ganong, to open a grocery store with him. Gilbert was a teacher who wanted to be a physician.
They opened their store in St. Stephen. They put an advertisement in the Saint Croix Courier. At first, the business was not doing well. So, they started selling candy. When it was hard to get candy from other suppliers, they decided to make their own.
In 1884, the brothers decided to go their separate ways. Gilbert kept the candy business. James left to focus on the St. Croix Soap Manufacturing Company. This was a soap factory in the same town.
Innovations in Chocolate
Ganong Bros. Limited has been very important in Canada's chocolate industry. Arthur Ganong was the first to create a wrapped chocolate bar. Ganong started selling these chocolate bars in 1910. In 1920, they gave their chocolate bar the brand name "Pal-o-Mine".
The company was also the first in North America to introduce a heart-shaped box of chocolates. These special boxes were first used for gifts during the Christmas season. They later became very popular around Valentine's Day too.
Factory Locations
In 1911, Ganong Bros. bought the White Candy Company. This company was in Saint John, New Brunswick. Ganong ran a factory there until 1931.
Later, in 1988, making candy became more expensive in Canada. So, a new factory was built in Bangkok, Thailand. This location had lower labor costs. It was also closer to the ingredients needed for chocolate. Equipment from the St. Stephen factory was sent there. Most of the products from the Thailand factory are shipped to Canada.
In 1990, a new factory opened in St. Stephen. It is located on Chocolate Drive. This factory is still making candy today. The old factory building later became the Chocolate Museum.
In 1997, Ganong Bros. started making fruit snacks. They got the right to use the Sunkist brand name for these snacks in Canada. This agreement was with Sunkist and Lipton.
Ganong Today
In 2008, for the first time, Ganong chose a president and CEO who was not part of the family. Doug Ettinger was approved for the role. He had been a senior leader in the food industry for 20 years.
In 2015, Bryana Ganong became the first female CEO. She is part of the fifth generation of the Ganong family. David Ganong still helps the company as an advisor on its board. He also remains the main owner of the company.
Company Leaders
- James H. Ganong, co-founder
- Gilbert W. Ganong, co-founder
- Arthur D. Ganong, president from 1917 to 1957
- R. Whidden Ganong, president from 1957 to 1977
- David A. Ganong, president from 1977 to 2008
- Doug Ettinger, president from 2008 to 2012
- David A. Ganong, president from 2012 to 2014
- Bryana Ganong, president from 2014 to present
The Chocolate Museum
Ganong's long history is shown at its Chocolate Museum. The museum opened in 1999. It is in the old factory building in St. Stephen, New Brunswick.
At the museum, you can learn about the Ganong brothers and their company. There are hands-on displays. You can see how chocolate and candies were made in the past and how they are made now. The museum also has old chocolate boxes and antique candy-making tools. Visitors can even taste chocolate samples! The building also has the Ganong Chocolatier company store.
The museum works with the community to host the annual St. Stephen Chocolate Festival. This festival has been held every year since 1985. In 2000, the town was officially named "Canada's Chocolate Town."
Ganong Products
| Product | Started | What it is |
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| Chicken Bones | 1885 | Dark chocolate covered in cinnamon-flavored candy. |
| Delecto | 1917 | A variety of chocolates sold in a box. |
| Hillcrest | "Nearly Perfect" mixed chocolates and chocolate cherries. This is a more affordable brand of chocolates. | |
| Pal-o-Mine | 1920 | A soft bar with fudge, coconut, and peanuts, all covered in dark chocolate. |
| Red Wrap | Originally a large 5-pound box of mixed milk and dark chocolates. It is usually available during the Christmas season. It was first called "Ganong's Best" (GB). People started calling it "Red Wrap" because of its red packaging. This nickname became the official name in the 2000s. | |
| Sunkist fruit snacks | 1997 | Sunkist-branded fruit snacks. Ganong Bros. is allowed to make and sell these in Canada. |
Products No Longer Made
Mints
Ganong Bros. used to make "double-thick" wintergreen mints. They had been making them since about 1889. These mints were white and pink. They were larger than most mint candies and covered in a powder. Making these mints became too expensive because the company used old equipment. So, they stopped making them in 2019. In 2021, they were brought back for a short time.
Fruitland Chews
Fruitland Chews were soft, chewy fruit snacks. Ganong Bros. started making them in 1989. They wanted to compete with other popular fruit snack brands. These chews were made with fruit purée. This line of snacks was combined with the Sunkist brand in 1997. This happened when Ganong Bros. got the rights to sell Sunkist products in Canada.
See also
- Laura Secord Chocolates
- List of food and beverage museums
- Purdy's Chocolates
- J. Howard Crocker, machinist at Ganong Bros.
