Ganong Bros.

Ganong Bros., Limited

Type	Privately held company
Founded	1873
Founder(s)	Gilbert W. Ganong & James H. Ganong
Headquarters	One Chocolate Drive St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada
Number of locations	Offices: Moncton, New Brunswick Toronto, Ontario Vancouver, British Columbia
Key people	David A. Ganong, David Pigott, Marc Lefebvre
Products	confectionery
Website	http://www.ganong.com/

The old Ganong factory is now functioning as the Chocolate Museum where one can learn about the history of Ganong Brothers.

The new Ganong factory is located appropriately on "Chocolate Drive;" it opened in 1990.

Ganong Bros., Limited is Canada's oldest candy company; it was founded by James and Gilbert Ganong in 1873 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick where it is based to this day. The primary product is boxed chocolates. It now provides many chocolates for Laura Secord stores.

The Ganongs were descendants of Huguenots who fled persecution in France and emigrated to New Amsterdam in the second half of the 17th century, the family name "Ganong" is a corruption of the original French language name, "Guenon".

Ganong Bros. Limited has been one of the 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 the Christmas season before it succeeded around Valentine's Day

In 1911, Ganong Bros. purchased the bankrupt White Candy Company in Saint John, New Brunswick and operated a factory there until 1931.

Recent history

For the first time in its 135 year old history, Ganong selected a president and CEO from outside the family. Doug Ettinger, a senior executive in the food industry for the past 20 years, was approved by the Ganong board of directors as the top executive of Canada’s oldest candy company. David Ganong maintains an advisory role on the company’s board and remains the controlling shareholder^[1].

Executive history:

• 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 to 2008
• Doug Ettinger, president 2008 to present

Chocolate Museum (New Brunswick)

Ganong's long history is showcased at the Chocolate Museum (Le Musée du Chocolat in French) which opened in 1999 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. The museum is itself located in the old factory building. Exhibits include the Ganong brothers and the company, 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.

In conjunction with the community, the museum co-hosts the St. Stephens Chocolate Festival, which has been held since 1985.^[2] In 2000 the town was officially registered in 2000 as "Canada's Chocolate Town".

References

1. N.B. candy company to select boss outside family for first time

External links

• Craigs, Melodie. Ganong, The Candy Family (1984) Literacy Council of Fredericton ISBN 0920333168
• Folster, David. The Chocolate Ganongs of St. Stephen, New Brunswick (1991) Goose Lane Editions ISBN 0864921152
• It Wouldn't Be Christmas without Chicken Bones (Excerpt: Ganong, by David Folster)
• Official company site
• The Chocolate Museum