Canada Bread

Canada Bread Company Limited (CBCL) is 90% owned by Maple Leaf Foods.   

From their investor homepage:   

Corporate Profile

Canada Bread is a leading manufacturer and marketer of value-added flour based products, including fresh bread, rolls, bagels and sweet goods, frozen partially baked or par-baked breads and bagels, and specialty pasta and sauces. The Company markets products under a number of leading brand names, including Dempster’s®, Olafson’s, POM®, Ben’s® and Olivieri®.  Canada Bread employs more than 8,200 people at its operations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The Company is 89.8% owned by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. and its common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CBY.

 

So why are we Canada Bread Franchisees yet I talk about Maple Leaf Foods?  It’s just a little confusing.

Technically our Franchise Agreements are with Canada Bread Company, Limited.  Yet Maple Leaf Foods Inc. runs the show.  Canada Bread employees are paid by Maple Leaf, corporate emails are @MapleLeaf.Ca, Maple Leaf Values are posted everywhere, management titles are under Maple Leaf, etc.

For the purposes of this blog, Canada Bread and Maple Leaf are synonymous with each other. Maple Leaf controls operations of Canada Bread, including Franchisees and the DSD system.

Links

CBCL Franchise Website
Dempsters
CBCL Investor Relations
CBCL Foodservice
Multi-Marques
Wonder Bread

 

Mergers and Acquisitions

1992 Corporate Foods purchased McGavin’s Foods

1993 Corporate Foods purchased Donut Delight

Corporate Foods changed name back to Canada Bread Company in 1997

1998 Canada Bread purchased Hamilton Bakery Company

2001 Canada Bread purchased 100% of Mult-Marques.    

A quote from the article:   

“Canada Bread is now a truly national baker with operations in every province,” said Richard Lan, Chairman of Canada Bread Company, Limited and President, Maple Leaf Bakery Group. “This strengthens the Maple Leaf position as we strive to be a North American leader in bakery products.”   

This purchase gave Canada Bread the ability to distribute nationally, acquiring both Ben’s Bakery and Multi-Marques.   

2002 Canada Bread purchases the remaining interest in Ben’s Bakery

2002 Canada Bread purchased Olafson’s Delta Bakery. 

A quote from Barry McLean, President of Canada Bread, Fresh: 

“The strategic fit is amazing,” said McLean. “We’ve added some really great people.”

Maple Leaf and Canada Bread officially join forces and merge together in 2002

2006 Canada Bread acquires Royal Touch Foods

2008 Canada Bread purchases Aliments Martel Inc.

Legal Matters

2001: Competition Bureau concerned with acquisition of Multi-Marques
http://www.bureaudelaconcurrence.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/%20eng/00533.html