Canbra Foods - History

August 27, 2008

When Canbra Foods launched in 1957, as Western Canadian Seed Processors Ltd., it was located outside the Lethbridge, Alberta city limits on a 24.6-acre spread. Today, the city has enveloped the plant, both literally – in terms of development – and figuratively – as one of the largest industries in the area.

Canbra’s initial raw material for crude oil and meal production was sunflower seeds. By 1960, rapeseed had become the dominant oilseed crop in Alberta and Canbra switched accordingly. The refinery became operational in 1961 and when Canbra started producing packaged products in 1962, it became the first fully integrated oilseed processing centre in Western Canada.

Canbra foods now exports finished canola products to more than 13 countries around the world. Today, as part of James Richardson International (JRI), we are constantly at the forefront with Research and Development of new product formulations for both consumer and industrial applications.

1957	September 13 - Western Canadian Seed Processors Ltd. is established outside Lethbridge, Alberta
1958	May 22 - Construction of Seed Cleaning plant begins
1960	Completion of the oil extraction plant
1961	Refinery begins operations
1962	Marketing of pure vegetable oil shortening and fully refined salad and cooking oils to institutional trade
1963	Bottled oils introduced at the retail level
1965	June 7 – Listed on the Calgary Stock Exchange
1967	June 5 – Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
1970	Beginning of production at margarine plant
1971	Installation of automated bottle line
1972	Purchases controlling interest in Stafford Foods Ltd. of Toronto
1973	Burns become a majority shareholder in Canbra Foods
1974	March 14 - Name changed from Western Canadian Seed Processors Ltd. to Canbra Foods Ltd.
1978	Name Canola created to reflect improvements to composition of the plant and oil
1980	March 27 - Canbra foods acquires Stafford Foods
1981	Canola accounts for more than 50% of the vegetable oil processed in Canada
1984	Canbra builds new facility in St. Albert, Alberta
1985	FDA affirmed GRAS status for low eruric acid rapeseed oil (also known as Canola)
1986	Canbra begins exports of canola oil to the United States.
1991	First year of the Canbra Foods Ltd. Charity Golf Classic
1991	September 4 - The world’s first canola options trading market opens at the Winnipeg commodity Exchange
1994	Launch of Canola Harvest brand of products
1994	Canbra announces formation of new joint venture with Greenland Corporation, makers of environmentally safe lubricants
1996	Canola Harvest retail products introduced in Eastern Canada and the Midwest United States
1996	Construction of new deodorizing facility
1997	Protein Plant built to introduce new technology- Hi- Bypass Canola Pellets
1999	Becomes wholly owned subsidiary of James Richardson International, Canbra shares de-listed from the Toronto Stock exchange
2006	Canola Harvest Charity Golf Classic reaches $1,000,000 fundraising milestone.