EARLY CANDY machines used by Kerr’s to help package its many brands of candies. Courtesy photo.
KERR’s brand new factory in Oakville.
BROTHERS Edward and Albert co-founded Kerr’s back in 1895. Kerr family photo.
Residents and local merchants say they will miss a well-known candy maker and dozens of staff who are moving after 50 years in the community for a larger brand new facility in Oakville.
Kerr’s Candy Ltd. says their factory at 956 Islington Ave., just north of The Queensway, is old and now to small as the candy maker expands.
The land that the current location is on is owned by the Toronto Catholic District School Board, and with nearby Holy Angels Catholic School deciding to expand, Kerr’s has been forced to move.
The company has been making Canadian treats for more than 125 years and has been in South Etobicoke since the early 1980s.
The confectioner moved to Toronto in the early 1900s and has made a name for its brands at the CNE and an array of retailers, including Walmart, Shoppers Drug, big box grocery stores and local shops.
Kerr’s was founded in 1895 by brothers Edward and Albert Kerr. After emigrating from Scotland, they opened a candy shop in St. Thomas, Ontario. Theirs is known for its high quality and rich heritage, so much so, that Kerr’s is an industry leader in Canadian confectionery.
“Our candy team, close to 80 of us, come from all across the globe,” Kerr’s said on its website. “We strive to have a happy, healthy and safe workplace, and our goal is to make Irresistible candy!”
They focus on creating candy for all Canadians. Their factory is peanut free, tree-nut free and gluten free. The company also makes many products that are suitable for kosher or halal diets, as well as sugar reduced diets.
While moving is never fun, the Kerr’s team says they’re excited for the upcoming changes and the potential that the company’s first new facility in nearly 40 years can provide.
“It’s a big change for us, we’ve been here in this facility since the early 1980s so it’s going to be an upgrade on everything. We built it pretty much from scratch, it’s going to be brand new,” explained marketing manager Whitney Martyniuk.
Many of its staff live in the area or have developed ties with local businesses and will be sorely missed.
You may be familiar with some of their products. They include lollypops, caramels, butterscotch, scotch mints, striped mints, toffee, fruit drops and the little red strawberry hearts.