From dairy milk, flavoured creamers or plant-based alternatives, fridges today are stocked with all kinds of options for your morning cereal or cup of coffee. However, before modern refrigeration, milk was a prized commodity with a very short shelf life. That changed in the 1850s with the invention of canned condensed milk, which became a kitchen staple because of its convenience and reliability. If you grew up in Atlantic Canada, you may remember Reindeer Brand canned milk produced by Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Company, which dates back over 140 years.

Early days

The Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Company was established in 1883 in Truro, Nova Scotia. Its factory was located along the Salmon River in close proximity to Stanfield’s woollen mill. In addition to canned condensed milk, the company produced cocoa, evaporated cream and a condensed combination of coffee and sweetened cream that allowed customers to enjoy a cup of coffee by just adding water. All products were sold under the company’s Reindeer Brand.

Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Co. was proud of keeping its products 100 per cent local. Its milk came from over 300 nearby farmers, all located within six or seven miles of Truro. Plus, factory equipment was fueled by locally sourced coal, and products were sweetened with sugar that was refined locally.

Mooving along

It appears that business was off to a quick start for the Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Company. Throughout its first year of operations, the company reportedly shipped 300 cans of milk to Halifax each day.

In 1898, there was a major setback when the company’s factory burned down. However, it quickly recovered and rebuilt a new facility in just 64 days, and production resumed as normal.

Being the first condensed milk factory in Canada, Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Co. began shipping its canned goods across the country. Its products were sold throughout the Maritimes, Ontario, Quebec and as far west as British Columbia. Reindeer Brand condensed milk was used by workers constructing the Canadian Pacitifc Railway, during the Klondike Gold Rush and by soldiers in the Boer War in South Africa.

By 1912, Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Co. was acquired by Borden Milk Company and refined about 25,000 pounds of milk daily. Borden kept production in Truro, Nova Scotia, and by 1924, the factory’s capacity had increased to 35,000 pounds each day. At one point in time, the company had around 50 employees.

Changing times

As refrigeration technology improved, customer demand for canned milk declined in favour of fresh milk. Borden continued to operate the Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Company’s factory until 1963. Sadly, a year after ceasing production, the building was destroyed in a fire, so all that remains today of the Truro-based milk-producing company are memories of what once was.

Note: A representative of Truro Condensed Milk and Canning Co. was unavailable for an interview; the above article is based on third-party research.

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