Many in New Brunswick grew up on Connors Brother’s Brunswick canned sardines, a brand that dates back over 130 years. What started as a two-man operation in the Bay of Fundy grew to have a major impact on its community in Blacks Harbour. Now with international reach, the company’s roots in New Brunswick remain strong.

First catch

Connors Brothers was founded by Lewis and Patrick Connors in 1893 in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick. They started with one small boat and fished in the Bay of Fundy as a way to feed their family. However, their entrepreneurial spirit allowed them to capitalise on the abundance of herring in the area. They began using fishing weirs—fence-like contraptions that guide fish into traps underwater—to increase their daily catch. As news of the plentiful fish attracted others to the area, the brothers saw another opportunity and opened a general store, selling essential supplies to fellow fishers. But this was small potatoes compared to their fishing and canning operation.

As Lewis and Patrick continued to fish off the coast of Blacks Harbour each summer, they invested in canning technology to preserve and sell their harvest. In the early days, the brothers sold a few hundred cans of their Brunswick brand canned sardines to stores as far away as Saint John. By 1920, the company was producing a million tins a year.

Changing hands

In 1923, Lewis and Patrick sold Connors Brothers to Alan and Neil McLean, hoping they could take the company to a new level of growth. When the McLean family took over, Blacks Harbour had few residents, and Connors Brothers’ employees were primarily seasonal. To grow operations and attract more permanent workers to the area, the McLeans invested in the community. They built homes and essential services like schools, hospitals, sporting facilities, water and electric systems and a police department. Connors Brothers and Blacks Harbour flourished, doubling and tripling in sales and expanding into the U.S.

After over 40 years of operations, the McLean family sold Connors Brothers to George Weston Limited in 1967. Matt Walsh, president of Connors Brothers, said George Weston carried the torch much like the McLean family, growing Connors Brothers with a community mindset. George Weston expanded sales further globally and diversified the company’s offerings, adding a salmon product branded as Heritage Salmon. This new brand was sold off when a venture capital firm acquired Connors Brothers in 2008.

Still swimming

Today, Connors Brothers is owned by FCF Company, a Taiwanese organisation with global investments in the seafood industry. Still operating its plant in Blacks Harbour, N.B., Connors Brothers continues to provide jobs to hundreds in the local community. Walsh says generations of families have worked with the company, and they often celebrate employee tenure milestones of 30 years or more.

Looking towards the future, Walsh is optimistic about the possibilities that come with the support of FCF’s expertise in the seafood industry and its global reach. He commented: “It’s encouraging to have ownership that sees opportunities for the Blacks Harbour plant in more than just herring. Since FCF took over, we’re back on track to being a global leader.”

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