The Barbours story began in 1867, the same year Canada became a country. George L. and William Barbour founded the business in Saint John, New Brunswick, supplying the everyday goods local families needed.
More than 150 years later, the products have changed and the shelves have grown, but the work remains rooted in a familiar idea: make dependable pantry staples and make them well.
Built, Burned and Built Again
The early years were not without setbacks. In 1877, the Great Fire of Saint John swept through the city and destroyed the Barbours business. The company rebuilt and continued.
In 1895, G. E. Barbour purchased the business from his father, George. His name would become part of the company Canadians know today.
A Cupboard Staple Takes Shape
King Cole Tea was introduced in 1910, beginning one of the longest-running chapters in the Barbours story. The brand became a familiar presence in Canadian kitchens and helped establish the company's deep experience in blending, packing and creating consistent flavour.
The Brenan family acquired Barbours in 1950. The company remained family-owned and continued building on the knowledge passed from one generation to the next.
A New Home and One Unforgettable Journey
Barbours moved from Saint John to Sussex, New Brunswick, in 1966. One year later, during Canada's Centennial, the company marked its own history in spectacular fashion by floating its General Store down the Saint John River.
It is the kind of story that could only belong to a business with deep Maritime roots: practical, ambitious and just unusual enough to become part of local memory.
The Pantry Keeps Growing
Barbours celebrated 150 years in business in 2017. In 2023, the company acquired FATSO and launched AASANA Relax Herbal Tea, adding new ideas to a family of brands that already included King Cole Tea, Nuts About Peanut Butter, Pop 'N' Top and Barbours Spices & Extracts.
Today, Barbours grinds and packs spices and dry ingredients, and blends and bottles flavour extracts. The range includes pure spices, practical seasoning blends, pure and artificial vanilla and other familiar baking flavours.
Still Made for Real Kitchens
A lot has changed since that first general store opened. Kitchens are different. Shopping is different. The recipes Canadians cook now come from more places and carry more influences than ever.
What has lasted is the value of a reliable pantry. A bottle of cinnamon for a family recipe. Vanilla for a birthday cake. Pepper for the meal made without measuring. Everyday ingredients become part of people's lives because they are used again and again.
That is where the Barbours story continues, one cupboard, one recipe and one generation at a time.