Canadian Shredded Wheat Company Fonds RG 354

 

In 1893 Attorney Henry Drushel Perky and William H. Ford invented a machine for the preparation of cereals for food. Perky soon realized that the actual cereal biscuits were more popular than the machines and he opened Shredded Wheat plants in Massachusetts and Niagara Falls, New York. In 1904, the Niagara Falls, Canada plant was opened. These factories also served as tourist attractions. In 1907, one hundred thousand people visited the plants on both sides of the border. In 1928, the company was sold to The National Biscuit Company and the product name changed to Nabisco Shredded Wheat. The name of the plant was changed to Nabisco Foods in 1956 to reflect the variety of foods that were being produced at that time. In 1985, Nabisco was purchased by J.R. Reynolds thus forming RJR Nabisco. In 1994, RJR sold its breakfast cereal business to Kraft Foods and the international licenses to General Mills. Shredded Wheat is now integrated into the Post Foods portfolio.

Click here to view the Canadian Shredded Wheat Company finding aid

Recent Submissions

  • Photograph - Factory Floor
    n.d.
    A photograph of the factory floor. In the photograph are ovens, a few employees a production line.

  • Photograph - Workers Making Boxes
    1960-02-24
    A photograph of workers making boxes for Nabisco Shredded Wheat. There is a numbered list of the employees included from February 24, 1960: 1. Gerda Schroeder, 2. Irene Comminiuk, 3. Kay Lockhart, 4. -, 5. -, 6. Rita Tennier, 7. Alice Yearsley, 8. Muriel Greenlay, 9. Doris Perry, 10. Giesle (Gagne) Gill, 11. Aline Gagne, 12. Kathleen McKernin, 13. Doris Roach, 14. Helen Ewtuchowich, 15. Laura Gagne, 16. Alice Flynn, 17. Marjorie Cornell, 18. Lucy Christopher, 19. Vera Shalanko.

  • Photograph - Nabisco Shredded Wheat Boxes
    n.d.
    A photograph of the Nabisco Shredded Wheat packing line.

  • Photograph - Factory and Employees
    n.d.
    A photograph of the factory floor and some employees.

  • Photograph - Oven
    n.d.
    A photograph of one of the Triscuit ovens. There is also more machinery for the factory in the image.

  • Scrapbook "The Visit of His Excellency the Governor-General to The Canadian Shredded Wheat Company Ltd. October 25th, 1933"
    1933-10-25
    The title of the scrapbook is embossed on the front cover. The scrapbook focuses on the visit Captain Vere Brabazon Ponsonby. Captain Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, 1880-1956, was a businessman and politician. He was educated at Cambridge and served on the London County Council. In 1910, he was elected to the British House of Commons. Upon the death of his grandfather, he became The Earl of Bessborough and was a member of The House of Lords until 1931. It was also in 1931 that he was appointed as The Governor General of Canada by King George V. Ponsonby was the first businessman to have ever been appointed Governor General.