CONDITIONS SURROUNDING CANADIAN CANNED GOODS 



W. p. GAMBLE, ONT. AGRI. COLLEGE, GUELPH. 



At the suggestion of the Hon. John Dryden 

 and President Creelman, of the Agricultural 

 College, I visited the Old Country last summer 

 and made a study of the standing of Canadian 

 canned goods on the English market. My au- 

 tention was directed chiefly to comparisons be- 

 tween the different Canadian canned pears, 

 peaches, apricots, raspberries, corn, tomatoes, 

 and similar food stuffs of United States manu- 

 facture. 



A number of the British wholesale houses did 

 not handle any Canadian canned goods. In 

 other houses, where our canned goods are to be 

 found, the general complaint was that our 

 peaches, pears and apricots are pulpy in appear- 

 ance. When our cans were opened and com- 

 pared with those sent from the United States, 

 the difference was very marked. The fruit 

 from the other side of the line retained its per- 

 fect form and was certainly more attractive 

 than ours, half of which was in pulp and had 

 more of the appearance of boiled turnips than 

 of fruit. 



The general impression among the merchants 

 was that our manufacturers purchased the fruit 

 after it had become too ripe, or else that a very 

 inferior variety of fruit, such as windfalls, etc., 

 was used. Notwithstanding this fact, the 

 flavor of our canned peaches was excellent, in 

 fact much superior to that of the California 

 fruit. The general opinion, however, was that 

 •Canaaian manufacturers must look more closely 

 after the raw material if we are to have a lead- 

 ing place in this very important industry. 



One very fine display of canned raspberries, 

 drawn to my attention, was put up in glass 

 sealers, which were neatly labelled. This par- 

 ticular kind of fruit presented a very attractive 

 appearance, and sold readily at good prices. In 

 speaking of this fruit, Mr. Rooinson, of the firm 

 of Hanson, Son & Barter, said: "We cannot 

 get enough of your canned raspberries to supply 

 the demand. We have had to cancel a large 

 number of orders for this brand this season. 

 •Our customers say the fruit is excellent. If 

 more of your fruit could be put up in glass, the 

 prices paid would certainly be much higher than 

 they are." 



There is a steadily gro'^ing demand in Eng- 

 land for tomatoes and corn. Some few years 

 ago there was a decided prejudice against can- 

 ned goods of any kind, the reason being that a 

 few cases of poisoning supposedly resulted from 

 •eating such foods. This prejudice is gradually 

 dying out. There is, however, a complaint that 

 o\iv manufacturers are not sustaining their 

 record in the matter of quality. 



One defect pointed out was a blackening of 

 the corn at the top of the can. This was proba- 

 bly caused by the soldering iron scorching the 

 corn during the process of sealing the cans. In 

 contrast with the black surface exposed, when 

 a can of Canadian corn was opened, several 

 merchants showed me how the United States 

 manufacturers over come this difl^culty. They 



place .a clean piece of parchment paper over the 

 corn and in this way are able to obviate any 

 blackening of the canned goods. 



One dealer told me that he did not so much 

 ofject to a little of the corn being blackened, 

 but it gave the customers a bad impression of 

 the goods. The customers often mistake this 

 blackening of corn for foreign matter and object 

 to it strongly. A little care in sealing the cans, 

 and a small piece of parchment paper placed 

 underneath the lid prevents any such false im- 

 pression. 



There is a limited demand for Canadian can- 

 ned peas on the English market. This is mainly 

 for the reason that most of our peas are white. 

 Most of the peas sold in England come from 

 France, and are colored by the use of a dilute 

 solution of copper sulphate. The canned pea 

 trade in Great Britain is in an unsatisfactory 

 state because of a law prohibiting the use of 

 copper sulphate in any process of manufacture. 



The merchants say that it is absolutely im- 

 possible for them to sell canned peas unless they, 

 are colored and it is practically impossible for 

 them to obtain sufficient peas to supply the de- 

 mand of their customers unless they are per- 

 mitted to sell peas which have been colored by 

 copper sulphate solution. Several merchants 

 have been fined for selling such goods and a 

 number of cases are now before the courts pend- 

 ing the decision as to whether or not a small 

 percentage of copper sulphate may be used in 

 the process of manufacture of this particular 

 article of food.. There is an excellent market 

 for canned goods in England, and it is possible 

 for Canadian manufacturers to develop a very 

 profitable business along this line. In oruer 

 to achieve the highest degree of success we 

 must, however, pay special attention to the fol- 

 lowing points : Our goods must be put up in 

 the most attractive style ; the cans must be 

 neatly made and the labels must be placed pro- 

 perly on the cans (appearance counts for a great 

 deal in England) ; the goods exported must be 

 of the very best quality if we are to compete 

 successfully with our American neighbor3, and 

 the goods should be packed so as to prevent in- 

 jury to the cans. A final point, which of course 

 is demanded in all lines of business, is that all 

 orders should be promptly filled. 



Just a word to the manufacturers regarding 

 the sale of their merchandise: I have already 

 stated that there is a great future in Englan-i 

 for Canadian canned goods. Let me repeat th° 

 assertion, but let me add that regularity in 

 quality is, however, essential to the establish 

 ment of a mark or brand of canned goods. It 

 is self evident that a buyer of a lot of goods can- 

 not open every parcel and, therefore, if a brand 

 is to be established in Great Britain it is essen- 

 tial the buyer's confidence should be obtained, 

 which necessarily takes time. The most 

 economical method of procedure in order to ob- 

 tain such confidence is for the packer to send 

 along a few sample cases, containing a dozen 



* A paper read at the c nventio'i of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Asaociation held in Toronto, November 17-18, in connection with 

 ithe Provincial Fruit, Flower and Honey Sbow. 



