Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
---|---|
Founded | 1867 |
Founder | Susannah Oland and family |
Headquarters | Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada |
Products | Beer |
Owner | Oland family |
Website | www.moosehead.ca |
Moosehead Breweries Limited is Canada's oldest independent brewery, located in Saint John, New Brunswick. The brewery was founded in 1867 and is still privately owned and operated by the Oland family. Now in the sixth generation of family ownership, this is a privately held company. The Moosehead line of beer is extensive, and includes American beers brewed under license for four major U.S. companies. Moosehead beer is sold throughout Canada, in many locations in the United States and in 15 countries around the world.
In 2003, Moosehead Lager won a Gold award at the World Beer Cup, and earned another at Monde Selection in 2005. However, Monde Selection awards are non-competitive and only products that pay to enter are judged. In 2015, Moosehead won a single Gold award in the Canadian Brewing Awards where most of the winners are craft beers. In 2016, two of the company's products won a Gold and a Silver award, respectively.
This company had an estimated 3.8 percent share of the Canadian domestic market in 2016. Since all major competitors are owned by multi-nationals, Moosehead is now the largest fully Canadian-owned brewer. This is a private company that is not required to release financial information, but the IBISWorld Industry Report on Breweries in Canada stated the company was expected to generate $263.8 million in revenue over 2016.
In 1865, Susannah Oland moved from England to Nova Scotia, Canada. With her husband John and nine other employees, Susannah opened The Army and Navy Brewery in 1867, a name that came after their most appreciative customers. After John Oland's untimely death in 1870, the brewery changed its name to S. Oland, Sons and Co. Over the next eight years, the brewery faced two fires, but recovered after each. In 1886, Susannah Oland died, and the company went to her two sons, Conrad and George. With the approach of the 20th century, the company changed its name to the Maritime Brewing & Malting Co. It faced hard times once again when the Halifax Explosion of 1917 killed Conrad Oland and destroyed the brewery. A year later, George Oland and his sons moved to Halifax and bought another brewery. In 1928, George bought a second, larger brewery in the city of Saint John, New Brunswick, site of the present day facility.