Canada’s largest juice maker turns 60 this year

The Minute Maid Company Canada Inc. is celebrating 60 years of Minute Maid orange juice.

In 1945 the National Research Corporation of Boston developed juice powder from real oranges using a “high-vacuum” dehydration process. Soon the Florida Foods Corporation began processing the frozen orange juice concentrate under the name Minute Maid to reflect its convenience and easy preparation.

The company was eventually renamed the Minute Maid Company, and was bought by the Coca-Cola Company in 1960. The juice entered Canada during the 1950s with the acquisition of Clinton Foods of Canada, which eventually changed its name to the Minute Maid Company Canada Inc.

Today, the Peterborough, Ont.-based company is the country’s largest juice manufacturer. As well as frozen orange juice concentrate, Minute Maid now offers a variety of beverages, including ready-to-drink orange juices, juice blends, fortified juices, punches and cocktails.

Since 2000 Minute Maid Company Canada has partnered with Breakfast Clubs of Canada to help provide nutritious breakfasts to children at school. To celebrate its anniversary, the company is inviting Canadians to visit www.minutemaid.ca and participate in playing different birthday games. As well as the chance to win cash prizes, for every play logged Minute Maid will make a donation valued at up to $60,000 to Breakfast Clubs of Canada. The games will continue until Oct. 18.

“It only takes $2 to feed one child a nutritious breakfast through dedicated programs organized by Breakfast Clubs of Canada,” says Silvio Annosantini, director of Juice and Juice Drinks for Minute Maid Canada. “So it seemed fitting to celebrate our milestone by inviting Canadians to have some fun and give back at the same time.”