McKenzie Seeds
{{short description|Canadian seed company}}
McKenzie Seeds is a seed packaging company founded in Brandon, Manitoba in 1896.{{Cite web|url=https://mckenzieseeds.com/pages/about-us|title=About Us|website=McKenzie Seeds}} Jiffy has moved production outside of Canada with over 70 people working at their location in Brandon. It was established in 1896 by Dr. Albert Edward McKenzie, and claims to supply 60% of Canada's packet seed market.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statpub.com/index.php/gab/article/17308|title=Manitoba Backs McKenzie Seeds Purchase, STAT Communications Regular Edition|date=July 24, 2002|website=statpub.com}}
Its retail division sells seed under the brands McKenzie, Thompson & Morgan, Gusto Italia, and Pike, as well as other gardening products and accessories. Through a direct mail division it operates the brands McFayden and McConnell catalogues.
History
In 1945, 90% of the company shares passed from its founder to the Manitoba Government to benefit Brandon College, the forerunner to Brandon University. The remaining shares were given to the government in 1975. McKenzie Seeds was run as a Crown Corporation until 1994 at which time it was sold to Regal Greetings and Gifts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/hrb/prov/p030.html|title=A.E. McKenzie Company Building | Provincial Heritage Sites | Historic Resources Branch|website=Government of Manitoba|access-date=October 31, 2021}}
In 2002, the management of McKenzie Seeds bought the company.
In 2008, Jiffy International AS acquired McKenzie,{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenhousecanada.com/mckenzie-seed-company-acquired-by-jiffy-canada-inc-11164/|title=McKenzie Seed Company acquired by Jiffy Canada Inc.|date=March 4, 2008|website=Greenhouse Canada}} and in 2012, it was acquired by Seed Holdings Inc. but would continue selling products under the "Jiffy" name.{{Cite web|url=https://gpnmag.com/news/seed-holdings-buys-ferry-morse-and-ae-mckenzie/|title=Seed Holdings Buys Ferry Morse and A.E. McKenzie|website=Greenhouse Product News|date=June 7, 2012}} The business was merged into Plantation Products, a privately owned gardening company based in Massachusetts.{{citation | date = June 7, 2012 | title = Seed Holdings Buys Ferry Morse and A.E. McKenzie | publisher = Greenhouse Product News | url = https://gpnmag.com/news/seed-holdings-buys-ferry-morse-and-ae-mckenzie/ }} Plantation Products later changed its name to Green Garden Products.{{cite web | title = About Us | publisher = Green Garden Products | url = https://www.greengarden.com/about-us | accessdate = October 15, 2020 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021021607/https://www.greengarden.com/what-we-do |archive-date=October 21, 2020}}{{cite web | title = Our Brands | publisher = Green Garden Products | url = https://www.greengarden.com/our-brands | accessdate = October 15, 2020}}
In 2021, Central Garden & Pet acquired Green Garden Products and its brand names Ferry-Morse, American Seed, Livingston Seed, McKenzie, NK Lawn & Garden, Jiffy, SUPERthrive, Dyna-Gro and Seeds of Change.[https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210216005044/en/Central-Garden-Pet-Completes-Acquisition-of-Green-Garden Central Garden & Pet Completes Acquisition of Green Garden], February 16, 2021, Business Wire
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.mckenzieseeds.com}}
{{US seed companies|state=expanded}}
Category:Agriculture companies of Canada
Category:Companies based in Brandon, Manitoba
Category:Agricultural organizations based in Manitoba
{{agri-stub}}