Rogers Sugar

Rogers Sugar Inc. is a Canadian sugar company and the holding company of Lantic Inc. It is one of the country's principal refined-sugar businesses and is described as Canada's largest refined sugar distributor. The company supplies consumer, food-service, industrial and commercial customers through a portfolio associated primarily with the Rogers and Lantic names. The business has roots in two separate regional sugar industries. In Western Canada, the original Rogers operation began in Vancouver in 1890 as the British Columbia Sugar Refining Company. It was founded by Benjamin Tingley Rogers, whose family background was connected to the American sugar-refining industry. In Eastern Canada, Atlantic Sugar Refineries was formed in 1912 through the combination of three refineries, including Halifax-based Acadia Sugar Refining Company. That eastern business was later renamed Lantic Sugar Limited. Another important predecessor was St. Lawrence Sugar, a Montreal refinery established in 1888. The eastern and western operations developed through a series of ownership changes and acquisitions. Lantic Sugar was owned by the Canadian supermarket company Steinberg's from 1981 to 1990. In 1984, Lantic acquired St. Lawrence Sugar, strengthening its position in Quebec and integrating a refinery with origins in the late nineteenth century. The Rogers Sugar Income Fund was established in October 1997 as an income trust. On June 30, 2008, Rogers Sugar and Lantic Sugar were combined, creating Lantic Inc. and linking the two regional businesses under a unified operating structure. The income trust was subsequently converted into a conventional corporation, Rogers Sugar Inc., in January 2011. Rogers Sugar's operating footprint includes cane-sugar refineries in Montreal and Vancouver, a sugar-beet processing facility in Taber, Alberta, and distribution and blending operations in the Toronto area. The Montreal refinery processes cane sugar and has been expanded and modernized over time. A major upgrade completed in 2000 increased its normal capacity and contributed to the closure of the Saint John, New Brunswick refinery. The Vancouver refinery, located near the port, primarily processes imported raw sugar. The Taber facility converts sugar beets into sugar products and works with hundreds of growers each year. Toronto-area facilities support regional warehousing, liquid sucrose handling and bulk dry blending. The company's product scope includes granulated white sugar, brown sugar, icing and specialty sugars, liquid sugar and syrups, together with bulk formats and customized ingredients for industrial customers. Its business therefore spans packaged retail products as well as supply to food manufacturers, bakeries, beverage producers, food-service operators and other commercial users. The Lantic website serves as the principal public-facing channel for the operating business. Rogers Sugar remains an active Canadian public company. Its recent history has also included labour negotiations and capacity investment. In September 2023, employees at the Vancouver refinery went on strike after contract negotiations remained unresolved. In February 2024, the company announced an equity offering intended in part to help finance a planned expansion of the Montreal facility's sugar-production capacity. These developments reflect the importance of refinery utilization, labour relations, imported raw-sugar logistics and domestic demand to the company's position in the Canadian sweetener market.

Rogers Sugar's history is rooted in the development of Canada's regional sugar-refining industry. The western lineage began in Vancouver in 1890, when Benjamin Tingley Rogers established the British Columbia Sugar Refining Company. Rogers had a family connection to the American refining sector through his father, who led E.J. Gay's Sugar of New Orleans. The Vancouver business became the historical foundation of the Rogers Sugar name and later operated as a major western Canadian refinery. The eastern lineage developed separately. St. Lawrence Sugar was established in Montreal in 1888, while Acadia Sugar Refining Company was formed in Halifax in 1893. In 1912, Atlantic Sugar Refineries was created through the merger of three refineries, including Acadia. This eastern company was later renamed Lantic Sugar Limited. Lantic's ownership history included a period under Steinberg's, the Canadian supermarket chain, from 1981 to 1990. In 1984, Lantic Sugar acquired St. Lawrence Sugar, bringing the Montreal refinery into the eastern operating group. The corporate structure changed substantially in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Rogers Sugar Income Fund was established in October 1997 as an income trust. On June 30, 2008, the Rogers Sugar and Lantic Sugar businesses were merged, producing Lantic Inc. as the operating company and uniting the principal eastern and western sugar operations. In January 2011, the income trust structure was converted into a regular corporation, Rogers Sugar Inc. The company's refinery network has also been consolidated and upgraded. The Montreal cane refinery originated with the St. Lawrence Sugar operation and underwent a major modernization completed in December 2000. The upgrade raised its normal capacity to approximately 440,000 tonnes and allowed the Saint John, New Brunswick refinery to close in July 2000. The Vancouver refinery remains positioned at the Port of Vancouver and mainly processes imported raw cane sugar. In Alberta, the Taber plant processes sugar beets and works with nearly 400 growers each year. The company also maintains Toronto-area infrastructure for distribution, liquid sugar handling and dry blending. In the 2020s, operational continuity, labour relations and capacity became prominent issues. In September 2023, 135 Vancouver refinery employees began a strike after contract talks had continued for roughly six months following the expiry of their agreement. The reported issues included working hours and benefits. In February 2024, Rogers Sugar raised approximately $110 million through an equity offering, partly to fund a planned 20% increase in Montreal production capacity. The company's present business combines retail sugar brands, commercial distribution and industrial ingredient supply across Canada.

• 2024

  Equity offering for Montreal expansion

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  Rogers Sugar raised approximately $110 million through an equity offering, partly supporting a planned expansion of Montreal sugar-production capacity.

• 2023

  Vancouver refinery strike

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  Employees at the Vancouver refinery walked off the job after contract negotiations failed to resolve reported disputes over hours and benefits.

• 2011

  Income trust converted into a corporation

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  The Rogers Sugar Income Fund was converted into Rogers Sugar Inc., a conventional corporate structure.

• 2008

  Rogers Sugar and Lantic Sugar combined

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  On June 30, Rogers Sugar and Lantic Sugar were merged, creating Lantic Inc. as the operating company.

• 2000

  Montreal refinery modernization completed

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  A major upgrade to the Montreal cane refinery increased normal capacity to approximately 440,000 tonnes and supported the closure of the Saint John refinery.

• 1997

  Rogers Sugar Income Fund established

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  The Rogers Sugar Income Fund was created as an income trust structure.

• 1984

  Lantic acquired St. Lawrence Sugar

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  Lantic Sugar acquired St. Lawrence Sugar, consolidating important eastern Canadian refining assets.

• 1912

  Atlantic Sugar Refineries formed

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  Three sugar refineries, including Acadia Sugar Refining Company, were combined to form Atlantic Sugar Refineries. The business was later renamed Lantic Sugar Limited.

• 1890

  British Columbia Sugar Refining Company founded

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  Benjamin Tingley Rogers founded the British Columbia Sugar Refining Company in Vancouver, establishing the historical western lineage of Rogers Sugar.

• 1888

  St. Lawrence Sugar established in Montreal

  [1]Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org

  St. Lawrence Sugar was established in Montreal, creating a predecessor to the company's eastern refining operations.

A national Canadian sugar refiner, distributor and ingredient supplier combining long-established eastern and western refining operations with retail, food-service and industrial offerings.

• Retail sugar

  Lantic granulated sugar

  Packaged refined white sugar sold under the Lantic name for household cooking, baking, beverages and general food preparation. The line represents the company's principal consumer-facing cane-sugar offering in eastern Canada and is supported by the company's refining and distribution network.

• Retail sugar

  Rogers sugar products

  Sugar products marketed under the Rogers name and associated with the company's western Canadian heritage. The range includes conventional refined sugar formats for household and commercial use, distributed through the company's Canadian operating network.

• Specialty sugar

  Brown and specialty sugars

  Brown sugar, icing sugar and other specialty formats serve baking, dessert, beverage and food-preparation applications. These products extend the portfolio beyond standard white granulated sugar and are offered in consumer and commercial formats.

• Liquid sweeteners

  Liquid sugar and syrups

  Liquid sucrose, syrups and related sweetener formats are supplied for food manufacturing, beverage production, food service and other commercial applications. Toronto-area infrastructure includes liquid-sugar storage tanks and a liquid sucrose melt operation.

• Industrial ingredients

  Bulk industrial sugar and blending services

  The company supplies bulk sugar and provides supporting logistics for industrial customers. Its Scarborough operation includes a 65,000-square-foot dry blending facility, while the Toronto distribution centre supports rail receipt, regional warehousing and liquid-sugar distribution.

• Sugar-beet sugar

  Taber sugar-beet products

  The Taber, Alberta facility processes sugar beets into sugar products. The operation is supported by contracts with nearly 400 farmers each year and gives the company a domestic sugar-beet processing base in addition to its imported raw-cane-sugar refineries.

• 2024

  Fund planned Montreal capacity expansionStrategy

  Background

  Rogers Sugar identified additional Montreal production capacity as a strategic investment in its refining network.

  Action taken

  The company completed an equity offering of approximately $110 million, with part of the proceeds allocated to a planned 20% expansion of Lantic's Montreal sugar-production capacity.

  Aftermath

  The financing provided capital for the proposed expansion, although the available reference does not establish its completion date or final operating capacity.

  Equity offering. $110 million raised (February 2024)

  Source

• 2011

  Convert the income trust into a corporationStrategy

  Background

  Rogers Sugar had operated through the Rogers Sugar Income Fund since 1997.

  Action taken

  The income trust was converted into Rogers Sugar Inc., a regular corporation, in January 2011.

  Aftermath

  The company continued as a conventional publicly traded corporate entity.

  Source

• 2008

  Combine Rogers Sugar and Lantic SugarM&A

  Background

  Rogers Sugar and Lantic Sugar operated as historically distinct western and eastern Canadian sugar businesses.

  Action taken

  The businesses were merged on June 30, 2008, creating Lantic Inc. as the operating company.

  Aftermath

  The combination united the principal Rogers and Lantic operations under one corporate structure.

  Source

• 2000

  Modernize and concentrate Montreal refining capacityStrategy

  Background

  The company upgraded its Montreal cane refinery as part of a broader refining-network consolidation.

  Action taken

  The modernization increased normal Montreal capacity to approximately 440,000 tonnes and was followed by the closure of the Saint John, New Brunswick refinery.

  Aftermath

  The decision concentrated eastern refining activity in Montreal and reshaped the company's Canadian facility network.

  Source

1. 1Rogers Sugaren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Lantic official websitelantic.ca