The History of Robin Hood

Robin Hood was founded in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1909. In a short amount of time, Robin Hood established itself as one of Canada's top flour brands which still holds to this day. To popularize the brand Robin Hood sent flour to struggling nations and made sure they were present in events such as baking fairs. They also distributed cookbooks and cookbooklets featuring their product, like the one featured in this exhibit. Robin Hood eventually expanded from flour to many other products and continue to deliver consistent quality to its loyal customers.

History of the flour industry in Canada

The very first documented flour mill in Canada was in 1605 in a permanent Canadian settlement created by the French. The number of flour mills in Canada slowly increased to over 100 mills by 1734. By 1830 the flour industry had been defined in Canada and by 1832 over 600 flour mills were operating. The next large jump for the Canadian flour industry was the introduction of roller milling. These new mills were much more substantial and put many of the smaller old-school mills out of business since they were unable to compete. By the 1880s the roller mill had a monopoly of the flour industry and the price of wheat was steadily dropping. The industry continued to grow, and by 1920 there were over 1000 mills, and Canada was producing over 100,000 barrels of flour per day. Around this time Robin Hood expanded from Moose Jaw to a Montreal mill that is still in use today and is one of the largest mills in Canada. Fast forward to today, and Canadian mills now grind over 3.5 million tonnes of wheat each year and ship products to over 30 different countries. The flour milling industry has had a significant impact on the Canadian economy and is a staple for Canadian life.