ABOUT US
We’ve been delivering real flavour, naturally, for over 10 years!
Here at County Fare, we handcraft small batches of specialty food products, such as: fruit-packed no sugar added fruit spreads, ketchup, and barbeque sauce. We are all about the art and culture of good eating. Our products contain no artificial preservatives, sweeteners or food colouring. All products are gluten and GMO-free.
Our History
Back in 2012, we opened our small retail shop at the side of our house in Picton during the "Maple in the County" festival. We've come a long way since then!
What stared innocently as a small home canning business selling our products from our little store and attending the local Wellington Farmer's Market & local craft fairs has since grown to selling our no sugar products to over 180 retail stores throughout Ontario, including Metro, Sobeys and Foodland. Now that's worth celebrating! As the owner, I've often stopped to wonder how the heck I got to this place. Jam maker/master canner was not exactly what I had in mind as my life's goal. Or was it? There's this saying, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree". If I look back at my family's history, there are some obvious clues to back up this statement.
It Starts With My Grandfather
He was born in 1898 and began his career as a young private in WW1 and eventually became a renowned master chef in Montreal! (First picture on the right).
Then there's my mom, who was a successful actress in Montreal. After moving to Toronto in 1972, she started up her own gourmet French food catering company and eventually became a private chef. My mom is pictured on the right in a newspaper article when she first opened her company.
As for myself, I ran my own landscape design business in Toronto before I bought an existing jam business in PEC. Obviously, food and cooking has always been a prevalent factor in our family! So it's not really that much of a mystery as to how I've found my place in this industry too! But there's more!
A Family Run Business
My husband Greg and sister Laurie are both integral parts of this business and have a 70+ years of combined knowledge in the food industry. Greg was involved in the organic and natural food industry back in the 70s and my sister was in the restaurant business. All our branding is created by my eldest son Owen, and our family and friends get involved when extra hands are needed. All the twists and turns in my lifetime, even the ones I didn't expect, have happened for a reason.
"Sometimes, it takes a wrong turn to get you to the right place." - Mandy Hale
I feel I'm where I should be and am so grateful to all of you who have supported our company along the way.
- Naneen