HISTORY
The two active owner/operators of fgf brands are:
Sam Ajmera, who with his brother, built and operated Canada’s leading specialty bread bakery, Dough Delight. When Sam sold his business to Canada Bread in the early 1990’s, it was the largest producer of bagels in the world, producing 5 million a day! And as if that weren’t enough to keep him busy, Sam also produced 3 million croissants a day!
Jim White, while at Loblaws in the mid-1980’s, coined the term President’s Choice and led the team that developed the first 1,500 products for the upscale program, considered the grandfather of ALL premium private label programs in North America.
Jim, our in-house product wizard, has spent his career developing products for America’s leading supermarkets, mass merchandisers and Fortune 500 food companies. He has personally developed and brought to market more than 8,000 foods and beverages.
In 2004, Sam and Jim each came out of retirement and teamed up, aiming to produce wholesome muffins, specialty flatbreads and brownies for North America’s supermarket in-store bakeries, large discount merchandisers and upscale foodservice companies.
Following their decision to get back into the bakery business, Sam and Jim identified a small Toronto company, Functional Gourmet Foods, that was making tasty, healthier-for-you buns, croissants, bagels and desserts, but which was losing money.
Sam and Jim bought the business, retired the owner, took over the debt, moved the plant to a 30,000-sq.-foot location in Concord, ON (on the northern fringe of Toronto), refinanced the operation, purchased equipment, hired a staff of 50 and since November, 2004, have been producing tasty, healthier-for-you, baked goods.