Sweet saga Mordens’ of Winnipeg readies for 65th anniversary next year By: Janine LeGal Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 3, 2023

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/04/2023 (890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s uncommon these days to make it to 65, as a business. But it’ll happen next year for Mordens’ of Winnipeg. Since 1959, the Morden family has owned and operated Mordens’ Chocolate Manufacturing & Custom Nut Roasting Company, the iconic candy store at 674 Sargent Ave., serving up an array of popular chocolates, nuts and candy treats.

General manager Mariel Morden-Miller, granddaughter of the company’s founders, is proud to continue the commitment and passion for the business long after her grandparents retired.

“It’s extremely rewarding and exciting,” she said. “We are always thinking ahead and are so appreciative of our loyal customers for getting us to this point.”

Morden’s chocolates have been made for Queen Elizabeth, prime ministers and celebrities. In 2019, Mordens’ was named company of the year for industry excellence by Food and Beverage Manitoba. The company’s Russian Mints, their most prized creation, won top prize in the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans in a field of 300 competitors.

Said Morden-Miller, “Russian mints are our most popular product. We make a million Russian mints (individual pieces) every year,” adding that being on site in the midst of so much sweetness is one of the perks of being in the business.

Mordens’ manufactures over 70 varieties of chocolates, confections and nuts and in peak seasons, producing up to 9,000 pounds per day. The multi-generationally family-owned business currently has a staff of 15 employees, including family.

Morden-Miller and her sister grew up in the business, working with chocolate as teens and formally joining the team after graduating from university. They still enjoy seeing the excitement on customers’ faces when they visit and take in the intoxicating aromas.

“I appreciate most how rewarding it is to continue my grandparents’ legacy. I feel very proud to be able to continue that. My dad took over the business in the 1980s. Many long-term employees have become like family,” Morden-Miller said, noting that some have been with the company for upwards of 40 years.

Doreen Pendgracs is a chocolate connoisseur who has written numerous features on chocolatiers and chocolate-makers from around the world.

“I like the fact that Mordens’ is Winnipeg oldest chocolate company and has continued to evolve with the changing marketplace. I also love that they’ve incorporated local Manitoba highlights such as the polar bear into unique creations such as the Bear Claws which feature a white vanilla ganache to represent the white fur of the bear and in-house roasted cashews to represent the bear’s claws. And who can forget their famous Russian Mints? So smooth and delicious and a truly Manitoba treat.”

Committed to using quality ingredients, and with over six decades in the business, the Morden family has noticed trends and tastes change, and remains open to experimenting with new products, but recognize that ultimately it’s the classics that keep the customers coming back.

Besides the classic selections, Mordens’ store shelves are also stocked with freshly made peanut brittle, roasted nuts, toasted coconut marshmallows, chocolate jujubes, and caramels, among other treats.

“People have generational memories,” said Morden-Miller, adding that oftentimes customers are coming in not just to enjoy the confections but for the nostalgia, the cherished trips down memory lane they evoke.

Morden-Miller’s grandparents remember customers coming in with their children, and those now-grown children are bringing in their children and grandchildren.

“It’s so rewarding to see generations of customers in our store. We have years of experience of perfecting recipes and are very proud to be a family-owned and operated business here in Winnipeg. We are very grateful to have built long standing relationships with over 50 retail partners. We’ve also found that as our province grows our production grows year after year.”

Even as the retail landscape has changed over the years, there’s been a consistent loyal customer base in Winnipeg and Manitoba, and more recently an expanded and increasing market.

“We launched our e-commerce website in 2020 and received orders from every single province and territory. It was so exciting, so rewarding to see,” said Morden-Miller. “It’s been active and thriving since.”

In addition to getting products out to new customers, the site serves former Winnipeggers now living elsewhere, who miss the taste of home. They’re happy to introduce the famous chocolates to their friends and family.

Coming to store shelves, with Easter around the corner, are Mordens’ lines of chocolate bunnies and eggs in pure milk, dark or white chocolate, in varying sizes and price points to accommodate many a memorable egg hunt. As alternatives to bunnies, Mordens’ also offers a selection of novelty moulds including Petunia the chocolate skunk.

Morden-Miller reiterated her gratitude for the outpouring of support over the years from their loyal customer base in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and now all across Canada, saying, “We appreciate every single customer.”

Mordens’ products can be found at the 674 Sargent store location, at a variety of retailers in Manitoba or by visiting mordenschocolate.com.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

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