The Newfoundland Margarine Company (until 1950, the Newfoundland Butter Company) was Canada's first oleomargarine manufacturing company, and a leading producer in the Dominion of Newfoundland and after 1949, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was founded by Sir John Chalker Crosbie[1] in 1925 and was one of three margarine plants established in Newfoundland during the early 20th century. With the expertise of George Ehlers, a Danish chemist, the Crosbie family grew the firm into the largest margarine manufacturing firm in Newfoundland.[2] The Newfoundland Butter Company through acquisition and merger over the years with the other two manufacturing plants was eventually sold to Lever Brothers of England in 1937 and became a subsidiary of Lever Brothers of Canada.[3]
In 1949, after Newfoundland decided to join Canada, the operations of the company within the province were protected as part of the terms of union, since margarine production was then banned in the rest of Canada. To reflect the product of manufacture, the company name was changed in 1950 to the Newfoundland Margarine Company. In 2004, Unilever closed down the plant as part of a consolidation of its manufacturing properties.