We’re honoured to carry on the tradition of performance as stewards of this historic building, and we’re excited to invite you to join us as co-owners of The Karma Candy Building through BuyProperly.
“No Canadian city offers better facilities for factories than Hamilton with its natural gas, cheap electric power, factory sites, shipping facilities, water and rail, labour conditions, blast furnaces and steel plants,” reported Macleans Magazine in 1911.
That same year, the American Can Company built a sprawling three-storey brick-and-beam factory at Emerald and Shaw, just north of the tracks.
Incorporated in 1901, the American Can Company‘s culture of innovation led them to develop:
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- a method of mass-producing tin cans by replacing hand-soldiered joints with mechanical crimping
- an enamel lining to protect foods from discolouration
- a double-tight friction paint can lid to keep remnants from drying out
- an improved process for vacuum-packing coffee
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The American Can Company found such success at the Emerald Street site that they eventually outgrew it and moved production to the former Sawyer-Massey Company factory, north of the railway tracks between Wellington and Victoria.
The Allan Candy Company moved into 356 Emerald in 1961. Allan Vertlieb, who got his start in sweets by making lollipops in his kitchen and selling them out of his house, founded the company here in Hamilton in 1931.
Prior to the move to Emerald Street, the Allan Candy Company had two production plants. The Mary Street operation made chocolate, while the Aldershot location made sweets like lollipops and Halloween kisses.
On June 30, 1962, The National Post reported:
“Allan Candy Co., Burlington, has bought the former American Can Co., plant at Shaw and Emerald Sts. New owner will occupy about 50% (about 90,000 sp. ft.) for manufacturing and storage. Remaining space, about 96,000 sp. ft., will be leased to interested parties. About $35,000 ($343,000 in 2022 dollars) will be spent on plant renovations. Purchase price was reported to be $115,000 ($1.1 million in 2022). Some increase in employment is expected.”
The move ushered in a colourful new era on Emerald, one of Big Foots, Hot Lips, Mr. Solid Easter Bunnies, and perhaps most famously, Sour Patch Kids, “the hottest candy sensation of the ’90s”.
After its acquisition by Cadbury in 1995 and ReichmannHauer in 2007, the Allan Candy Company sold the Emerald St. factory to Karma Candy Inc.
Karma Candy has become the largest private label and contract manufacturer of seasonal confectionery products in Canada.
What are seasonal confectionery products? Think chocolate bunnies and candy canes. Lots of them. In fact, as Canada’s only candy cane manufacturer, Karma Candy can crank out over one million candy canes a day.
CityNews visited Karma Candy Inc. two days before Christmas 2016.
Karma Candy is a thoroughly modern candy company.
Their environmental stewardship program diverts 85% of operation waste from landfills through an extensive recycling program for all corrugate, foils, plastics, films, food waste, metal and wood. Plus, they continually work with their suppliers to reduce waste.
Their products are not only delicious, they’re also:
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- organic
- non-GMO
- vegetarian
- kosher
- gluten-free
It’s not the property or the products produced at 356 Emerald that make it special — it’s the people. It’s people like Frank Raso.
From The Times Herald, October 9, 1977:
In this 1984 photo from The Windsor Star, Isabel Carvalho adds candy eyes to a parade of Easter bunnies at Allan Candy Co. Ltd.
Now, through BuyProperly, you can co-own The Karma Candy Building.
Founded in Toronto in 2019, BuyProperly is a fractional real estate investing platform that lets you enter the real estate market through a quick and easy online transaction.
BuyProperly provides you with the benefits of investing in cities with huge capital appreciation — without bearing the brunt of high real estate costs,” says BuyProperly CEO Khushboo Jha. “Our mission is to enable investors like you to grow your wealth through alternate asset classes.”
With BuyProperly, new investors can enter the real estate market for just $500. Use the promo code BEGIN@500 at BuyProperly.ca to get started. (Experienced BuyProperly investors can buy shares for $2,500.)
The Karma Candy Building complex is 280,000 sq. ft and is comprised of both industrial and office units. The property also includes 118 and 65 Shaw St. Karma Candy is set to leaseback the entire property.
Are you a new investor? Get started with only $500! Use promo code BEGIN@500.
WHAT ARE BUYPROPERLY’S MAIN BENEFITS?
- No need to qualify for a mortgage
- No downpayment required
- None of the pain of managing a property or being a landlord
- No closing costs
- No need to find tenants or maintain the property
- You’ll get a share of rent and gains on the property when it’s sold