Home canners who reacted with anger when giant Bernardin Ltd. stopped making tops for their reusable glass jars are delighted by the sudden competition to produce lids to fit the jars.
Organisers of…
Home canners who reacted with anger when giant Bernardin Ltd. stopped making tops for their reusable glass jars are delighted by the sudden competition to produce lids to fit the jars. Organisers of a petition collected 6,000-plus signatures against making a million Canadian canning jars obsolete by abolishing the 78-mm disposable lid. On 23 January 2003, Canadian Home Canning Inc. announced plans to begin making the 78-mm lids. Later the same day, Bernardin announced plans to resume production of 78-mm lids in the United States to serve less than 10% of Canada“s home canning market. Canadian marketing manager Judi Kingry said the new Canadian competitor had nothing to do with the announcement. In 2002 Bernardin Ltd. shut down its Canadian manufacturing line, the only plant in the world making lids to fit this made-in-Canada jar. Production moved to Muncie, Ind., where more efficient production lines made only the more popular sizes: 70-mm and 86-mm. Home canners, found out about Bernardin“s decision only after stores stopped selling the lids. The company said fewer than 10 per cent of Canadian jars still take 78-mm lids so it was no longer economical to make them. “It seems it was to make people go out and buy new jars,” said Edmonton canner Elsie Hrycun, who has 400 jars. A dozen disposable lids sells for USD 2 or less. Bernardin has decided it will also produce the lids.