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MacLaren Imperial Cheese Jar

In 1891, Alexander MacLaren founded his own cheese-export company in Stratford, Ontario. Known as MacLaren Brothers, the first product this company produced was MacLaren's Imperial Cheese. It was made from ground cheddar and was aged to cheive its signature sharp flavor. MacLaren Cheese was considered to be one of the first soft-processed cheeses to be commercially distributed. It was stored in small, milk glass jars with the maker’s mark embossed on the bottom and a label glued to the front. In 1892, several branch factories were established in various parts of the country and globe, including Mexico, London, New York, Japan, and Chicago. As a result, MacLaren Cheese gained global popularity and was considered to be a "high-end" cheese product.