Wong Wing Foods
This 36” x 16” hand-painted sign hints at the detail-oriented care put into Wong Wing’s products. Kevin Wong, descendant of the original founders, believes his father Richard Wong painted the sign himself. Originally hanging at the company’s production facility on Rue St Urbain until 1974, the sign was removed after Wong Wing Foods moved its headquarters to 1875 Rue Bercy, where it still resides today. The sign remains indicative of this company’s historical connections to multiple important cultural, social and industrial developments in Montreal. But understanding Wong Wing today simply as “North America’s largest manufacturer of authentic Chinese foods” undercuts some of the company’s powerful links to Montreal’s urban and gastronomic history.
Wong Wing Foods has continually put Montreal on the map, whether by setting a standard for innovative food production technology, catering at special events, or aiding vulnerable immigrants. The company started in 1948 with $500 pooled together by siblings Marcel and Lucille Wong. They began with refrigerated egg rolls and built their product lines around similar fresh and refrigerated foods. In need of a larger production facility, they added Frank Wing as a third partner during the early 1950s. With Wing’s property in Chinatown at 1080-1088 Rue St Urbain, the company began producing high volumes of egg rolls, fried rice and garlic ribs, eventually striking a “handshake deal” with Steinberg’s supermarkets for distribution in all their stores.
With few employees, the Wongs worked industriously. They received a massive burst in exposure when they were selected to supply all the Chinese food for Expo ‘67. Kevin Wong recounts how his father Richard, as well as his aunts and uncles, worked tirelessly to deliver their famous Bobo balls after dark. They also served their foods for 30-plus years at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto.
The company has pioneered certain food production technologies. Pauline Wong, sister to Marcel and Lucille, has previously stated that the company was the first in Quebec to use temperature regulating i.e. controlled-atmosphere warehousing. These developments have benefited other industries in Quebec such as apple and cabbage producers. Similarly, Bernard Wong, brother of the founders, aided in designing specialized machinery for juicing cabbages and maintaining a steady, precise, and efficient production flow.
Wong Wing has since gone on to distribute their potstickers, wontons, fried rice and spring rolls across the continent. With such formidable growth in their business, the family’s ties to Montreal are deeply personal. Kevin Wong told the Montreal Signs Project that some of the family’s ancestry was French-Canadian. Likewise, staying in Montreal allowed the Wong family to continually give back to their community. Pauline Wong, the youngest sister, helped direct the company after the retirement of her older siblings. She was also awarded the Order of Montreal for her work with The Chinese Family Service Association. After their retirement, Marcel and Lucille Wong were especially involved with the Chinese Catholic Church, the Chinese hospital and other social organizations. Marcel Wong actively participated in the Chinese Family Service Association where he facilitated life for many immigrant families. All the while, Kevin Wong admires the fact that his family’s business success was contingent on its diverse labour force. Originally functioning as a site where Chinese immigrants could find stable work in Montreal, Wong Wing has prioritized employing various waves of immigrant workers over its long history.
With these fascinating cultural, social and industrial contributions made by Wong Wing Foods, now owned by McCain, the company remains as popular as ever. Whether through serving a world audience at Expo ‘67, innovating food production technologies, or supporting vulnerable communities, Wong Wing Foods has consistently prioritized and celebrated its Montreal roots.