A Canadian Company Since 1908
Over 100 years of small fish
(scroll Down To Learn)
EARLY 1900'S
A group of prominent Montreal businessmen start a social club called Club des Millionnaires.
EARLY 1908
The members of Club des Millionnaires decide to import Portuguese sardines, naming the brand after their club.
EARLY 1920’s
Harold T. Griffin begins to represent the Club des Millionnaires brand. The brand would eventually become a part of Harold T. Griffin Inc, which remained a committed leader in the Canadian food industry for four generations.
1939
Toronto, Ontario – Spring 1939. Notice the ad on the front of the streetcar!
The Fish...
A French buyer in Montreal comments to Harold T. Griffin, “The fish she is very small” and the brand’s slogan is born.
2018
Ocean Brands, part of The Jim Pattison Group, acquires the Club des Millionnaires brand.
Today
Club des Millionnaires is still an all-Canadian brand after all these years. To this day, we proudly maintain the same high quality and dedication to exceptional taste, sustainability, and the health of consumers.
Sustainability
Since 1908, Club des Millionnaires has offered sardines and anchovies of the highest quality.
As we are committed to high standards across every aspect of our business, we offer only wild fish that is caught in prime condition when their nutritional attributes are excellent. We only work with fisheries committed to using the best fishing practices to ensure our fish is sourced sustainably.
Responsible Fishing
Brisling sardines, which are the core of our business, are caught in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, around the Scottish and UK coast. We work with boats that are certified under the UK’s Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme (RFS). The fisheries would be considered artisanal fisheries under the governance of the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
For brislings, the boats tend to single or pair trawl.
All other Millionnaires sardines, also anchovies are caught using purse seine fishing method.
Plastic neutrality
Being plastic neutral means that for any amount of plastic we use in our operations, a measured equivalent of plastic waste is recovered and removed from the environment through recycling and/or waste management efforts.
Ocean Brand Initiatives
Ocean Brands is a parent company that owns Millionnaires brand.
As a certified B Corp, Ocean Brands is committed to balance profit and purpose. Hence, we not only care about the environment, but we also take care of people and do our part in helping out in vulnerable communities.
FAQ: Learn About
Sardines & Anchovies
We understand, with 21 species of sardines, the world of tiny fish can be confusing and you want to know what you’re eating! So, let us demystify what you’ll find in a can of Millionnaires sardines. We use three species of sardines in our products:
- Sprattus sprattus: Also known as brislings, you’ll find Sprattus sprattus in all our Brisling Sardine products. Sprattus Sprattus species are considered to be the smallest and most premium type of sardines.
- Sardina pilchardus: Commonly called European pilchards, you’ll find Sardina pilchardus in our cans of Skinless Boneless Sardines.
- Sardinops sagax: Sardinops sagax, or South American pilchards, are what you’ll find in cans of Millionnaires Wild Sardines in Olive Oil.
You better believe it! Our tiny fish pack big nutrition benefits. They’re rich in vitamins B and D, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and calcium. Learn more here.
You bet! While their calorie contents might be slightly different, our flavoured sardines have all the nutritional benefits of those packed in oil. Find out more about each of our products by visiting their individual product pages.
The delicate texture of anchovies that you’ve come to love means they need a little extra care. Our anchovies are not processed in pressure cookers – that’s why placed in the cooler section of grocery stores and should be refrigerated when opened.
If you’d like to store sardines or anchovies after opening the can, transfer them to an airtight glass or plastic container and store them in the fridge for up to three days. When it comes to anchovies, we recommend adding a bit of olive oil to the container to cover them.
If you’d like to store your sardines or anchovies longer than three days, you can also freeze them, which extends their life to three months. Just remember that they’ll last for three days after thawing and their texture will change after they’ve been frozen, so they’re best used for cooking.
The common allergens across the Club des Millionnaires portfolio are fish (sardines, anchovies) and soybean oil, which is used in our Wild Brisling Sardines in Soya Oil.
We encourage you to refer to the list of ingredients on each of our cans to ensure that ingredients you might be sensitive to aren’t present.
Although Health Canada states that dietary intake of Bisephenol A (BPA) via food packaging doesn’t currently pose health risks to the general population, we’re proud to state that our can suppliers do not add BPA to cans during the production stage.
At Millionnaire’s we’re passionate about the environment and the health of
our oceans. We’re also wildly passionate about bringing you the best tiny fish
available. All our sardines and anchovies are wild caught, not farmed, and
responsibly sourced.
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Please visit the page of the product you are interested in to find out where to buy.
We are committed to supporting our communities by feeding those in need.