In the kitchen of Northwest Fudge Factory located in Levack, Ontario, a remarkable culinary achievement took place last month when a group of five children dedicated nearly a full day to crafting an enormous Nanaimo bar. This delightful treat, composed of hundreds of kilograms of butter, sugar, chocolate, and graham crackers, culminated in a staggering weight of 544 kilograms, which the children proudly proclaimed as the largest Nanaimo bar ever made.
This impressive feat allowed the kids to seize an unofficial record that had only recently been set by culinary arts students at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, British Columbia, who had created a confection weighing 499 kilograms. The Northwest Fudge Factory's creation not only surpassed this record but also generated some spirited reactions from residents in Nanaimo, the original home of the Nanaimo bar.
The young bakers from Ontario were previously recognized for setting the Guinness World Record for the largest Nanaimo bar in 2020, when they baked a 240-kilogram version. However, this time Chantelle Gorham, one of the fudge factory owners, decided against pursuing the formal Guinness record-keeping process for their latest endeavor. Gorham expressed that the Nanaimo bar holds a special significance for the community in Nanaimo, and she wanted the residents there to take pride in the dessert that bears their city's name.
Instead of aiming for Guinness verification, the baking team in Nanaimo opted to have their accomplishment validated by the Baking Association of Canada and the Culinary Association of Canada. This decision highlights the camaraderie among bakers rather than fierce competition. However, the fudge factory did receive "nasty emails" following the announcement of their record-breaking bar, eliciting a response from Nanaimo's Mayor Leonard Krog. He expressed disappointment over the negative feedback the fudge factory encountered, noting that such reactions do not represent the majority view of Nanaimo's citizens. Krog emphasized that healthy competition and spirited engagement can ultimately benefit all involved.
Despite any negativity from the Nanaimo community, excitement persisted in the Greater Sudbury area about the colossal Nanaimo bar. On Canada Day, the fudge factory cut the massive creation into 2,400 half-pound pieces, selling them as a fundraiser for three local charities that support youth. Ten-year-old Austin Kurtis and 15-year-old Ella Kurtis, who were part of the baking team, shared their experience, noting that the response from the public was overwhelmingly positive, with eager customers returning repeatedly to purchase more squares. Ella recounted, "We would sell three pieces to one individual and they'd come back maybe 20 minutes later buying five more," while Austin added, "People really liked it. I think we did a good job."
Looking forward, although the Northwest Fudge Factory does not plan to pursue additional record attempts, Gorham hinted at the possibility of creating another giant Nanaimo bar for future Canada Day celebrations. She remarked, "Sudbury really loves Nanaimo bars, so you never know," indicating that the community's appreciation for this delightful treat might inspire more sweet endeavors in the future.
