The Voortman brothers, Harry and William (Bill), arrived in Canada from Holland in 1948. In 1951, the brothers began their business in Hamilton, and in 1956 they moved their operation to Burlington. Through hard work and a commitment to quality, the brothers were able to grow Voortman Cookies Limited from a single bakery to an international enterprise selling 80 varieties of cookies in 70 countries.

The Voortman family has always operated with the best interests of their community and employees in mind. In 2004, the company made the decision to cut out all trans-fat from their products. In doing so, Voortman Cookies became the first bakery of their size to make the leap in North America!

Above all else, the Voortman legacy is one of dedication; to their employees, their community, and their customers. The brothers’ efforts were recognized in 1987 by municipal and provincial levels of government when they were awarded the Business Achievement Award by the Burlington, and Ontario, Chambers of Commerce. In 2005, Harry Voortman became the first recipient of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Harry is also one of the few business owners in Burlington to have been inducted into the Burlington Business Hall of Fame.

The Voortman family’s humble, hands-on approach to leadership led Voortman Cookies to persevere and succeed against all odds.