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CTV News
09-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Ontario bakers look to heat up friendly competition with B.C. over Nanaimo bar record
The bakers of a 1,200-pound Nanaimo bar stand behind their creation, in this handout photo, at Northwest Fudge Factory in Levack, Ont., on July 1, 2025. (Chantelle Gorham) In the kitchen of Northwest Fudge Factory in Levack, Ont., a group of five children spent the better part of a day last month mixing hundreds of kilograms of butter, sugar, chocolate and graham crackers before carefully spreading distinct layers on top of each other. The result was a 544-kilogram Nanaimo bar that they claimed was the largest ever made. The group snatched an unofficial record set just weeks earlier, when culinary arts students at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C., created a confection weighing just 45 kilograms less. The fudge factory says they received some biting messages from the dessert's namesake community after announcing the feat. The same group of Ontario kids already holds the current Guinness World Record for the largest Nanaimo bar after they baked a 240-kilogram bar back in 2020. Chantelle Gorham, one of the owners of the fudge factory, says she chose not to go through the process of recording the latest endeavour in the Guinness record books because they want Nanaimo residents to claim it. 'We understand that the Nanaimo bar is near and dear to Nanaimo, B.C., and this is something they should be very proud of,' said Gorham, whose kids were part of the Ontario baking team. The Nanaimo students didn't follow the Guinness verification process either, instead relying on validation through the Baking Association of Canada and the Culinary Association of Canada. After hearing about 'nasty emails' being sent to the Ontario fudge factory, Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog said he felt a 'certain disappointment.' 'That kind of negative reaction doesn't reflect the vast majority of the citizens here in Nanaimo,' Krog said. 'But it has provided an encouragement for future competition, which is healthy and good for everybody.' The negativity isn't dulling the excitement in the Greater Sudbury area over the dessert, which was cut into 2,400 half-pound pieces and sold in the community on Canada Day as a fundraiser for three charities supporting youth. Ten-year-old Austin Kurtis and 15-year-old Ella Kurtis, who were part of the baking team, said people came out in droves to buy the squares, leaving no leftovers behind. 'We would sell three pieces to one individual and they'd come back maybe 20 minutes later buying five more,' Ella said. 'People really liked it,' Austin added. 'I think we did a good job.' While the fudge factory doesn't plan to go after the record in the future, Gorham said she might make another megasized bar for a future Canada Day to satisfy the community's 'sweet tooth.' 'Sudbury really loves Nanaimo bars, so you never know,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. Natasha Baldin, The Canadian Press
CTV News
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Sudbury kids bake 1,200-pound Nanaimo bar for Canada Day fundraiser
Five years after setting a Guinness record with a 530-pound Nanaimo bar, a group of kids have upped the ante with a 1,200-pound version. Madison Marier reports. Five kids from the Greater Sudbury community of Levack are celebrating Canada Day by baking what they say is the world's largest Nanaimo bar – weighing in at 1,200 pounds – five years after their family first set the Guinness World Record for the dessert. A Guinness World Record Ella and Austin Kurtis - 2020 Ella and Austin Kurtis receive their Guinness World Record certificates for the world's largest Nanaimo bar from their family's 2020 attempt at the record. (Supplied/Northwest Fudge Factory) In 2020, the Kurtis and McCue families of the Northwest Fudge Factory created a 530-pound Nanaimo bar, earning official recognition from Guinness. Now, the group – with an average age of 12 – has more than doubled that effort, though they do not plan to submit this attempt to Guinness, opting instead to give others a chance to break their original record. World's Largest Nanaimo bar - 2020 Children from the Kurtis and McCue families along side their 530-pound Nanaimo bar in 2020 as they attempted to set the Guinness World Record. (Supplied/Northwest Fudge Factory) 'Five years ago, we made a 530-pound Nanaimo bar and we went through Guinness and we got the official world record,' said Ella and Austin Kurtis, two of the young bakers. 'This year, five years later, we decided to do a 1,200-pound Nanaimo bar just to celebrate Canada Day.' The massive dessert took one full day to bake and two weeks to plan. 'It makes me feel really good because we're doing it again,' Austin said. 'Five years ago, I didn't really remember anything, so I got to remake it and double it.' world's largest Nanaimo bar Children from the from the Greater Sudbury community of Levack unveiled what they say is the world's largest Nanaimo bar – weighing in at 1,200 pounds at Science North on June 30, 2025. (Madison Marier/CTV News Northern Ontario) Giving back The project also serves as a fundraiser for three youth-focused charities: the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC), Youth Offering Youth Opportunities (YOYO), and the Onaping Falls Legion. 'I really think that youth can make big differences, like five kids making a 1,200-pounder to give back to youth,' said Ella Kurtis. 'That's so inspirational. It's just a really great opportunity that gives back.' Another recent big bar attempt While the Levack group holds the official Guinness record, another large Nanaimo bar was created in May by Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C. That bar stretched about 70 feet long, weighed roughly 1,100 pounds, and served 3,500 pieces. However, it was not certified by Guinness, instead relying on validation from the Baking Association of Canada and the Culinary Federation of Canada. 'It's not a Guinness record, and it doesn't meet the same standards of a Guinness record,' representatives of the Northwest Fudge Factory told CTV News at the time. 'Put your mind to something, you can do almost anything' The Sudbury team remains proud of their accomplishment. 'It just shows how much if five kids put their mind to something, you could do almost anything,' said Rylee and Trent McCue, two other bakers involved. When asked if they plan to attempt another world-record food item, the answer from the children was simple: 'Probably not.' world's largest Nanaimo bar Five children from the from the Greater Sudbury community of Levack unveiled what they say is the world's largest Nanaimo bar – weighing in at 1,200 pounds at Science North on June 30, 2025. (Facebook/Northwest Fudge Factory) The 1,200-pound Nanaimo bar was unveiled on June 30 with pieces to be sold on Canada Day at Science North, with proceeds supporting their chosen charities. cutting up what The Northwest Fudge Factor is calling the world's largest Nanaimo bar A team begins cutting up what The Northwest Fudge Factor is calling the world's largest Nanaimo bar on June 30, 2025. The pieces will be sold at the Canada Day celebrate at Science North in Greater Sudbury, Ont., with the proceeds going to three local youth-focused charities: the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer, Youth Offering Youth Opportunities, and the Onaping Falls Legion. (Madison Marier/CTV News Northern Ontario) With files from CTV News Vancouver
