With food manufacturing and retail outlets in Canada and the United Kingdom, the Weston family’s corporate legacy spans over 125 years. Through George Weston Limited and other family-controlled holding companies, the Weston family has business interests in over 200 companies, including Holt Renfrew, Brown Thomas in Ireland and Selfridges in the United Kingdom, in addition to Loblaws, Canada’s largest supermarket chain.
After purchasing a bread route in 1882, George Weston became Canada’s biggest baker by the turn of the century. George’s son, Garfield, took over control of George Weston Ltd., in 1924 and expanded the company into commercial food with holdings on several continents. By the early 1970s, Garfield’s son, Galen, had consolidated the family’s many companies and focussed growth on Loblaws, the company’s largest business asset.
Today, Galen’s son, Galen Jr., runs both George Weston Ltd. and Loblaws. Galen’s daughter, Alannah Weston, serves as an Independent Director of George Weston Limited and a Deputy Chair of Selfridges Group Ltd.
Garfield’s grandson, Guy Weston, has been the chairman of the family’s London holding company, Wittington Investments, since 2012.
The Weston family is estimated to be worth $8.1 billion.
