45
DiscoverMaineMagazine.com Spice or Aqua Velva. This Canoe was a bold change from these old standbys. It was at that time that Mr. Vollmann was advised that Swank Inc. of Attleboro, Massachusetts, a leading manufacturer of men’s accessories, was actively considering the addition of a men’s fragrance line to their product lines. Mr. Vollmann secured an appointment to make a presentation of a fragrance he had developed that indeed smelled a great deal like Canoe. Dressed in his plaid shirt, baggy pants, moccasins, and red plaid jacket, almost a trademark of Jack, he boarded the B&A bus for Attleboro. Swank liked his fragrance submission, but asked if he could make it in green, as they were doing a good deal of business in men’s Jade jewelry. Mixing a few colors together, ironically from an old Old Spice gift set box, he showed them a green-colored cologne that they very much liked. Someone in the group asked, “What goes with Jade?” A gen-
1938 map of Madawaska (plate 04) available at: www.Galeyrie.com
tleman present, representing the New York ad agency handling the Swank’s account, Don Berard, responded, “East. Thus was born the name Jade East, which Swank would later trademark and distribute. Jade East became almost an overnight success, marketed as a prestigious men’s cologne and after shave. It actually created the men’s fragrance industry in the United States as we know it today. Upon his return from Attleboro, armed with the initial purchase order from Swank, John and Marie, with the help of what was then Northern National Bank, created Northern Trading Co. Inc., a contract packaging company to fill, label, and package Jade East for Swank. Jade East continued to be the main product of Northern Trading until the early 1970s when Swank introduced another line, Royal Copenhagen and later Flora Danica, a ladies line. Northern’s affiliation with Swank continued until the 90s when Swank decided to
sell their fragrance business. Northern Trading continued to manufacture and fill for the new owners, T’Sumura International. It now runs under the new name Evergreen Manufacturing. Located in the heart of the St, John Valley, Madawaska is their home. Evergreen Manufacturing’s work force is made up of mostly native French- Acadians, a very dedicated, loyal and hard working group. It is not at all uncommon to walk through their operation and hear the employees discussing a filling, labeling, or packaging problem in French. Since a great many of the components supplied by Evergreen’s customers come from France, the ability of the employees to communicate with the many foreign visitors is definitely an asset.