Dolan Flavoring marks 120 years of vanilla in Maine

Dolan Flavoring Company is celebrating 120 years of family ownership and the staying power of Mount Williams Original Vanilla Flavor, first created in Portland in 1906. The company says a multigenerational family effort, plus renewed retail distribution across New England, is helping the brand reach new shoppers and preserve a longtime local staple.

Why it matters: - Dolan Flavoring Company is marking 120 years in business, a rare stretch for a regional food brand that has survived wars, depressions and retail consolidation. - Mount Williams Original Vanilla Flavor has remained a family business because generations of customers kept asking for it, helping preserve a product that first launched in Portland in 1906. - The brand’s return to broader store shelves gives the company a wider path to growth across New England.

What happened: - Dolan Flavoring Company celebrated 120 years of family stewardship in Portland, Maine. - Harry A. Dolan created Mount Williams Original Vanilla Flavor in 1906 as a lower-cost alternative to vanilla extract. - Jack Dawson, now 93, kept the business going for 45 years. - In the 1970s, when Harry’s health declined, Jack considered closing the company, but customers contacted grocery stores asking what happened to Mount Williams Vanilla. - In 2018, Jack’s nephew Mat stepped in to stabilize operations and build financial discipline. - Greg Gonser, a longtime friend of Mat’s from the Boston College performing arts community, built the company’s digital presence. - Christina Gagné, Mat’s wife and Greg’s classmate, developed recipe content and retail relationships.

The details: - Mount Williams has returned to Hannaford stores throughout New England. - The product is also on Renys shelves and is expanding beyond its three Market Basket Maine locations. - Mount Williams is sold through specialty shops, ice cream makers and farmers markets across New England. - Online sales rise during the holidays, when the glass bottles are commonly bought as gifts. - Marc and Charles Gagné have worked as Business Development Assistants since middle school. - Marc and Charles Gagné represent the fifth generation involved in the business. - The company says those family relationships reflect 73 years of institutional connections that continue to shape the business. - Dolan Flavoring also makes Autumn Lane Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract and Jug-Full Vanilla Flavor Concentrate. - Products are sold in glass bottles through specialty food shops, ice cream makers, farmers markets, online retailers and regional supermarket chains. - The company’s website is dolanflavoring.com. - The company’s Facebook page is Dolan Flavoring on Facebook.

Between the lines: - The company’s story is less about a new product push than about continuity, with family succession doing the work of a traditional turnaround. - Boston College ties are part of the business identity, linking family members, staff and the company’s digital revival across three generations. - The renewed retail footprint suggests the brand is balancing heritage appeal with broader distribution.

What's next: - Dolan Flavoring appears focused on expanding Mount Williams beyond its current supermarket placements while maintaining specialty and direct-to-consumer sales. - The company is leaning on the next generation to keep relationships, operations and digital reach aligned as the brand grows. - Holiday demand is likely to remain an important sales driver for the glass-bottle product line.

The bottom line: - A 1906 vanilla brand that nearly faded is still here because customers would not let it disappear, and the family has kept it moving from one generation to the next.