Dear Friends, Customers, and Supporters,

When I started this business back in 2018, I didn’t really have a long-term plan. What I did have was a passion for sharing and promoting locally made goods. At that time, I turned to my immediate community, sourcing products right here in New Brunswick. I named the business "The NB Box" and launched with my very first offering: the “Ms. New Brunswick” Box, filled exclusively with items from women-owned businesses. There was no shop-what-you-want. It was simply a "take it or leave it" box of seven products, but it was a start. 

The original Ms NB Box - launched in 2018

As the months went by, so much changed. After a trip to PEI and Nova Scotia, I was inspired to broaden my horizons. I saw so many cute, unique products and realized the potential in expanding my offerings beyond New Brunswick. By 2019, (after my husband gifted me a homemade "Newfoundland Box," for Christmas) I was really eager to embrace the larger Atlantic Canadian artisan craft community.

Rob's homemade Newfoundland Box to me for Christmas 2019

In early 2020, I took a leap and registered a new business name: Rising Tide Gifts. The name symbolized growth, encompassing products and artisans from all four Atlantic provinces. To me, it embodied the saying, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” I believed that when one of us thrives, we all thrive—a sentiment that continues to guide this business.

But I hesitated. I worried about what people might think. Would changing the name suggest we were moving away from our New Brunswick roots? Would Rising Tide Gifts feel too broad and impersonal compared to the hyper-local identity of The NB Box? Would we lose all the brand recognition we had acquired over the years? These questions kept me second-guessing myself for months. And so, I made a decision based on fear: I kept both names, hoping to preserve the best of both worlds.

Looking back now, I see that decision for what it was—a mistake. Keeping the brands separate has cost me countless hours of time and energy. It’s been confusing for our customers and, truthfully, exhausting for me. We’ve even heard stories of people debating which business—The NB Box or Rising Tide Gifts—was better, not realizing they were talking about the same company!

So, here I am, owning my misstep but also committing to move forward. It’s time for clarity and consistency.

You’ll start noticing changes in our branding. Our website, email, social media, and packaging now reflect Rising Tide Gifts as our unified name. But don’t worry—if you search for The NB Box or visit nbbox.ca, you’ll still find us.

And because I value transparency, I want to share that I’m not entirely confident in this decision. But I know that something has to give. We need to streamline, simplify, and commit to one path.

We hope you'll continue on this journey with us. 

PS: To keep things a little fun and local, our seasonal pop-up shop at Area 506’s Container Village will remain known as The Little NB Box. It just makes sense for that local space, don’t you think? 😉

With love and gratitude,

Ingrid Munroe
Founder of Rising Tide Gifts (formerly The NB Box)