Bergene facts for kids
.jpg)
Bergene was a famous company in Oslo, Norway, that made delicious chocolate and other sweets. It was started in 1906 by a businessman named Anders Bergene. He took over a factory building in a street called Københavngata.
Contents
Anders Bergene: The Founder
When Bergene's factory first opened in 1906, it had 40 workers. Making chocolate was tricky because the machines, like steam engines, often broke down. Luckily, making other sweets was easier and helped the company sell its products.
Anders Bergene wanted to make the best chocolate. He traveled to Berlin, Germany, with his manager. There, they found two skilled chocolate makers from a famous company called Sarotti. These experts came to Norway to help Bergene improve its chocolate.
Bergene also opened a shop in Karl Johans gate 18, a busy street in Oslo. Anders Bergene didn't believe much in advertising. He thought that if a product was really good, people would tell their friends about it.
For many years, Bergene used the slogan: "Altid no' godt fra Bergene" (Always something good from Bergene). At its busiest, the company made over 500 different products! Some interesting ones included blocks of Spinach and pea soup.
Popular Bergene Products
Bergene created many popular sweets over the years:
- In 1915, they launched Gullbrød. This treat had a special marzipan flavor from a small amount of bitter almond.
- In 1917, Mokkabønner (mocha beans) were introduced.
- In 1920, Vaniljepraliner (vanilla pralines) became available.
- Later, in 1961, Kremtopper (cream tops) were launched.
During the First World War, it was hard to get ingredients. A ship carrying cacao beans from England was sunk. Without these raw materials, the factory had to stop production, and workers were temporarily laid off.
Alf Bergene: The Next Generation
In 1919, Anders Bergene handed over the company to his son, Alf Bergene. Alf made some big changes. He replaced the horses and carts used for deliveries with electric vans. The old stables and wagon sheds were turned into new production areas.
In 1925, Alf Bergene went on a trip to Germany. There, he bought the recipe for a delicious caramel called Smørbukk. This popular caramel started being made in Norway in 1935.
During the Second World War, getting raw materials was difficult again. Bergene found a clever solution: they hired farmers in Vestfold to grow sugar beet. This sugar beet was used to make "emergency confectionery" when other ingredients were scarce. They also made a dessert jelly called Aroma from alginate, which had to be eaten quickly before it melted.
Anders and Gunnar Bergene: Modernizing the Company
In 1955, Alf's sons, Anders and Gunnar Bergene, took over the company. They had a big idea: to build a tall, modern factory building, almost like a skyscraper. This plan faced a challenge because the city of Oslo had rules about building in that area. The city wanted to keep a green space there.
The Bergene brothers told the municipality that if they couldn't build their new factory in Oslo, they would move all their production to Trondheim. To save the jobs in Oslo, the city agreed. The new, modern building was finished in 1967.
In the 1970s, Bergene also expanded into Sweden, where it was known as Bergene Dragé. In 1980, Bergene joined forces with another Norwegian chocolate company, Nidar, located in Trondheim. For a few years, the company was called Nidar-Bergene.
Finally, in 1987, a larger company called Nora Industrier (which is now part of Orkla ASA) bought Nidar-Bergene. The name Nidar became the main company name. In 1990, all chocolate production moved from Oslo to Trondheim. Today, only the old nameplate on the factory building in Oslo reminds people of the Bergene chocolate company.
