Findus facts for kids
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| Type | Frozen food |
|---|---|
| Owner | Nomad Foods (Nordic countries, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and Australia) |
| Country | Sweden |
| Introduced | 1945 |
| Markets | Europe and Australia |
| Previous owners | Nestlé Unilever |
Findus is a well-known brand that sells frozen food. It first started in Sweden in 1945. Findus makes many different products, like easy-to-cook meals, peas, and their famous Crispy Pancakes. These pancakes were first created in the early 1970s.
Over the years, different companies have owned the Findus brand. The Swiss company Nestlé owned Findus for a long time, from 1962 to 2000. Later, a company called Nomad Foods bought the rights to Findus in many parts of Europe, including Scandinavia, France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.
In 2015, Nomad Foods bought the European part of Findus. However, the Findus brand in the UK and Young's Seafood were still owned by another company called Lion Capital LLP. Young's later sold Findus UK to Nomad Foods in 2016.
Contents
The Story of Findus
The story of Findus began in 1905 in a town called Bjuv in Sweden. A company named Skånska Frukt- vin- & Likörfabriken (which means "Scanian Fruit, Wine, and Liqueur Factory") was founded there. In 1941, a candy company bought it and changed its name to Findus Canning Factory.
The first Findus frozen foods were sold in Sweden in 1945. They were made in a small factory. By the late 1950s, Findus products were being sent to more and more countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom in 1958.
Findus and Big Companies
In 1962, a large Swiss food company called Nestlé bought Findus. The next year, Nestlé and another big company, Unilever, started a joint business in Italy to sell frozen foods under the Findus name.
In the 1970s, a famous film director named Orson Welles did the voiceovers for some Findus TV commercials in the UK. The recordings of these sessions became quite famous. In 1971, Findus started using its well-known "Findus Flag" logo.
Unilever later took full ownership of the Findus brand in Italy in 1985. Nestlé also launched a new line of Findus products called Lean Cuisine in 1987.
In 1998, Nestlé thought about stopping the Findus brand in the UK. But a Swedish company bought the Findus brand in Scandinavia, France, Spain, and the UK from Nestlé in 1999.
Over the next few years, different investment companies owned parts of Findus. In 2009, the company was renamed Findus Group. Sadly, in January 2009, a fire broke out at the British Findus factory, causing a lot of damage.
In 2015, Nomad Foods bought Findus in most markets outside the UK. In 2016, Young's in the UK decided to stop using the Findus brand. They replaced it with other names like Chef's Classic.
Later, in 2021, Nomad Foods bought Findus in Switzerland. This meant that Nomad Foods now owned the Findus brand in most of Europe.
What Findus Sells
Findus offers many different frozen foods. In Italy, for example, they have a range called 4 Salti in Padella. This means "four jumps in a pan" and refers to easy-to-cook versions of classic Italian dishes.
Crispy Pancakes
Crispy Pancakes are a very popular Findus product. They are frozen, savory pancakes with different fillings, covered in breadcrumbs. They were first introduced in 1958.
In the past, fillings included cheddar cheese, chicken and bacon, or chicken and mushroom. Since 2019, they have been sold again under the Birds Eye brand. You can find flavors like mozzarella, tomato and mozzarella, or minced beef and onion.
Crispy Pancakes are sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In Italy, they are known as Sofficini, which means "soft ones" or "fluffy ones." They come in flavors like mozzarella and cheese, or spinach.
A famous chef, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, even made his own version of Findus Crispy Pancakes on his TV show River Cottage. He said he loved them when he was a child.
Crostinos
Findus also made a product called Crostinos. These were like Fish Fingers but had a chips coating instead of breadcrumbs. They were popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Findus and Sports
Findus has also supported sports teams. They used to sponsor a British ice hockey league called the British National League. They also sponsored the English football club Grimsby Town from 1979 to 1984.
See also
In Spanish: Findus para niños
