Freia (chocolate) facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Food manufacturing |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Founder | Olaf Larsen |
| Headquarters | Oslo, Norway |
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Area served
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Norway |
| Products | Confectionery |
| Parent | Mondelēz International |
Freia is a famous Norwegian chocolate company. They make popular chocolates like Freia Melkesjokolade and Kvikk Lunsj. They also create other yummy candies and desserts. Today, Freia is part of a bigger company called Mondelēz International.
Contents
The Story of Freia
Freia was started in 1889 by two people: Olaf Larsen and Fredrik Wilhelm Hjorth Christensen. Larsen had been trying out different ways to make chocolate. Christensen helped by getting cocoa supplies and paying for the machines and buildings needed.
A New Leader for Freia
The company truly became successful when Johan Throne Holst took over in 1892. He became the main manager in 1898. Holst realized that people would love to eat milk chocolate. At that time, Freia mostly made dark chocolate and a few other small items. Holst worked hard to make Freia the top chocolate maker in Norway.
By the early 1900s, Freia was the most popular brand for sweets in Norway. The factory has always been in the Rodeløkka area of Oslo.
Freia Goes International
In 1916, the Throne-Holst family started another chocolate factory. This one was called Marabou. It was built in Sundbyberg, outside of Stockholm in Sweden. In 1943, the Marabou factory moved to its current spot in Upplands Väsby.
The name Freia could not be used in Sweden. This was because another company already had a similar name. So, they chose "Marabou" instead. This name came from the marabou stork, which was part of Freia's logo back then. Production at Marabou started in 1919. It was delayed because of a shortage of cocoa during World War I.
Freia Joins a Bigger Family
In 1990, Freia bought all the shares of Marabou. This meant Freia owned Marabou completely. Later, in 1992, a big American company called Kraft General Foods bought most of the shares in Freia Marabou. This gave Kraft full control of Freia.
In 1993, Kraft Foods Nordic bought Freia for about 3 billion Norwegian krone. After this, most of Freia's work still happens at its factory in Oslo. Some parts of making the chocolate are now done in other countries like Lithuania, Estonia, and Sweden. Since 2012, the owner of Freia has been Mondelēz International.
Delicious Products
Freia's most famous product is its milk chocolate bar, Freia Melkesjokolade. This chocolate is so popular that Freia uses it to make many other candy bars. These often have added nuts, raisins, cookie pieces, or Daim pieces.
Freia has always tried to make people feel proud of Norway. Their chocolates are marketed as being truly Norwegian. Their famous slogan is Et lite stykke Norge. This means "A little piece of Norway."
Images for kids
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Freia factory at Rodeløkka in Grünerløkka
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A truck with advertisements by the company Freia in Oslo, Norway, in 1920.
