Kägi Söhne facts for kids
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| Founded | 1942 |
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| Founder | Otto Kägi |
| Headquarters | Toggenburg |
| Products | Confectionery |
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Kägi Söhne AG is a well-known Swiss company that makes tasty chocolates and wafers. Their most famous product is the "Kägi fret," a delicious chocolate-covered wafer. The company is based in Lichtensteig, a town in the beautiful Toggenburg region of Switzerland.
Contents
A Sweet History
The company started in 1934 as a small bakery. Otto Kägi Sr. opened it in an inn called "Zum Hecht." He mainly baked pastries for restaurants and sold them directly to customers. He even used his bike to deliver his treats and tell people about his new business!
In the 1940s, Otto Kägi began making waffles. This new product helped the company grow a lot. They slowly switched from making things by hand to using machines.
By 1950, the company needed more space. Kägi bought a larger factory building to keep up with the growing demand. In 1951, Kägi became an official trading company. Otto's three sons – Otto junior, Eugen, and Alfred – took charge. In 1952, they started covering their wafers with chocolate. Since 1954, all production has happened in a new building in Lichtensteig.
In 1956, Kägi wafers were sent to other countries for the very first time. Two years later, in 1958, they launched the "Kägi fret." This product became so popular that a big part of the company's sales came from exports.
In 1960, Kägi started making their own chocolate from raw cocoa beans. After Otto Kägi Sr. passed away in 1965, his sons continued to run the company.
The company grew quite a bit over the years. In 1950, they had only ten employees. By 1960, this number had jumped to 120! The Kägi family owned the company until 1996. Then, it was sold to a larger company called Valora. Later, it was sold to other investment companies. As of 2021, Kägi Söhne AG has 140 employees. They make about 300 different kinds of products. The company's logo even features the Churfirsten mountain range, which is found in the Toggenburg region where they are located.
How the Products Developed
Otto Kägi Sr. began making and selling waffles in 1942. By 1952, these wafers were sold with a chocolate coating. The main special treat from Kägi Söhne is the Kägi fret. The name "fret" comes from the French word "gaufrette," which means wafer.
Since 1960, the company has made its own chocolate. They use large machines called "longitudinal conches" to mix and refine the chocolate. When it first came out, the Kägi fret was a single, wide chocolate wafer. Later, it became a double chocolate-covered wafer bar, wrapped in shiny aluminum foil. The Kägi fret has been made in its current form since 1958. Today, it is one of the most famous chocolate bars made in Switzerland.
Another special product from the company is the Kägi Toggenburger. These are fresh butter biscuits.
Selling Around the World
Kägi started sending products overseas in 1956, with their first shipment going to the United States. For a long time, not many sales came from other countries. But this slowly changed. Important places for exports now include Germany, Austria, the Middle East, China, and Japan. In 2018, about half of Kägi Söhne AG's sales came from outside Switzerland. By early 2022, Kägi products were sent to more than 30 countries!
In countries where German is spoken, the product kept the name "Kägi fret." But for international sales, it was first called "Toggi." Since 2013, it has simply been known as "Kägi" in most other countries.
Products and Flavours
The basic recipe for the Kägi fret has stayed almost the same since the beginning. These wafer bars have four thin wafer sheets. Between these sheets are three layers of creamy filling. All of this is covered with delicious milk chocolate. A special process uses air jets to create the wavy pattern you see on the chocolate coating.
Besides the classic milk chocolate version, you can find other flavours. These include dark chocolate, hazelnut, orange, or coconut. Kägi products also come in different sizes. You can find them as snacks for on-the-go, or in bigger packs for gifts. There is even a special praline version.
Fun Facts
- Kägi fret meets the rules for "Swissness regulation." This means the Swiss cross can be printed on its packaging.
- In a survey about trust in Swiss brands in 2020, Kägi fret was ranked 7th!
- Kägi fret's Facebook page was voted the most popular Swiss Facebook page in 2014.
- There's even a cable car called the "Kägi-Fret Bahn." It runs from Alt St. Johann to "Alp Sellamatt" in the mountains.
- Kägi fret snacks appear in many books and stories. For example, they are mentioned in "Groschens Grab" by Franzobel.
- The famous actress Marilyn Monroe was said to be a fan of Kägi fret!
See also
