Findus

Findus was founded in 1945 in Sweden companies for frozen food, which was acquired in 1962 by Nestlé. According to ( naming-rights ) sales today operate multiple companies in the frozen food sector in Europe under this name, the business of Nestlé limited to Switzerland.

Company History

Findus

The Findus ( Frukt Industri) brand developed from a small company. In 1892, the Norwegian businessman Johann Throne - Holst took over the Freia Chocolate Factory in Oslo. The shops in Norway ran excellent, and 1916 saw the founding of the chocolate factory Marabou in Sweden. The name Marabou was chosen because the product name Freia was already protected in Sweden and was not allowed to be used, and was the marabou to be seen on the Freia logo. The eldest son of the entrepreneur, Henning Throne - Holst, and from 1947 Lars Anderfelt built Marabou successfully to the largest chocolate factory in Sweden.

The outbreak of World War II limited the production of chocolate a strong. To be economically made ​​, new business had to be found. Marabou therefore expanded the business to the preservation of food and acquired in the southern Swedish city Bjuv a cannery for fruit and vegetables. In addition to existing preserves offer Marabou put on new preservation techniques. Under the name Findus first attempts have been made to make fruits and vegetables preserved by the process of rapid freezing. In the autumn of 1945 in Stockholm offered the first stores frozen food brand Findus at the. Since there were no modern canning industry in Sweden, Findus joined not only a gap, but built a new and significant branch in the Swedish economy.

In Sweden, the focus was hitherto exclusively to the freezing of berries, fruits and vegetables. A significant advance was the introduction of frozen fish fillets without skin and bones in 1949. Production was transferred to Norwegian Hammerfest. Freia Marabou and there founded a factory for the production of frozen fish. To streamline the packaging, was founded in 1953 entered into with the Danish company Jalco in Frederikshavn cooperation, the abpackte the fish specialties for Findus. 1961 took over Freia Marabou and this company. Since then, in three countries of Scandinavia Findus products were produced. To promote the expansion of the brand Findus in the other European countries, the Findus International AB was founded in 1959.

Frisco

The Swiss canning company Bernhard & Co. was founded in 1886 to today's industrial road in Rorschach. 1916 Canning Factory Rorschach was her successor company canned and sold under the brand name " Coro ". After a Federal Court decision of the first brands process in favor of the HERO Conservenfabrik in Lenzburg had to be sold in 1926 under the new brand " Roco ".

In 1942 the company launched as the first Frisco AG frozen products with an assortment of 18 types of vegetables, eleven types of fruit and four other products under the brand name " Frisco " on the Swiss market. 1944 took over the cannery Rorschach AG, all shares of Frisco cooling fruits and vegetables AG.

Fusion and recent division of the company

1958 took over the Birds Eye AG sales of Findus fish products and specialties for the Swiss market. The International AB Findus and Birds Eye AG in 1962 or 1964 by Nestlé SA Alimentana taken. Nestlé put both companies together to subsidiary company Findus AG. Already in 1953 was under the name Birds Eye AG the "Birds Eye Plätzli " invented and introduced in the Swiss market. This product was later under the brand name Findus products a success.

Over time, Nestlé limited to the business in Switzerland, operate in other countries today other companies under the name Findus.

Italy

For the distribution of the brand in the Italian market Findus founded Nestlé in 1963 a joint venture with the British-Dutch Unilever Group; 1985 Unilever took the Nestlé share completely.

2010 Permira bought the Italian Findus business from Unilever.

Switzerland

1971 merged the Roco - daughter Frisco AG and Nestlé subsidiary Findus AG with 50 percent participation of Roco and Nestlé. The new joint company called Frisco - Findus AG. Under the brand Findus Lasagne and cannelloni the first were introduced. Next followed in 1976 and the first spinach potato products. After Nestlé in 1980 acquired the majority of shares in Roco, merged the Roco Conserven AG 1982 Frisco - Findus AG. 1991, the shares of the Frisco - Findus AG went completely to Nestlé.

The Swiss branch was integrated with its approximately 800 employees in the Nestlé Group 1999. In 2009, it recorded now as a division of Nestlé sales of 363 million Swiss francs, making it one next to Migros and Coop 's leading companies for the production and marketing of ice cream and frozen products in Switzerland.

The company Findus offers today in the range of frozen products such as aperitif and snacks, main dishes, fish and meat, potato products, fruits and vegetables.

Rest of Europe

In 1998, Nestlé announced its products in the UK under the name of Crosse & Blackwell for sale.

When Nestlé International Findus ' Findus sold in seven European countries in 1999 at the Scandinavian investor group EQT, the plan was not necessary with the name change in the UK. The British part was 2005 Geir Frantzen, a former manager of the International Findus AB, sold by EQT.

In addition, the business in Spain, Germany and Australia from 2004 has been terminated.

2006 EQT sold Findus to CapVest and founded the holding Foodvest for Findus and Young 's Seafood. 2008 Lion Capital Foodvest bought and named it the following year in Findus Group has to offer.

Horsemeat scandal 2013

Beginning in February 2013 it was announced that among other lasagna products of the British Findus Group were made ​​without appropriate labeling with up to 100 percent of horse meat. The company recalled the products. The competent authorities of criminal activities go with a supplier to the French suppliers. The French branch of the Findus Group announced plans to reimburse for "fraud " against unknown display. The French company Spang Hero, which supplied the meat to the French company also Comigel that it had processed in its subsidiary chapels in Tavola / Luxembourg and delivered to Findus said, for his part, to have been deceived by a supplier in Romania. The Swedish Findus AB recalled lasagne ready meals.

Trivia

The cat Findus from the children's books by Sven Nordqvist said to have got its name because it was brought as a tomcat in a box marked " Findus green peas " into the house. The old Petersson, where he now lived, therefore welcomed his new roommate with the words: " Hello Findus green peas ".