King Oscar sardines
Encyclopedia
The King Oscar brand was founded in 1902, when King Oscar II, ruler of Norway
and Sweden
, gave a Norwegian canning company special royal permission to use his name and likeness on a line of sardine products.
King Oscar II ruled the United Kingdoms of Norway and Sweden from 1872 until 1905, when he granted Norway
its independence. He remained king of Sweden until his death in 1907 at the age of 78. To this day, King Oscar remains the only brand in Norway with a “Royal Permission.”
Over the years, the King Oscar brand expanded into new markets, introduced new product lines, and was eventually acquired by several different parent companies as the sardine canning industry evolved in Norway. Today, King Oscar AS is a subsidiary of the Norwegian food company Rieber & Søn
ASA.
Products
While sardine
s have always been King Oscar’s flagship product, the company produces a variety of award-winning seafood products including brisling and Baltic sardines, herring
, mackerel
, salmon
, tuna
, cod
, and specialty items, as well as fish salads and fish pâtés. The company determines product selection market by market based on regional consumer tastes.
Production
Headquartered in Bergen
, Norway
, King Oscar maintains production facilities in Svolvær
, Norway
and Gniewino
, Poland
. The facility in Poland
is world-class and one of the most modern production plants in that country. However, for quality assurance the company still wood-smokes its brisling sardines and packs all of its products by hand, following Norwegian traditions the same way it has done for more than a century. The fastest packer has been known to fill as many as 1,000 cans of fish in an hour. Annually, the company produces over 60 million cans of fish.
Markets
King Oscar maintains marketing offices in Norway, Poland, and the United States. The fish for its products are caught in the Norwegian fjords, the North Sea, and various waters around the world using ocean-friendly and dolphin-safe methods. The global brand is distributed in countries including Norway
, the United States
, Poland
, the Czech Republic
, Slovakia
, Hungary
, Romania
, Russia
, Belgium
, Germany
, Canada
, Japan
, Singapore
, Australia
, and South Africa
.
History
1880 Norwegian fish canneries begin exporting sardines.
1893 Norwegian smoked sardines are introduced to the United States at the World Exhibition in Chicago. Additionally, other world markets are explored.
1902 King Oscar II of Norway and Sweden grants the Christian Bjelland Company special royal permission to use his name and portrait on a brand of Norwegian sardines.
1903 The Christian Bjelland Company begins exporting the King Oscar brand of sardines to the United States.
1920 The brand becomes well established in U.S. and British markets.
1950 Various King Oscar brisling sardine products are accorded kosher certification, assuring an extra guarantee of quality, as only the purest products can be awarded this distinction.
1965 King Oscar is introduced to Japan
, where it is now the #1 imported sardine brand.
1981 Eleven Norwegian canneries merge to form a single company, Norway Foods, which acquires the King Oscar brand.
1996 Norway Foods is acquired by Rieber & Søn
ASA, a Norwegian-based, specialized food company with global brand distribution.
1998 The King Oscar brand is reintroduced to the Norwegian market and is introduced to Poland.
1999 The King Oscar brand is introduced to the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania.
2001 The King Oscar brand is introduced to Slovakia. Also, King Oscar is officially relaunched in Russia, where the brand was initially registered at the turn of the 20th century.
2002 The King Oscar brand celebrates its centennial.
2008 While King Oscar fish catches are still made in various waters throughout the world, King Oscar’s central production efforts are moved to a first-class facility in Gniewino
, Poland
. Additionally, the company continues to maintain a production facility in Svolvær
, Norway
.
External Links
Official Site
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, gave a Norwegian canning company special royal permission to use his name and likeness on a line of sardine products.
King Oscar II ruled the United Kingdoms of Norway and Sweden from 1872 until 1905, when he granted Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
its independence. He remained king of Sweden until his death in 1907 at the age of 78. To this day, King Oscar remains the only brand in Norway with a “Royal Permission.”
Over the years, the King Oscar brand expanded into new markets, introduced new product lines, and was eventually acquired by several different parent companies as the sardine canning industry evolved in Norway. Today, King Oscar AS is a subsidiary of the Norwegian food company Rieber & Søn
Rieber & Søn
Rieber & Søn is a Norwegian food manufacturing company the owns and produces a wide range of products and brands. The company is based in Bergen with more than 25 brands in 12 countries, of which 7 have manufacturing plants...
ASA.
Products
While sardine
Sardine
Sardines, or pilchards, are several types of small, oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, around which they were once abundant....
s have always been King Oscar’s flagship product, the company produces a variety of award-winning seafood products including brisling and Baltic sardines, herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
, mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
, salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
, cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
, and specialty items, as well as fish salads and fish pâtés. The company determines product selection market by market based on regional consumer tastes.
Production
Headquartered in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, King Oscar maintains production facilities in Svolvær
Svolvær
-Communications:Parts of the town is built on small islands connected by bridges. There is a regional airport near the town, Svolvær Airport, Helle, and Svolvær is a port of call for Hurtigruten. There is a ferry connection Svolvær to Skutvik in Hamarøy, and express boat connections to Bodø...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Gniewino
Gniewino
Gniewino is a village in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Gniewino...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The facility in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
is world-class and one of the most modern production plants in that country. However, for quality assurance the company still wood-smokes its brisling sardines and packs all of its products by hand, following Norwegian traditions the same way it has done for more than a century. The fastest packer has been known to fill as many as 1,000 cans of fish in an hour. Annually, the company produces over 60 million cans of fish.
Markets
King Oscar maintains marketing offices in Norway, Poland, and the United States. The fish for its products are caught in the Norwegian fjords, the North Sea, and various waters around the world using ocean-friendly and dolphin-safe methods. The global brand is distributed in countries including Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
History
1880 Norwegian fish canneries begin exporting sardines.
1893 Norwegian smoked sardines are introduced to the United States at the World Exhibition in Chicago. Additionally, other world markets are explored.
1902 King Oscar II of Norway and Sweden grants the Christian Bjelland Company special royal permission to use his name and portrait on a brand of Norwegian sardines.
1903 The Christian Bjelland Company begins exporting the King Oscar brand of sardines to the United States.
1920 The brand becomes well established in U.S. and British markets.
1950 Various King Oscar brisling sardine products are accorded kosher certification, assuring an extra guarantee of quality, as only the purest products can be awarded this distinction.
1965 King Oscar is introduced to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where it is now the #1 imported sardine brand.
1981 Eleven Norwegian canneries merge to form a single company, Norway Foods, which acquires the King Oscar brand.
1996 Norway Foods is acquired by Rieber & Søn
Rieber & Søn
Rieber & Søn is a Norwegian food manufacturing company the owns and produces a wide range of products and brands. The company is based in Bergen with more than 25 brands in 12 countries, of which 7 have manufacturing plants...
ASA, a Norwegian-based, specialized food company with global brand distribution.
1998 The King Oscar brand is reintroduced to the Norwegian market and is introduced to Poland.
1999 The King Oscar brand is introduced to the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania.
2001 The King Oscar brand is introduced to Slovakia. Also, King Oscar is officially relaunched in Russia, where the brand was initially registered at the turn of the 20th century.
2002 The King Oscar brand celebrates its centennial.
2008 While King Oscar fish catches are still made in various waters throughout the world, King Oscar’s central production efforts are moved to a first-class facility in Gniewino
Gniewino
Gniewino is a village in Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Gniewino...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Additionally, the company continues to maintain a production facility in Svolvær
Svolvær
-Communications:Parts of the town is built on small islands connected by bridges. There is a regional airport near the town, Svolvær Airport, Helle, and Svolvær is a port of call for Hurtigruten. There is a ferry connection Svolvær to Skutvik in Hamarøy, and express boat connections to Bodø...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
External Links
Official Site