Our history through 100 years
1909 - The start of the world's best marzipan factory
A bookkeeper named Lauritz Thobo-Carlsen acquires a small marzipan factory at Dronningensgade in Odense. The customers are bakers and confectioners who use large quantities of marzipan which they manufacture themselves as and when required. His concept is to mass-produce a uniform, fresh marzipan. Even so, the almonds are manually blanched and pounded in large stone mortars for the first many years.
1930s Napoleon hat
The marzipan factory begins to issue new recipes to confectioners and bakers. Many of the most popular cakes of the past 70 years come about during this period, including the best known and longest living Danish cake, the Napoleon Hat.
1950s - New factory and nougat production
A new factory opens in Toldbodgade in Odense, fully equipped with a test bakery and laboratory. The marzipan factory begins to export its products. Some 100 different qualities are now being produced, from the finest marzipan paste made exclusively with almonds to an apricot kernel paste. The factory starts making nougat using hazelnuts. It also processes chopped nuts, almond splits and similar products for bakers and the cake industry.
1961 - The Royal Danish Court
Odense Marcipan is appointed purveyor to the Royal Danish Court.
1960s - KiMs and salted peanuts
The company's experience of nut processing leads to the production of snacks, and salted peanuts are launched in 1963 under the brand name KiMS. The marzipan factory rapidly becomes Denmark’s largest producer of snacks. But in 1972, a new KiMs factory inaugurated and the snack production are now seperated from the marzipan production.
1990s - We become a part of the Orkla family
In 1991 Odense Marcipanfabrik is taken over by the Norwegian food company ORKLA,
and in 1994 Odense Marcipanfabrik changes its name to Odense Marcipan A/S.
In 1998 we are ISO 9001 certified and the year after ORKLA acquires the Swedish marzipan manufacturer KÅKÅ AB,
which owns two marzipan plants and a whoelsaler known as MaltCentralen. Odense Marcipan is given responsibility for marzipan production,
which is centralised in Odense.
2000 - 2001 Among the world's largest
Over the next few years, the plant expands significantly to become one of the largest marzipan manufacturers in the world.
2005 - 2006 Bæchs Conditori & Danish Federation prize
In 2005 Odense Marcipan acquires Bæchs Conditori in Hobro, and in 2006 Odense Marcipan wins the Danish Food and Drink Federation’s prize for best works committee.
2007 - Odense Marcipan a super brand
Odense Marcipan acquires Marcia Industri A/S, and in September Odense Marcipan is awarded BRC certification. Odense Marcipan is also named Superbrands Business to Business.
2008 - 2017 Italian marzipan factory & ODENSE organization
In 2008 Odense Marcipan takes over the Italian marzipan manufacturing plant Natural Food, specifically designed for the large-scale production of marzipan pastes for big industrial customers.
In 2015 The companies Odense Marcipan, Bæchs Conditori and Natural Food are integrated into a joint ODENSE organization wiht a common vision, mission and core values, and in 2017, Natural Food will be closed and sold to Italian Alfrus s.r.l.
2018 Fruit fillings
We buy the Danish food producer IGOS in Hedehusene, which has great expertise in the production of jams, fruit fillings and other semi-finished products.
ODENSE Group today
In 2020, Frödinge Mejeri AB, Sweden will become part of the ODENSE Group.
Today, the ODENSE Group consists of Odense Marcipan A/S, Bæchs Conditori, IGOS and Frödinge Mejeri AB, located respectively, in Odense, Hobro, in Hedehusene and in Sweden.
We operate with 4 brands - ODENSE * BÆCHS * IGOS * FRÖDINGE - and are a supplier of quality products within cakes, desserts, confectionery and fruit fillings.
The ODENSE Group is part of Orkla, which is the Nordic region's largest producer of branded goods.