Investment/King Oscar celebrates 120 years

Editorial Team

Norwegian premium seafood brand celebrates its 120-year heritage with ambitious goals to continue to produce the best seafood.

Mr Bjørn Nordvik, managing director of King Oscar

Mr Bjørn Nordvik, managing director of King Oscar, said King Oscar is steeped in history and heritage, and consumers across the globe put their trust in the category-leading, Norwegian seafood brand, and the mission to produce the best quality, best tasting seafood possible, and to do it in a sustainable way.

“Our ambition is to position the King Oscar brand for success in the next century and offer consumers the absolute best the oceans can offer. King Oscar, the iconic Norwegian seafood producer, is proud to celebrate its 120th anniversary on November 29, 2022.”

He said King Oscar continues to uphold the legacy of its royal namesake and the steadfast commitment to taste and quality in every product. In 1902, King Oscar II of Norway tried the Brisling sardines from the Norwegian Stavanger Preserving Company. He was so impressed he gave the company his greatest gift, his name – by Royal Permission, a status the company still enjoys today.

King Oscar continues to produce the same Wild Caught Brisling Sardines that so impressed the Norwegian King in 1902, and since then has also introduced an abundance of innovative, industry-changing, ‘royally’ delicious products.

Now, 120 years later, over 200 King Oscar specialty seafood products are sold in 29 countries on six continents. Delivering unparalleled quality remains at the core of the brand’s beliefs and practices. And this quality is appreciated by the consumers. Since Thai Union Group took over the business in 2014, King Oscar’s globally marketed products have doubled in turnover to more than EUR 100 million.

Recently, King Oscar debuted a line of all-new, ultra-premium Yellowfin Tuna offerings. This best-in-class product features four flavor varieties: Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Green Olives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Sundried Tomatoes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Jalapeño Peppers, and Extra Virgin Olive with Herbs de Provence.

King Oscar is a leading international supplier and marketer of premium canned seafood. The company, founded in 1902, is best known for its premium brisling sardines, but also supplies a range of products, including skinless & boneless sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies, cod liver and other seafood. The company is based in Bergen, Norway while Thai Union is regarded as one of the world's leading seafood producers and is one of the largest producers of shelf-stable tuna products with annual sales exceeding 141 billion baht (US$ 4.5 billion) and a global workforce of more than 44,000 people who are dedicated to pioneering sustainable, innovative seafood products.