Strong brands boost Atria's growth
Strong regional and international brands are an essential element of Atria's value and strategy. Atria has dozens of respected and successful brands and sub-brands. Almost all of the brands hold first or second position in their markets. By investing in its strong brands, Atria is safeguarding the competitiveness of its current product groups and services. This also makes it easier for Atria to launch new product groups and food innovations.
Find out more about Atria's brands and their stories. The oldest brand – Lithells – is more than 100 years old, the most international – Sibylla – is available in almost 20 different countries and one – Atria – is the best known food brand in its country. Brief stories about Atria's brands in chronological order.
Atria brand stories
1907
1907
In February 1907, 21-year-old butcher Oskar Lithell opened a small basement shop in Kumla, Sweden. He started by using a manual mincer, but eventually his business grew to become one of the best-known food brands in Sweden. Atria acquired Lithells AB in 1997.
1920
1920
The roots of the Maks & Moorits brand extend to the Estonian company AS Valga Lihatööstus, founded in 1910. The company and its brand were acquired by Atria in 2005.
1920
1920
Danish butcher Axel Aalbaek established his first butcher's shop in Jutland in 1920. He began making his own sausages and meat products shortly afterwards. In the 1950s, the family business put down its roots in Farre, Jutland, where it still has its own shop. The company began specialising in organic products at the beginning of the 21st century. Now, Aalbaek is one of the most successful brands of premium-grade organic cold cuts in Europe. The company and its brands were transferred to Atria in 2015.
1927
1927
Carl A. Carlsons' butcher shop was founded in Arboga, Sweden in 1927. Carl and his brother Knut began to make and sell sausage, brawn and pâté in their shop in the market square of Arboga. The brand was transferred to Atria as part of the acquisition of Sardus AB in 2007.
1932
1932
Oskar Lithell and his family business, which grew rapidly in the early 1900s, are also behind the Sibylla brand. The first hot dogs were made at Lithells’ sausage factory in 1932. They had such a royal flavour that a royal name was also needed for the new product: the name Sibylla comes from the then princess of Sweden. Atria obtained the Sibylla brand together with the Lithells brand in 1997.
1950
1950
Aage Jensen established 3-Stjernet in 1950. He was a butcher interested in manufacturing salami. Jensen experimented with salami-making in his own small facility and then travelled around in freight trains selling the sausages he had made. In 1967, Jensen set up the 3-Stjernet factory in Horsens, Denmark. The brand was transferred to Atria as part of the acquisition of Sardus AB in 2007.
1963
1963
Atria – one of the most respected food brands in Finland – was established in 1963 as brand to represent the central organisation of co-operative Finnish slaughterhouses (TLK). Atria took over usage of the brand in 1992 when the TLK organisation was dismantled. In 1994, the Atria brand, which was already highly respected, became the name of the entire group. The brand took on its current character at the beginning of 2020.
1965
1965
The roots of the Lagerbergs brand extend back to 1965s. The company’s core business is poultry farming, slaughtering, cutting and breeding. Atria acquired Lagerbergs in 2016.
1970
1970
Pastejköket is a product of Sjöqvist Livsmedels AB, a traditional Swedish manufacturer of processed meat products. In 1970, the company began to make liver and meat pâté under the name Pastejköket. The brand was transferred to Atria as part of the acquisition of Sardus AB in 2007.
1974
1974
The roots of the recipe for the Lönnenberga ham stretch back to the 1930s, when butcher Hugo Hedman from Jämtland, Sweden, created it. The name Lönneberga is introduced in 1974 by Hugo’s son Lars Hedman. The brand was transferred to Atria as part of the acquisition of Sardus AB in 2007.
1987
1987
Ridderheims was born in 1987 in entrepreneur Christer Ridderheim’s kitchen. A passion for food drove him and his friend Peter Grönvall to make gherkins, and later also other delicacies, for shops in Gothenburg. Atria acquired the Ridderheims brand in 2008.
1993
1993
The Estonian company, Wõro Kommerts AS, was established as a producer of pork and meat products in 1993. Atria acquired the company and its Wõro brand in 2008.
1994
1994
The Estonian company, Vastse-Kuuste, was established in 1994 in Põlvamaa, Southern Estonia. The company’s core business was to produce pork, sausage and ham. Atria acquired Vastse-Kuuste and the VK brand in 2008.
1996
1996
The products produced by Finnish company Liha ja Säilyke Oy were brought under the Forssan brand in the 1990s with the slogan, "Enter a world of flavours with Forssan!” Atria acquired Liha ja Säilyke Oy and the Forssan brand in 1999.
1994
1994
The Wilhelm product range was launched in 1994 under the name ‘Mestari Wilhelm’. The range included barbecue sausages, frankfurters, meatballs and mustard. In 1999, the name was shortened to Wilhelm and the selection was narrowed down to class A barbecue sausages.
