Our history

As World War II rages, Sweden faces an acute shortage of spices. The nation’s food industries are struggling, but three visionaries—Sixten Holmqvist, Sune Klevås, and Nils Siegbahn—see a solution. In a basement in Äppelviken, near Stockholm, they found AB Culinar to develop emulsion spices to replace white pepper and support the meat and charcuterie industry during the rationing period.

The success is immediate, and the product range expands to include rationed flavors such as butter, coconut, coffee, and chocolate. When rationing ended in the 1950s, natural spices returned, and Culinar quickly adapted its focus to dry batch products, launching a new range of consumer items.

The business breaks ground in the small village of Fjälkinge, located just outside Kristianstad in northeastern Skåne.

Across the Atlantic, the food industry is revolutionized by a new ingredient: dried onions. Inspired by this success in the U.S., Culinar seizes the opportunity to import onion powder from Hungary and introduces it to the Swedish market. With its practical use and modern appeal, the product is instantly successful, marketed under the memorable slogan “Onions without tears!”

Culinar now has 12 employees.

Culinar launches complete mixes for the meat and charcuterie industry, providing all the dry ingredients of production recipes in a single pre-mixed package.

After another inspiring trip to the U.S., Culinar introduces the concept of flavored potato chips to snack manufacturers in the Nordic countries, resulting in immediate success.

In the U.S., textured soy protein is used to enrich foods. This idea is brought to Sweden, making Culinar the first company in Europe to produce this innovative ingredient. By this time, Culinar has grown to around 70 employees.

Following a financially challenging period, Culinar is acquired by Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter förening (SSF) and becomes a sister company to Lyckeby Food & Fiber, which supplies starches and fibers to the food industry.

Culinar acquires the grill company Lederhausen AB, expanding its line to include spices, grill accessories, and training in grilling for grocery trade.

This decade sees a growing interest in cooking, international flavors, and cookbooks. Consumers become eager for new spices and exciting spice blends, and Culinar is ready to meet the demands.

A new and unique factory setup is installed in Fjälkinge, featuring 13 separate, completely isolated rooms for mixing and packing.

Culinar opens its first customer center, Culinarium, in Fjälkinge, while also taking over the production of Kockens Kryddor from Unilever in Gävle.

Culinar’s own microbiological laboratory receives accreditation.

Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter förening coordinates its food business, allowing Culinar to expand its offerings with a wide array of starches and fibers.

The factory undergoes extensive renovations to meet high standards required for BRC certification.

A state-of-the-art factory for the production of specialty starches is inaugurated.

Culinar acquires the Kockens consumer brand from Unilever.

Culinar is awarded the prestigious Food Innovation Award for Culinax, a process-stable flavoring product—a solution to a significant challenge.

The inauguration of a plant dedicated to the production of liquid flavorings, including sauces, glazes, and stocks, takes place.

Culinar again wins the Food Innovation Award, this time for further development of the flavoring product Culinax.

Culinar receives Kristianstad Municipality’s environmental award for its efforts to eliminate fossil fuel use at the Fjälkinge plant, marking a significant step towards sustainability.

Culinar has around 130 employees and generates a turnover of approximately SEK 430 million.

A newly built factory for the production of liquid flavorings, such as sauces and marinades, is inaugurated.

Culinar makes a significant investment in the product development, manufacturing, and packaging of liquid flavorings, inaugurating a new production facility that increases capacity and flexibility in packaging solutions.

The company transitions to entirely fossil-free production on January 1, 2019. Mixing capacity is enhanced with the installation of new mixers.

The launch of the “Så gott som…” concept for plant-based hamburgers and sausages occurs. Culinar employs around 170 people and has a turnover of approximately SEK 750 million.

Kristianstad Municipality awards Culinar the Gold Ambassador of the Year 2024 prize.
Kockens AB merges with Culinar.