Cloetta's History

In 1862, the three Swiss brothers Bernhard, Christoffer, and Nutin Cloëtta founded the company The Cloetta Brothers (original in Danish: Brødrene Cloëtta) in Copenhagen, Denmark, producing chocolate and confectionery.

In 1873, the brothers established Sweden’s first chocolate production facility in Malmö, Sweden. Many of the foremen were specialists from Poland, Spain, England, Germany, and Russia, and brought new recipes and techniques, many of which were introduced to Sweden for the first time.

In 1878, Gerrit van Voornveld founded Venco in Amsterdam, producing licorice and peppermint pastilles. Today, Venco is Cloetta’s oldest brand.

In 1885, the company F. Ahlgren, a chemical technical enterprise, was founded in Gävle, Sweden. Initially a chemical technical company, its range quickly expanded to include perfumes, medicines, ink and eventually confectionery, laying the foundation for several well known brands that are still part of Cloetta today.

In 1902, Cloetta moved production from Malmö to Ljungsbro, Sweden. Over time, Ljungsbro developed into a company town centered around Cloetta’s operations, with housing, childcare and healthcare facilities established for employees. Even the street names reflected the company, its owners and its products.

Around the same time, Adolf Ahlgren, part of the company F. Ahlgren, introduced the throat lozenge Läkerol to Sweden after discovering it at the Leipzig Fair in Germany. The product quickly became popular and was soon exported across the Nordic region. Ahlgren borrowed the name Läkerol from another product already in his assortment, a liquid antiseptic, using the word ”Läker”, which means heals in Swedish. In 1911, Läkerol was launched outside of Sweden for the first time.

In 1921, Kexchoklad (in English: wafer chocolate) was introduced in Sweden under the name Five o’clock Kexchoklad, positioned as an afternoon snack. In 1938, the product was renamed Kexchoklad. The product has since become closely associated with energy and an active lifestyle, recognized by its checkered wafer pattern and the slogan Go’ och glad, Kexchoklad (translated to English, Tasty and happy – Kexchoklad).

In 1921, the slogan Tag det rätta – Tag Cloetta (In English; Choose the right one – choose Cloetta, which rhymes in Swedish), was coined and became one of the most iconic advertising phrases in Sweden. Around the same time, the Cloetta Girl, dressed in a blue checkered dress and white bonnet, was introduced as a long standing brand symbol.

In 1934, the first specialty licorice factory in Sweden, Malmö Lakrits Compani begain operations in Malmö, Sweden. The company produced a wide range of licorice products, such as pipes and strings, as well as many popular brands including Zoo, Pim Pim and Lauantai, which remain part of the assortment today. The brand later became known as Malaco, derived from the initial letters of Malmö Lakrits Compani, and is still recognized under that name today.

In 1953, Ahlgrens Bilar - Sweden's most sold car - was introduced by F. Ahlgren. Initially sold individually, the product was soon launched in bags. While the packaging has evolved, the cars themselves have retained their unique taste, texture, and design.

In 1979, Gott & Blandat was launched in Sweden. Originally, it was created from leftover candy in production. After packaging pick & mix candy, there were often 50–100 kilos of assorted pieces remaining. These were mixed and packaged into bags, giving the product its name. The production manager called it a living mix, meaning the contents could vary significantly from batch to batch. Today, the mix follows precise recipes yet still lives up to its name.

In 2000, Cloetta merged with the Finnish company Fazer Confectionery to form Cloetta Fazer, becoming the largest confectionery company in the Nordic region.

Cloetta and Fazer separated in 2008. In 2012, Cloetta merged with the Dutch company LEAF, bringing together brands such as Läkerol, Malaco and Sportlife. The new company gained a significant international presence, and the headquarters was established in Stockholm, Sweden.

In 2017, Cloetta acquired Karamellkungen, which was subsequently renamed CandyKing. Today, CandyKing is the industry-leading Pick & mix brand in Europe with global growth ambitions. CandyKing has created a unique space where consumers can choose their mix of favorites and novelty specials from a colorful assortment of different shapes and flavors.

In recent years, Cloetta has increased its focus on sustainability and innovation, with a commitment and proactiveness in creating a more sustainable future. Cloetta’s sustainability agenda, A Sweeter Future, encompasses areas across the entire value chain where the company can make a meaningful impact. This includes offering consumers greater choice through for example more vegan options, reduced sugar and sugar free alternatives, lactose free products, and several packaging sizes, as well as increasing the social impact through partnerships and committing to the Science Based Targets initiative.