History of
King Oscar

1873

1873

The foundation of the Stavanger Canning Company is the very beginning of King Oscar. Little did the four gentlemen who established the company in Norway’s “Canning Town” know that they were launching a worldwide canned seafood phenomenon!

1880

1880

Norway exports its first canned sardines.

1893

1893

Norwegian smoked sardines are introduced to the United States at the World’s Fair in Chicago. Additionally, other world markets are explored. Tiny sardines from Norway are ready for the big world!

1902

1902

King Oscar II of Norway and Sweden loves our sardines so much, he gives us special royal permission to use his name and portrait on our packaging.

1903

1903

The Christian Bjelland Company, one of the world’s largest canned food manufacturers at the time, begins exporting King Oscar Sardines to the United States.

1920

1920

After several packaging design revisions to the King Oscar portrait, His Majesty acquires his present appearance. The brand is becoming well established in U.S. and British markets. Our King is famous!

1950

1950

King Oscar sardines receive kosher certification, an extra assurance of quality, since only the purest products receive this distinction.

1965

1965

King Oscar is launched in Japan, where we are now quite proudly the most popular imported sardine brand.

1981

1981

Eleven Norwegian canneries merge to form a single company, Norway Foods, which acquires the King Oscar brand.

1996

1996

Norway Foods is purchased by Rieber & Søn ASA, one of Norway’s leading food companies with global distribution. Now we are even bigger!

1998

1998

King Oscar is relaunched in the Norwegian market and introduced in Poland.

1999

1999

King Oscar is introduced to the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania. Time to let our friends in the East get the taste of our world-famous seafood!

2001

2001

King Oscar is launched in Slovakia. And King Oscar is relaunched in Russia, where the brand had been originally registered in the early 1900s.

2002

2002

King Oscar celebrates our centennial. Long live the king! Time flies when you are having fun…

2014

2014

King Oscar is purchased by Thai Union Group, a global leader in the canned seafood industry committed to King Oscar’s continued growth and success.