Bring Frigo

Bring Frigo is a Nordic temperature-controlled logistics brand that operates under the Bring group, the logistics arm of Norway's state-owned postal operator Posten Norge. The brand traces its roots to Frigoscandia, a Swedish cold-chain pioneer founded in 1950 in Helsingborg by Tore Lauritzson together with Trelleborgs Ångfartygs AB. Frigoscandia grew into one of Europe's leading frozen-food logistics and freezing-technology companies, building a network of cold stores and developing the fluidised-bed freezer technology that revolutionised industrial freezing of fruit and vegetables. After decades of ownership changes — including Malmros Rederi, Aga, ASG and ProLogis — the logistics division that retained the Frigoscandia name was acquired by Bring in 2006 and rebranded as Bring Frigo. Under the Bring umbrella, the business focused on temperature-controlled transport and warehousing for food producers, retailers and the broader supply chain across the Nordic countries. In August 2021 the company reverted to the Frigoscandia name, and in November 2021 it was sold to the German investment firm Mutares, with the takeover completed on 27 December 2021. The Frigoscandia brand thus separated from Bring, while Bring Frigo as a brand identity represents the period when the cold-chain operation was part of the Norwegian Bring group. The operation delivers over a million shipments annually to more than 50,000 addresses, serving the entire supply chain from producer to consumer.

The history of Bring Frigo is the history of Frigoscandia, a Swedish cold-chain pioneer. The company was founded in 1950 as Helsingborgs Fryshus by Tore Lauritzson together with Trelleborgs Ångfartygs AB (from 1968 Malmros Rederi AB). Lauritzson's interest in deep-freezing had been awakened in the late 1940s during travels and work in the United States, and he brought that experience to his role as production manager at Findus. In 1968 the company took the name Frigoscandia and developed into a business focused on freezing, frozen transport and frozen storage. Success was built on technological development, particularly of freezing methods, largely led by Lauritzson. In 1958 civil engineer Per-Oskar Persson was hired as technical director. Under his leadership a fluidised-bed freezer (the 'Flofreeze method') for individually quick freezing of fruit and vegetables was developed and launched in 1962. The technique, in which the product to be frozen bounces along on cushions of air, was adopted early by Findus in Bjuv, especially for peas, and later came into widespread use worldwide. In the 1980s it was estimated that at least half of all industrially frozen foods had been processed in a freezer manufactured by Frigoscandia Equipment according to Persson's method. The refrigeration-system development activities were gathered in the company Frigoscandia Equipment. An international network was built up that at one point comprised 87 facilities around Europe. The first foreign establishment followed in 1958 in the United Kingdom with a facility in Grimsby. In 1964 a subsidiary was established in Duisburg in West Germany. More facilities followed in Sweden, Denmark, France, Italy, Switzerland and Australia. Several companies were acquired, including Cold Stores in Denmark, Østlandske Fryserier in Norway, CEGF in France and Bremerhavener Kühlhäuser in Germany. The company was owned from the start by Malmros Rederi AB, which had entered the refrigeration field through its refrigerated vessels in the Atlanttrafik shipping line. Aga was the owner from 1978 to 1994. In the 1990s the group was split up. Frigoscandia Equipment was taken over by JBT FoodTech. In 1995 Frigoscandia was acquired by ASG. Under ASG's ownership a new management was appointed and the number of employees at the head office was reduced while the head office was divested. The head office on Rusthållsgatan had been inaugurated in 1970 and designed by Sten Samuelson. In 1997 ASG chose to sell Frigoscandia when the goals of achieving synergies with ASG's own operations proved difficult to realise and ASG was performing poorly at the time. In 1997 the American company ProLogis took over as owner of the logistics division. The logistics division, which continued to be called Frigoscandia, became part of Bring in 2006 and was then named Bring Frigo. In August 2021 the company changed its name back to Frigoscandia. In November 2021 the company was sold to the German investment firm Mutares, and the takeover took place on 27 December 2021.

• 2021

  In August the company changes its name back to Frigoscandia; in November it is sold to Mutares, with takeover on 27 December.

• 2006

  Logistics division becomes part of Bring and is renamed Bring Frigo.

• 1997

  ASG sells Frigoscandia; ProLogis takes over the logistics division.

• 1995

  Frigoscandia acquired by ASG.

• 1978

  Aga becomes owner (until 1994).

• 1970

  Head office on Rusthållsgatan inaugurated, designed by Sten Samuelson.

• 1968

  Company renamed Frigoscandia.

• 1964

  Subsidiary established in Duisburg, West Germany.

• 1962

  Fluidised-bed freezer ('Flofreeze method') launched.

• 1958

  First foreign facility established in Grimsby, United Kingdom; Per-Oskar Persson hired as technical director.

• 1950

  Founded as Helsingborgs Fryshus by Tore Lauritzson and Trelleborgs Ångfartygs AB.

Nordic specialist in temperature-controlled logistics and cold-chain services for the food industry.

• Frozen and chilled transport

  Temperature-controlled road transport for frozen and chilled food products.

• Cold store warehousing

  Frozen and chilled storage facilities across the Nordic region.

• Supply chain solutions

  End-to-end cold-chain services from producer to consumer.

1. 1Bring Frigo on Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Frigoscandia on Swedish Wikipediasv.wikipedia.org