Rieber & Søn
Rieber & Søn was a Norwegian food manufacturing group and brand owner headquartered in Bergen.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Rieber & Søn was a Norwegian food manufacturing company and brand portfolio owner based in Bergen. Its origins date to 1839, when the business operated as a trading company and vinegar producer. Over time, it expanded beyond its original activities into food manufacturing and developed a broad portfolio of branded grocery products across several European markets. A significant early diversification occurred in 1933, when the company began producing substitute coffee. This move helped establish food production as an important business area. In 1946, Rieber & Søn launched the TORO brand, which became one of its best-known Norwegian food brands. TORO was associated with convenient household foods and became a central part of the group’s domestic portfolio. The company pursued a more active acquisition strategy from the 1980s onward. In 1985 it acquired Denja, described as the first of many brands purchased by the group. In 1987, Rieber & Søn merged with the building-materials businesses Jacob Neumann and Nodest Industrier and was subsequently listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The enlarged group operated across more than one industry during this period, combining food activities with building materials. Rieber expanded into Central and Eastern Europe in 1992 through the acquisition of Vitana, a Czech food brand serving the Czech and Slovak markets. Its international portfolio later included brands such as Frödinge in Sweden, Puttkammer & Walke in Germany, Wolfgang Kornke's Finest Food in Austria, K-Salat and Bähncke in Denmark, Chaka in Russia, and Cronions and Rijnhout in the Netherlands. Its Norwegian portfolio included TORO, Denja, Mr. Lee, Vossafår, Vestlandslefsa, Geisha, Ming, and Trondhjems. In total, the group was described as owning more than 25 brands in 12 countries, with seven manufacturing plants. In 2000, Rieber & Søn sold its building-materials division and adopted a focused food strategy. The company subsequently operated primarily as an international food manufacturer and brand house. Its history therefore reflects a transition from nineteenth-century trading and vinegar production, through diversified industrial ownership, to a food-focused branded-products group. Orkla acquired Rieber & Søn in April 2013, ending its independent corporate existence. The former company’s principal significance today is as the historical owner and developer of a portfolio of food brands, particularly TORO and other products associated with the Nordic and Central European grocery markets.
History
Rieber & Søn began in Bergen in 1839 as a trading company and vinegar plant. Its early activities were connected with commerce and food-related production, but the company later broadened its operating scope. In 1933, it entered substitute-coffee production, marking an important step toward a more substantial food-manufacturing business. The TORO brand was launched in 1946 and became a core part of the company’s Norwegian consumer-food activities. The group’s later development was shaped by acquisitions and corporate restructuring. In 1985, it acquired Denja, the first of a series of food brands added to its portfolio. In 1987, Rieber & Søn merged with the building-materials companies Jacob Neumann and Nodest Industrier. The combined company was floated on the Oslo Stock Exchange, and for a period it operated with both food and building-materials interests. International expansion became more prominent in the 1990s. In 1992, Rieber & Søn entered Eastern Europe by acquiring Vitana, a Czech brand with operations serving the Czech and Slovak markets. Further portfolio development gave the group ownership of brands in Scandinavia, Central Europe, Russia, and the Netherlands. Its listed brand portfolio included Norwegian names such as TORO, Denja, Mr. Lee, Vossafår, Vestlandslefsa, Geisha, Ming, and Trondhjems, as well as Frödinge in Sweden, Puttkammer & Walke in Germany, Wolfgang Kornke's Finest Food in Austria, K-Salat and Bähncke in Denmark, Chaka in Russia, and Cronions and Rijnhout in the Netherlands. In 2000, the company sold its building-materials division and concentrated on food manufacturing. It was subsequently described as a group with more than 25 brands in 12 countries, seven of which had manufacturing plants. This focus positioned Rieber & Søn as a branded-food platform rather than a diversified industrial conglomerate. The company was acquired by Orkla Group in April 2013. Following the acquisition, Rieber & Søn ceased to operate as an independent corporate group, while its former brands and food activities became part of Orkla’s broader portfolio.
- 2013
Acquisition by Orkla
[1]Orkla Group acquired Rieber & Søn in April 2013.
- 2000
Sale of building-materials division
[1]The group sold its building-materials activities and focused exclusively on food production.
- 1992
Expansion into Eastern Europe
[1]Rieber & Søn acquired the Czech brand Vitana, establishing a position in the Czech and Slovak markets.
- 1987
Merger and Oslo listing
[1]The company merged with Jacob Neumann and Nodest Industrier and became listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
- 1985
Acquisition of Denja
[1]Rieber & Søn acquired Denja, beginning a broader program of food-brand acquisitions.
- 1946
Launch of TORO
[1]Rieber & Søn launched the TORO brand, which became a major part of its Norwegian food portfolio.
- 1933
Entry into substitute-coffee production
[1]The company expanded into food manufacturing through production of substitute coffee.
- 1839
Business founded in Bergen
[1]Rieber & Søn originated as a trading company and vinegar plant in Bergen, Norway.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand food manufacturing and brand-management group serving everyday grocery and convenience-food needs across Norway and selected European markets.
Convenience foods · 1946
TORO
Launched in 1946, TORO was Rieber & Søn’s principal Norwegian food brand. It represented convenient, packaged foods intended for everyday household use and was central to the company’s identity as a branded food manufacturer.
Prepared foods and salads
Denja
Denja was a Norwegian food brand acquired by Rieber & Søn in 1985. Its acquisition marked the beginning of the company’s more systematic expansion through ownership of established food brands.
Noodles and convenience foods
Mr. Lee
Mr. Lee was part of Rieber & Søn’s Norwegian portfolio of branded convenience foods. The brand complemented the group’s broader strategy of offering packaged products for quick and accessible meal preparation.
Packaged foods
Vitana
Vitana was a Czech food brand acquired by Rieber & Søn in 1992. It provided the group with an entry into Eastern European food markets, particularly the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Meat products
Vossafår
Vossafår was among the Norwegian food brands owned by Rieber & Søn. It formed part of the group’s varied domestic portfolio alongside convenience, preserved, and staple-food brands.
Flatbreads and lefse
Vestlandslefsa
Vestlandslefsa was a Norwegian traditional-food brand in the Rieber & Søn portfolio, illustrating the group’s combination of convenience products and regionally associated food offerings.
Rice and staple foods
Geisha
Geisha was one of Rieber & Søn’s Norwegian grocery brands. It contributed to the group’s presence in staple packaged foods and was part of the portfolio later brought under Orkla ownership.
Asian-inspired food products
Ming
Ming was included among Rieber & Søn’s Norwegian brands and represented the group’s participation in packaged foods influenced by Asian culinary styles.
Packaged foods
Trondhjems
Trondhjems was a Norwegian food brand owned by Rieber & Søn. It formed part of the company’s broad domestic brand house rather than a single-product business.
Brand decisions
2013
Acquisition by Orkla GroupM&ABackground
Rieber & Søn had developed a multi-country portfolio of food brands and manufacturing operations.
Action taken
Orkla Group acquired Rieber & Søn in April 2013.
Aftermath
Rieber & Søn ceased to exist as an independent corporate group, while its brands and food activities became part of Orkla’s portfolio.
2000
Concentration on food manufacturingStrategyBackground
Rieber & Søn had operated with both food and building-materials interests following its 1987 merger with Jacob Neumann and Nodest Industrier.
Action taken
The company sold its building-materials division and focused the group on food production and branded food activities.
Aftermath
The decision established Rieber & Søn as a focused food-manufacturing and brand-management group until its acquisition by Orkla in 2013.
Recent events
- 2013
Rieber & Søn acquired by Orkla[1]
M&A
Orkla acquired Rieber & Søn in April 2013, bringing the Norwegian food group and its brand portfolio into the Orkla Group.
Sources1 sources
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