Karl Fazer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Karl Otto Fazer (b. 16 August 1866, Helsinki – d. 9 October 1932, Jokioinen) was a Finnish commercial counselor and businessman. His father, Eduard Peter Fazer (originally Fatzer), was a Swiss-born furrier.

Fazer studied baking in Berlin, Paris, and Saint Petersburg before becoming a pioneer of Finnish confectionery. Together with his wife Berta he opened a French-Russian confectionery at Kluuvikatu in Helsinki on September 17th 1891. Later he opened a chocolate and candy factory in Punavuori.

Fazer, the company he founded, is still in existence. Many of its products have become classic. This is particularly true of the "Fazer Blue" ("Fazerin Sininen" in Finnish), a brand of chocolate that is often compared to salmiakki, a candy that is a part of the Finnish national identity.

Karl Fazer was a nature lover, bird connoisseur, hunter and a fisherman. He founded many natural parks in Finland.

He was also an excellent marksman, and he participated the Olympic Games in 1912 with the Finnish shooting team. He placed 12th in Men's trap and 5th in Men's team clay pigeons.

He had four children.