Fazer
 | |
| Business group | |
| Industry | Foodservice |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Headquarters | Finland, Helsinki, Finland |
| Website | www.fazer.fi |
Fazer (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈfatser]) is one of the largest corporations in the Finnish food industry.
The company was originally founded by Karl Fazer in 1891, as a "French-Russian conditory" in central Helsinki.[1] Today, it employs over ten thousand people in Finland as well as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Baltic countries, the United Kingdom and Russia.
Fazer's production is divided into four major areas:
- Fazer Amica, a chain of work-place restaurants
- Fazer bakeries, producing various kinds of bread
- Candyking, shop-in shop pick 'n' mix confectionery concept
- Fazer Café, a chain of cafés. The main Fazer café is on Kluuvikatu in Helsinki. There is a counter where one can order things and then sit down in the front. There is also a back area where one can be served by a waiter. The areas are separated by an entrance area that sometimes has some kind of exhibit, as well as another counter, just for buying chocolates. They are known for their chocolate flavored tea.
Particularly Fazer's classic chocolate (Fazerin Sininen maitosuklaa) is famous throughout Finland, and the blue colour of its wrapper has been used by Fazer as a symbol for the whole product line. Finns living abroad often request their friends to bring this chocolate with them.
Fazer has bought a few other companies, including Finnish Chymos and Danish Perelly. The confectionery line was merged with its Swedish competitor Cloetta in 2000, to become Cloetta Fazer, though the merger lasted only until 2008 before the two brands were separated back to independent companies.[2] Later, Fazer Keksit (which made biscuits) was sold to Danone. It was renamed to LU Suomi.