Any nation with respect for itself, has its own chocolate factory and traditional chocolate products. The Nidar company was founded 1912 in Trondheim in the central Norwegian region of Trøndelag and maintains its roots there. With almost one hundred years of history, Nidar is today the leading supplier of sweets to the Norwegian market. Nidar has a proud brand legacy, with chocolates and other sweets that most Norwegians remember from their childhood. At the same time, Nidar is constantly focusing on innovation by developing new products. Both the development and the production of Nidar’s sweets take place at the original factory in Trondheim.
Facts about Nidar
Nidar produces all types of sweets - chocolates, jelly babies, jellied sweets, caramels, liquorice products, boxed chocolates, marzipan and pastilles.
Among the best known brands are Stratos, Laban, Smash!, Troika, Crispo, IFA, Doc' Halslinser, New Energy, Bocca, Bamsemums, Smørbukk and Extra.
Nidar is the largest supplier of sweets to the Norwegian market. With sales in 2006 of NOK 1089 million and approximately 500 employees, Nidar’s share of the Norwegian market as of November 2007 was 33.2 %.
Nidar was established in 1912. Through acquisitions and mergers carried out in the 1970s, products and traditions of three other Norwegian sweets producers, all established near the beginning of the 20th century, were brought the into Nidar’s product range.
Now Nidar is a wholly owned subsidiary of Orkla and is a part of the group’s branded consumer goods division, Orkla Brands. In 2006, Nidar had an operating profit of NOK 139.4 million after tax.
Nidar’s strategy is to develop sweets for the Norwegian palate. We achieve this through analysis of Norwegian taste preferences, by developing Nidar’s many well established brands and by continuous development of new chocolates and other sweets. Some of Nidar’s new products in recent years are: Yade (2007), Smørbukk Karamellblanding (2007), Snøstenger (2007), Laban Sure Skrikerunger (2007), Smash! Bar (2006) and three new flavors of sugarfree IFA liquorice pastilles.
Nidar’s factory is situated in Trondheim. All Nidar products are produced and developed in the 39,000 m2 production plant/office area with 15,000 m2 of warehousing. The factory has eight production lines and can produce a wide range of sweets. Substantial investment over many years has resulted in more efficient production. Continuous emphasis on improving routines and efficiency, strict quality control, development of competence and a strong focus on corporate culture, health, environment and safety, have all been implemented with the idea of securing long term competitive production. Nidar has, in addition, responsibility for the sale of Wrigley chewing gum products on the Norwegian market.
The market for chocolates, pastilles, candy and chewing gum in Norway is estimated to be around NOK 6,700 million measured in retail sales value, of which 78 % comes from confectionary 12 % from lozenges and around 8 % from chewing gum.