THE DRAGSBÆK STORY

Where there is a willingness to change, there is a way. Today, this is called innovation. Dragsbæk has always been driven by an innovative mindset based on knowledge, insight and collaboration with customers and consumers.  It has been the hallmark of our development from margarine manufacturer to a modern food company.

The story begins in 1923, when married couple Gudrun Marie and Carl Wilhelm Nielsen start making margarine at Simons Bakke in Thisted.
At the time, there was already one margarine factory in Thisted selling margarine to the city’s grocers. This meant that Carl Wilhelm Nielsen had to load up the pushcart and sell Dragsbæk margarine directly to large farms, where many mouths needed to be fed every day.

Production continued successfully until World War II, when the war put an abrupt end to the supply of raw materials.   Margarine production got underway again in 1946, but soon thereafter Carl Wilhelm Nielsen passed away. Gudrun Marie Nielsen continued to run the company with her son Poul Nielsen, and later, the youngest son, Mogens Nielsen, also joined the company’s management. Hard work, focus on costs and an innovative mindset founded on close customer relationships and insight created the basis for what is today Denmark’s largest manufacturer of specialty fats and oils.

Part of Dragsbæk was sold to Orkla in 2006 to prepare for an even stronger future. Today, Dragsbæk continues to build further on the strongest elements. The innovative mindset based on insight and strong values as well as solid, local anchoring go hand in hand with the many opportunities offered by membership in a major group.