- Brand origin
- Norway
- Main production
- Several countries, incl. Sweden
Felix is a food brand originating in Eslöv, Sweden, known for pickled vegetables, ketchup, sauces, potato products, jam, purée and ready meals. Felix is ultimately owned by Orkla ASA, a publicly listed Norwegian company, through Orkla Foods Lietuva UAB and Orkla Foods.
felix.seOwnership chain
- BrandFelixNorway
- Orkla Foods Lietuva UAB
- Orkla Foods
- Ultimate ownerOrkla ASANorway
About felix
What is Felix?
Felix is a food brand that originated in Eslöv, Sweden, in 1939. Felix products include pickled vegetables, ketchup, dressings, sauces, potato products, jam, purée and ready meals. Felix is sold in Sweden, Finland and Austria, and Felix products are also exported to other markets. Felix is associated with Swedish food products such as pickled gherkins, tomato ketchup, meatballs, French fries, instant mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. Orkla Foods Sweden describes ketchup and meatballs as among the best-known Felix products in Sweden. Felix products are also sold in the United States, where Felix lingonberry jam is described as the market leader in its category. Felix is not a standalone food company today. Felix is a brand used within Orkla’s food operations. In Sweden, the brand is associated with Orkla Foods Sverige AB, while Orkla Foods Lietuva UAB represents Felix products in Lithuania.
Who owns Felix?
Felix is ultimately owned by Orkla ASA, according to Made O’Meter’s ownership data verified on 13 September 2026. The ownership chain is Felix, Orkla Foods Lietuva UAB, Orkla Foods and Orkla ASA. Orkla ASA is headquartered in Norway and is a publicly listed company whose shares are listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Orkla Foods is an Orkla food business, and Orkla Foods Lietuva UAB is an Orkla company based in Kaunas, Lithuania. Orkla Foods Lietuva represents Felix and other Orkla brands in Lithuania. In Sweden, Felix is part of Orkla Foods Sverige AB. Orkla Foods Sverige says that it is part of Orkla Foods, with headquarters in Norway, and that Orkla ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Orkla Foods Sverige owns and operates several Swedish food brands, including Felix, Abba, Kalles Kaviar, BOB, Fun Light, Risifrutti and Ekströms.
Where does Felix come from?
Felix comes from Eslöv, Sweden. Herbert Felix founded AB Felix in Eslöv in 1939 after arriving from Czechoslovakia and partnering with the local vinegar factory. The local factory had been founded in 1874 by chemist Per Håkansson. The factory originally produced vinegar spirit for households and farmers who preserved their own vegetables. Herbert Felix built on that local preservation tradition when he began producing Felix foods. The first Felix products were pickled cucumbers. Felix products were produced and sold in Sweden from 1939. By the early 1950s, Felix had become Europe’s largest producer of pickled gherkins through cooperation with local farmers. Herbert Felix and the chairman of AB P. Håkansson purchased the company together in 1948. AB P. Håkansson named its canned-food department Felix in 1955. Felix launched its first ketchup in 1956. Felix also developed outside Sweden. Herbert Felix founded the Austrian sister company Felix Austria in Mattersburg, Burgenland, in 1959. Construction of the Felix Austria factory began in 1959, and the factory opened in May 1961. Felix Austria bottled its first ketchup in 1962. Felix Austria became part of the Norwegian Orkla group in 1995. In the same year, Procordia Food acquired AB Felix, and the Swedish Felix brand became part of the company now known as Orkla Foods Sverige.
What products does Felix make?
Felix makes pickled vegetables, ketchup, dressings, sauces, potato products, jam, purée and ready meals. The range has also included meatballs, French fries, porridge, soup, ice cream and other prepared foods. Pickled gherkins are among Felix’s historically important products. The company’s early growth came from producing pickled cucumbers with local farmers in southern Sweden. Felix also sells other pickled vegetables and preserved foods. Ketchup is another major Felix product category. Felix launched its first ketchup in 1956, and Felix Austria bottled its first ketchup in 1962. Felix ketchup has been sold in plastic squeeze bottles since 1982. The Swedish range includes tomato ketchup, French fries, vegetarian ready-to-cook meals, instant mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, porridge, salad dressings and pickled gherkins. Orkla Foodsolutions also lists sauces, mustard, pickled products, pies, potato dishes, minced-food products and plant-based alternatives in its Felix range. Felix products can differ by country. Products sold under the Felix name in Sweden, Finland, Austria, Lithuania and export markets are not necessarily identical in recipe, packaging or assortment.
Is Felix a Swedish or American brand?
Felix is a Swedish brand by origin, not an American brand. Herbert Felix founded Felix in Eslöv, Sweden, in 1939 after arriving from Czechoslovakia. Felix is now owned through Orkla, a Norwegian group. The brand therefore has Swedish origins and Norwegian ultimate ownership. Felix products are sold outside Sweden, including in Finland, Austria, Lithuania and the United States. Felix lingonberry jam has been available in the United States for several decades and is described by the brand’s United States website as the leading lingonberry jam there. Sales in the United States do not change Felix’s Swedish origin or Norwegian ultimate ownership.
Who makes Felix products and where are they made?
Felix products are made and sold through Orkla food businesses, including Orkla Foods Sverige AB and Orkla Foods Lietuva UAB. Orkla Foods Sverige has its head office in Malmö, Sweden. Orkla Foods Sverige says that its factories are located in Sweden, including facilities in Eslöv, Fågelmara, Kumla, Kungshamn, Tollarp and Vansbro, with a warehouse in Uddevalla and another listed production location in Örebro. The same company’s public information identifies Eslöv as part of Felix’s historical and production identity. Felix Austria has a production history in Mattersburg, Austria. The Felix Austria factory was built there from 1959 and opened in May 1961. The exact manufacturing location depends on the Felix product and the market where it is sold. The Felix name is used across multiple product categories and countries, so a single manufacturing country does not apply to every Felix product. Consumers can identify the manufacturing or packing location from the individual product label.
How large is Felix and where is it sold?
Felix is one of Sweden’s best-known food brands and has a portfolio of more than 200 products, according to Orkla Foods Sweden. Orkla Foods Sverige reported approximately €510 million in annual turnover in 2022. Orkla Foods Sverige reported about 1,600 employees and factories across Sweden in information published about the business. Felix is sold in Sweden, Finland and Austria, where the respective Felix businesses describe the brand as part of Orkla’s food operations. Felix products are also exported to markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. Felix has a strong position in Swedish ketchup. Orkla Foods Sweden states that Felix’s Swedish ketchup market share is almost twice that of its nearest competitor. Felix’s United States website describes Felix lingonberry jam as the leading product in its category in the United States.
Has Felix changed owners or been sold?
Felix has changed corporate ownership several times since Herbert Felix founded AB Felix in 1939. These changes affected the company behind the Swedish Felix brand and eventually placed the brand within Orkla’s food operations. Herbert Felix and the chairman of AB P. Håkansson purchased the company together in 1948. AB P. Håkansson named its canned-food department Felix in 1955. Cavenham Foods purchased 75 percent of AB Felix from AB Cardo in November 1972 for $13.5 million. Cavenham Foods acquired the remaining AB Felix shares by December 1976. Cavenham Foods sold AB Felix to the Swedish company Beijerinvest in April 1980 as part of Cavenham’s withdrawal from food production. Procordia Food acquired AB Felix in 1995. The Felix brand then became part of Procordia Food, now known as Orkla Foods Sverige. Felix Austria became part of the Norwegian Orkla group in 1995. The current ultimate owner is Orkla ASA. Made O’Meter verified the Felix ownership chain on 13 September 2026.
Has Felix had a recall or regulatory issue?
Orkla Foods Sverige recalled limited batches of Felix potato croquettes and garlic croquettes in 2021 because ethylene oxide residues were found in locust bean gum used in the products. The recall also covered products from other Orkla Foods Sverige brands. Orkla Foods Sverige said that the ethylene oxide levels were low, that the affected raw material represented a very small part of the finished products and that there was no immediate health risk from eating the products. The company recalled the products after dialogue with the Swedish Food Agency. The recall concerned specific products, batch information and best-before dates. A past limited recall does not mean that all Felix products were recalled. Consumers should use the product label and current notices from the manufacturer or relevant food-safety authority when checking a particular item.
Frequently asked questions about felix
Is Felix owned by Orkla?
- Yes. Felix is ultimately owned by Orkla ASA, the publicly listed Norwegian company, through Orkla Foods Lietuva UAB and Orkla Foods. In Sweden, Felix is part of Orkla Foods Sverige AB.
Is Felix the same brand in Sweden and Austria?
- Felix has related Swedish and Austrian businesses, but product ranges and local operations can differ. Herbert Felix founded Felix Austria in Austria in 1959, and Felix Austria became part of the Norwegian Orkla group in 1995.
What was the first Felix product?
- The first Felix products were pickled cucumbers, produced and sold in Sweden beginning in 1939. Felix later expanded into ketchup, sauces, potato products, jams, ready meals and other foods.
Is Felix ketchup made in Sweden?
- Some Felix products are made in Sweden, and Orkla Foods Sverige operates Swedish production sites including Eslöv. The manufacturing country depends on the individual Felix product and market, so the package label is the source for a specific product.
Does Felix make vegan food?
- Felix’s range includes plant-based alternatives and vegetarian ready-to-cook meals. Whether a particular product is vegan depends on its ingredients and manufacturing information, so shoppers should check the label for the specific product.
Is Felix ketchup tested on animals?
- The available brand information identifies Felix as a food brand and describes its products and ownership, but does not establish an animal-testing policy. Product labels and direct information from the relevant Orkla business are needed for a product-specific answer.
What is Felix best known for?
- Felix is best known for pickled gherkins, tomato ketchup, meatballs, potato products and lingonberry jam. Pickled cucumbers were the first Felix products, and the brand became Europe’s largest producer of pickled gherkins by the early 1950s.
Was Felix ever an independent company?
- Yes. AB Felix was founded in Eslöv in 1939 and later passed through ownership by Cavenham Foods and Beijerinvest. Procordia Food acquired AB Felix in 1995, after which Felix continued as a brand within the business now known as Orkla Foods Sverige.
Sources: orklafoodsolutions.se, orklafoods.se: export orkla foods sweden, felixjams.com, orklafoods.se: om oss, rekvizitai.vz.lt, sv.wikipedia.org, da.wikipedia.org, orkla.com, felix.at: our history, felix.at: geschichte, felix-austria.at, felix.at: company, de.wikipedia.org, felix.fi, en.wikipedia.org: Herbert Felix, en.wikipedia.org: AB Felix, nationalfonds.org, felix.se, felix.at: ketchup, cats.com, en.wikipedia.org: Felix (cat food)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, orklafoods.com
Ownership data is compiled from public sources and verified where possible. Spotted an error? Suggest a correction below.
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