Kavli soft cheese

Kavli is a historic Scandinavian food brand, most famous for its soft spreadable cheese in tubes and plastic tubs. The company was founded in Bergen, Norway, in 1893 by Olav Kavli. The brand achieved international success in 1924 when Olav Kavli pioneered the world's first spreadable cheese with a long shelf life, revolutionizing the dairy industry. Today, Kavli operates major manufacturing facilities in both Bergen, Norway, and Älvsjö, Sweden, producing various flavors of spreadable cheese and condiments.

Unique to the corporate world, Kavli is owned by the Kavli Trust (Kavlifondet). This charitable foundation was established in 1962 by Olav's son, Knut Kavli, ensuring that the company's profits are not distributed to individual owners but instead donated to humanitarian causes, research, and culture. As of 2026, it remains a rare example of a successful commercial business serving a purely philanthropic purpose, with the ultimate ownership remaining firmly based in Norway.