Maarud Ostepop Cheddar

Maarud is a storied Norwegian brand that specializes in savoury snacks. The brand's history began in 1928 at Maarud Gaard in Sør-Odal, Norway, when Thomas Stang started selling agricultural products. In 1936, after a trip to the United States, Stang introduced mainland Europe's first potato chips under the brand name 'Potetgull'. Over the decades, Maarud expanded its portfolio to include various snack categories, such as the 'Ostepop' (cheese puffs) shown, popcorn, and tortilla chips.

While the brand's heritage is deeply rooted in Norway, its ownership has transitioned through several major corporations. After being sold to the Norwegian confectionery company Freia in 1983, it later became part of Kraft Foods in 1992. In 2008, it was acquired by the private equity firm Herkules Capital, which eventually sold the 'Estrella Maarud' business to the Intersnack Group in 2014. Today, Maarud operates as a key subsidiary within the German-based Intersnack Group, which is one of Europe's leading snack producers.

Manufacturing for Maarud products primarily takes place at its historic production facility in Disenå, Norway. However, as part of the broader Intersnack Nordics division, some production is also coordinated across neighboring facilities in Sweden (Angered) and Lithuania (Kaunas) to serve the wider Scandinavian and Baltic markets.