Friele's History

In 1799 the sea captain Herman Friele sets his feet back on dry land in order to put his efforts to commercial activity. He buys the property 'Steinkjelleren' in Bergen and establishes a sales outlet, which he in time develops to be an extensive retail and wholesale enterprise.

1835

The youngest of Herman Friele's 18 children, the 25 year old Berent Friele (I), takes over the business after his father. Friele is responsible for 14 percent of the import of coffee to Bergen. Berent Friele is a pioneer within direct imports of coffee from Brazil.

1861

Berent's son, Herman Friele (II), becomes a part owner in the company, which is called B. Friele & Sønner. The import of coffee has increased a lot and in 1864 every fifth cup of coffee that was drunk in Bergen was from Friele. Towards the end of the 1800's the company had become one of Bergen's leading confirming houses.

1892
B. Friele & Sønner establish a mechanical coffee roasting plant. This is the break through for the distribution of roasted coffee.

1899

The company reaches their 100th anniversary as one of Bergen's most important grocery wholesalers. The same year a joint venture agreement in order to ensure the company's future place, and among other things prevent the break up of the company for example, in case the of the settlement of the deceased's estate. Herman Friele's (II) two sons, Berent (II) and Herman (III) become part owners.

1911
B. Friele & Sønner becomes a Ltd (private limited company) with 300.000 Norwegian kroner in capital stock.

1914

The First World War marks the emergence of a long period with battle in contrary wind for Friele. Import restrictions and coffee rationing mark this time till long after the Second World War.

1937
Friele builds a new coffee roasting plant and wholesale warehouse and thereby become the country's most modern coffee roasters.

1916

Berent Johan Beyer Friele (1895-1985) told Herman Friele at his older days about Pocos de Caldas, "where the highest quality coffee in Brazil is cultivated". Berents influence in the world of coffee was significant, and in the mid-thirties Berent Friele represented the worlds largest green coffee buyer, with an annual turnover at 200 million pounds of coffee in volume, counting for 14% of the yearly import to the US.

1946

From this year Herman Friele (IV) creates the business idea behind the future specialisation within coffee production trough the systematic collection of knowledge, by, among other things, trips to Brazil and the US.

Between 1960 and 1966 Friele downsizes its wholesale activity. In 1966 the wholesale part is wound up entirely, and since then Friele has concentrated the business activity on coffee production.

1960
The restrictions on the import of coffee are lifted. Friele are well prepared and stakes a lot on new products and aggressive marketing. Coffee is the main area of concentration. Friele coffee has a market share of about 5 % in Norway.

1981

The new production facility at Nesttun is taken to use. Herman Friele (V) became general manager the previous year. Friele has a market share of 11 %.

1988
Friele enters a strategic alliance with the worlds 3rd largest coffee producer, Douwe Egberts.
The same year Friele gets a countrywide deal with the supermarket chain Rema 1000. Friele now has an 18 % market share.

1993
Kaffehuset Friele buys its competitors "Krone Kaffe" and "Slotts Kaffe".
Friele gets a countrywide deal with the Hakongroup's shops, Rimi and ICA. Kaffehuset Friele now has a 30 % market share (Friele 22 %, Krone 8 %).

1995
Kaffehuset Friele has grown to be the country's biggest coffee producer with a total market share for coffee of 36 percent.

1999
Kaffehuset Friele celebrates its 200th anniversary as one of Europe's most modern coffee roasters.