History 

Olav Kavli
Kavli was founded in 1893 by Olav Kavli, a farmer's son, when he got his trading licence in Bergen. He had moved there a few years earlier from poor conditions in Bolsøy near Molde, and brought with him 60 kroner of savings and a strong dream of starting his own business.

From small beginnings
Olav Kavli's business talent became evident in the years leading up to 1920. The farmer's son also showed he had great technical skills, endurance and a great belief in what he was doing. He was involved with several dairies, and in 1914 he rented the dairy Fjellbygdenes Meieri near Sandnes. When the first world war ended, Olav Kavli bought the dairy Sogndal Meieri, an acquisition which allowed him to begin the development of different cheeses.

The first cheese spread
After striving for many years to develop a cheese spread, he finally succeeded in 1924. Primula became the world's first cheese spread and soon became a successful product for Kavli. The cheese was sold in several countries even before the onset of the second world war.

Olav Kavli's international success was no coincidence. Not only did the Kavli founder have a great talent for business - he also had a desire to travel. In 1910 he left for America on behalf of the Rogaland Dairy Association and the Department of Farming to promote Norwegian cheeses. That trip allowed him to establish contacts in the USA who would later buy his own cheeses.

Knut Kavli and the Kavli Trust
Olav Kavli's son, Knut, was made an equal partner in the company in the year Olav had his breakthrough with Primula. Knut had a social conscience like his father and established the Kavli Trust in 1962 to secure the long term future of the company. The Trust owns 100% of the Kavli Group and uses its profits to fund research, culture and humanitarian causes. Kavli’s vaules

Today the Kavli Group is an international business selling food and drink in more than 20 countries, but it has been true to four core values from the day Olav Kavli opened his first cheese business in Bergen in 1893: Teamwork, Ambition, Long Term Thinking and Continuous Improvements. These values run through the entire company structure and have contributed to its development. They remain important guiding lights for Kavli's work. These four pillars create the basis for continuous successful development. Kavli also greatly values the development and maintenance of skills in order to secure good future results for Kavli.