The Kavli Foundation

O. Kavli and Knut Kavli’s Charitable Foundation (the Kavli Foundation) is the sole owner of the Kavli group. All dividend paid by the group goes to the foundation and its good works.

The foundation was established in 1962 by Knut Kavli, son of group founder Olav Kavli. Like his father, he was a socially responsible citizen and wanted to ensure that the group had a long-term owner with a commitment to the community.

He accordingly placed all the company’s shares in a charitable foundation. This provides Kavli with stable ownership, while the foundation’s articles are a guarantee to consumers that the group will put something more than just taxes back into the community.

The foundation’s articles specify that its activities will be devoted to supporting scientific, cultural and humanitarian causes. Substantial sums are devoted every year to projects in these fields.

These donations are made by the board of the Kavli Foundation, and are completely independent from the group’s commercial business.

Collaboration with the Salvation Army
The Kavli Foundation concluded a long-term cooperation agreement with the Norwegian arm of the Salvation Army in 2001. This focuses on humanitarian projects for the disadvantaged in society.

Every year, the two partners prioritise collaboration projects to be funded and supported by the Kavli Foundation. A total of 15 schemes in six countries have received grants in 2001 and 2002.

Reflection
The social commitment which underlies the Kavli Foundation’s activities is also reflected in the group’s commercial operations.

Kavli views its value creation in a broader perspective, which also embraces the social results it generates. That social focus is an important part in the group’s culture and base values.

As one of Norway’s largest food groups, Kavli has produced food for Norwegian consumers over more than a century. Its roots are in Bergen, and its head office is today at Midttun outside the city centre.

The group’s Norwegian business is built up around the production of processed cheese. But it also supplies other food products, such as milk, yoghurt, cream, sour cream, caviar, mayonnaise, salad dressing, biscuits and crispbread.

Kavli has always been a very international business. As early as the 1920s, founder Olav Kavli travelled the globe to sell the world’s first spreadable cheese with a long shelf life.

The group’s products are sold today in more than 40 countries, and roughly 75 per cent of its revenues come from outside Norway. “Kavli” and “Primula” are well-known Norwegian brand names abroad. Kavli’s revenues in 2001 totalled NOK 1.1 billion.