Key dates
1874 | First rennet factory is established in Copenhagen, soon moving to a larger factory and producing natural colors for cheese and butter. Companies or agents are also established in France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany very soon after the company was founded in Denmark. |
1878 | Processing plant is established in New York City, USA. |
1890 | More extensive production facilities are established on Loch Island (later renamed Hansen Island), in the Mohawk River in Little Falls, New York, USA. |
1893 | Starter cultures production and marketing are initiated in Denmark. |
1916 | Local production begins in the United Kingdom. |
1917 | Factory is opened in Toronto, Canada. |
1930 | New plant is built in Milwaukee, USA. |
1936 | Factories are opened in Lübeck, Germany and Milan, Italy. |
1951 | Local production is established in Adelaide, Australia. |
1955 | Rennet factory is opened in Arpajon, France. |
1964 | Factory is opened in Quilmes, Argentina. |
1975 | First activities in the agricultural sector to develop new applications for bacterial cultures take place in the USA and focus primarily on chickens and calves. |
1976 | The DVS® concept (Direct Vat Set) for dairy cultures is launched in the USA. |
1977 | Local production begins in Valinhos, Brazil. |
1978 | Culture production plant is built in Roskilde, Denmark. |
1981 | Chr. Hansen agricultural sector is established in Denmark. |
1983 | Sales and marketing offices are established in Melbourne, Australia. |
1984 | Chr. Hansen company is established in Cork, Ireland. |
1987 | First significant clinical trials on the health properties of TREVIS®, a probiotic dietary supplement. |
1988 | Sales offices are opened in New Zealand. |
1990 | Extract Oil and Lacta Limitada are acquired in Spain. Chr. Hansen acquires distributors' sales offices in Greece and Turkey. Sales offices are established in Austria, The Netherlands and Japan. Chr. Hansen launches the Micro-Cap Colors concept, presently called Cap Colors®. |
1991 | Fermentation-produced chymosin is introduced. |
1992 | Chr. Hansen company is established in Poland. |
1993 | Chr. Hansen company is established in Czech Republic. |
1994 | Chr. Hansen company is established in Mexico. |
1995 | AKAY Flavours and Aromatics is established as a joint venture in India. Gastronomisk Institut A/S, later called Gourmet Food Ingredients, is acquired in Denmark. Professional Food Flavors, Inc. and Food Flavors, Inc. are acquired in the USA. |
1996 | SEFCAL and Xantoflor are acquired in France and Spain, respectively. |
1997 | Fermentation plant is acquired in Nienburg and becomes Chr. Hansen's German headquarters. |
1998 | Chr. Hansen's largest acquisition, Ingredient Technology Corporation (ITC), takes place in the USA. Quest Natural Color Business (QCB) is acquired in Ireland. |
1999 | Chr. Hansen company is established in Moscow, Russia. The world's largest and most modern natural colors factory is built in Avedoere, Denmark. Italiana Ingredienti and Enocanossa are acquired in Italy. L. reuteri joins Chr. Hansen's proven probiotic bacteria range through strategic alliance with Swedish company. |
2000 | Chr. Hansen company is opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. SKW European Coagulant business is acquired. |
2001 | The Chr. Hansen group experiences an unsatisfactory result and as a consequence a new strategy was implemented involving a cut of 276 jobs and closing of seven plants. Focus is set on research, development and application of ingredients by opening a new DKK 100 million application center. |
2002 | The new strategy shows results: 4% organic growth and the EBITA margin increases from 8% to 11%. |
2003 | Chr. Hansen company is established in China and an application center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. |
2004 | Chr. Hansen companies are established in India and Ukraine, and new facilities are inaugurated in Argentina and USA (the world's largest -55°C freezer). The Lundbeck foundation advises that it does not wish to be a long-term strategic shareholder of a controlling interest in an ingredients company, and Chr. Hansen is put up for sale. |
2005 | Chr. Hansen opens color factory in China and offices in Dubai and Colombia. A Magical Sensory Tour is carried out in 11 European countries and visits customers, parnters, universities. The sale of Chr. Hansen's ingredients business to PAI partner is finalized in July. |