Royal Dansk

Last updated

Royal Dansk
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Food
Founded1966;60 years ago (1966)
FateMerged with Kjeldsen to form Kelsen; Royal Dansk became a brand
Headquarters
Helsingør
,
Denmark
Products Butter cookies
Owner
Parent Kelsen Group A/S
Website royal-dansk.com

Royal Dansk (meaning "Royal Danish") is a Danish brand of butter cookies, manufactured by Kelsen Group A/S. [1] It is known for its distinctive royal blue round tin container. [2] Since 2019, the brand is owned by Italian conglomerate Ferrero SpA, after it acquired the Kelsen Company for $300 million. [1]

Contents

History

The "Royal Dansk Company" was started in 1966 in Helsingør, Denmark. [2] In 1990, it merged with another Danish biscuit producer, Kjeldsen, whose butter cookies were well known in Hong Kong and mainland China. [2] Following the merger, the combined entity was renamed Kelsen, [2] which was acquired by Campbell in 2013 [3] and then sold to Italian manufacturer Ferrero in 2019 for $300 million. [4] [5]

In 2025, videos circulated on TikTok showing generic butter cookies sold in India under unsanitary conditions. Although none of the videos displayed Royal Dansk branding, some users speculated that the footage depicted products made by the company. In response, Royal Dansk issued a statement clarifying that its cookies are manufactured exclusively in Denmark at its bakeries in Nørre Snede and Ribe, and that the company produces more than 25,000 tonnes (25,000,000 kg) of cookies annually. [6]

Royal Dansk tin

Royal Dansk cookies are packaged in a blue tin featuring an illustration of the Hjemstavnsgaard farmhouse on the island of Funen in Denmark. [2] The product is commonly associated with the holiday season, particularly in the United States, where it is frequently given as a Christmas gift. The tin itself has become a subject of popular culture due to its frequent reuse as a household storage container, particularly for sewing supplies or recipes. This practice has been widely documented in media and popular commentary and is often referenced humorously as a shared cultural experience. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

The company has publicly acknowledged the reuse of its tins, stating that the long-term reuse of its tins contributes to its sustainability efforts. [13]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ferrero Buys Danish Cookies From Campbell". iItaly.org. 12 July 2019. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Sen, Mayukh (14 December 2017). "The Enduring Appeal of Royal Dansk Butter Cookies". Vice. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. ↑ Zacks (12 August 2013). "Campbell Closes Kelsen Group Acquisition - Analyst Blog". www.nasdaq.com. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "Campbell Soup shares rise after beating profit estimates on cost cuts". CNBC . 30 August 2019. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  5. ↑ Watrous, Monica (24 September 2019). "Ferrero affiliate completes Kelsen acquisition". Food Business News. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  6. ↑ Habib, Yamily (24 November 2025). "Why TikTok Thinks Danish Butter Cookies Are Made in India, and Why the Brand Had to Step In". Mitú . Retrieved 23 January 2026.
  7. ↑ Mejia, Paula (27 March 2018). "What's in Your Royal Dansk Cookie Tin?". Atlas Obscura . Archived from the original on 25 May 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Sonia. "Reddit discovers the world's most popular repurposing hack". Nine.com.au . Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  9. ↑ Mejia, Paula (12 April 2018). "Sewing Kits, Umbilical Cords, and Mold: Here's What You Keep in Royal Dansk Tins". Atlas Obscura . Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  10. ↑ Madarang, Catalina Ricci S. (1 June 2018). "How Danish butter cookie containers became sewing kits". Interaksyon . Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  11. ↑ Donnella, Leah (16 October 2015). "'Fess Up, Grannies, You Ate The Butter Cookies". NPR . Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  12. ↑ Tait, Amelia (1 November 2017). "Seriously: Why Does Everyone's Mum Use That Same Cookie Tin for Sewing Stuff?". Vice. Archived from the original on 29 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Our Danish Cookie Baking History". Royal Dansk . Retrieved 23 January 2026.
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