1876-2026

In 1876, young businessman Gustav Paulig opens a small trading house in Helsinki, importing flavourful goods such as coffee, spices, sugar and oils. In Finland, people are still laboriously roasting their coffee at home. Gustav sees an opportunity and decides to master coffee roasting himself and sell ready-roasted coffee to the people. In its very first year, the company imports over 300,000 kilos of green coffee. Gustav’s early belief in long-term partnerships and uncompromising quality sets the course for everything that follows. 

As someone who takes matters into his own hands, Gustav Paulig designs a simple trade mark built around the letter P. It becomes more than Paulig’s logo, it becomes a symbol that people come to associate with quality and a brand they can trust. 

After Gustav Paulig’s death, his wife Bertha Paulig steps forward to lead the company. In an era with almost no women business leaders, she becomes one of Finland’s first female CEOs. Bertha makes bold moves, repositioning the company from wholesale trading towards consumer retail and acquiring the Nissen café chain. With resilience, courage and a sharp business instinct, she steers Paulig into a new flavourful era.

While Paulig is shaping its own path, a small spice shop opens in Gothenburg, Sweden. For years, their stories run in parallel. Decades later, they join forces: Paulig and Santa Maria consolidate sourcing, production, product development and marketing, and Paulig’s seasonings begin their journey to Nordic tables under the Santa Maria name. 

In the 1920s, a young woman in traditional national dress greets visitors at Paulig’s fair stands, serving coffee and giving the brand a warm, human presence. In 1926 she becomes “Paula,” appearing on posters and packages as one of Finland’s first truly recognizable brand characters. In 1950 she steps fully into the spotlight when the first real Paula Girl is chosen to represent Paulig at events across the country. 

Paulig introduces its first branded coffee blends, Juhla and Presidentti, crafted to bring consistency and character to every cup. At the same time, seasonings arrive in convenient consumer packs, replacing the old paper cones that allow flavour to escape before it ever reaches the kitchen. For Finnish homes, this is a small revolution: consistent blends, fresher spices and convenience. For Paulig, it marks the beginning of a modern, more recognisable product family. 

As Finland endures the hard wartime years of the 1940s, Paulig finds ways to support its people. Employees called to the front continue receiving their full wages, and “Paulig’s boys” are encouraged through regular gift boxes sometimes containing the rare comfort of real coffee. Back home, the company keeps its factories running with substitutes and matches. In a decade defined by scarcity, loyalty and care become Paulig’s most important investments in the future. 

Paulig inaugurates its new roastery in Vuosaari on Helsinki’s eastern shore, the largest of its kind in the Nordic region. At the opening ceremony, President Urho Kekkonen starts the roasting of the first batch of Presidentti coffee, now guided by modern, computer-controlled systems. From that moment on, every Paulig coffee pack carries a golden cup on the front: a simple mark that comes to embody carefully selected beans, precise roasting and a consistently high standard in every cup. 

Paulig establishes a dedicated Spice Division alongside its Coffee Division and sells its other operations, choosing to focus on its two core strengths: coffee and seasonings. It’s a strategic shift that clears the table of side businesses so Paulig can concentrate on what it does best: creating great flavour. 

Paulig is the first company in Finland to change its coffee packaging into a laminate-only pack, doing away with the traditional cardboard box that previously contained the vacuum-packed coffee. The new format frees up space in warehouses and on store shelves, and leaves households with less waste to deal with. It may seem like a small change, but it marks an early step towards incorporating environmental responsibility into the company’s practices. 

Santa Maria takes a bold step beyond spices with the launch of its Tex Mex range. Suddenly, soft tortillas, crunchy chips and ready-to-use spice mixes make it easy for Nordic homes to bring Mexican-inspired flavours to the weekday table. What begins as a curious newcomer quickly becomes a contemporary classic. Tex Mex together with snacking proves to be a key source of growth for Paulig.   

Paulig opens a combined coffee roastery and spices factory in Saue, just outside Tallinn, marking its return to Estonia after more than 50 years. The investment is more than a production decision; it signals a clear commitment to the newly opened Baltic markets and to rebuilding ties across the Gulf of Finland. The Saue factory grows into Paulig’s hub for the region and a symbol of forward looking togetherness after decades apart.

As Paulig sharpens its focus on coffee and spices, a new player appears in Roeselare, Belgium. Poco Loco produces its first tortilla chips, laying the foundation as a dedicated Tex Mex and snacking specialist. When the Poco Loco brand becomes part of the company in 2010, those chips and wraps evolve into a powerful engine for the Paulig’s Tex Mex and snacking growth in Europe.  

After years working together in the Nordic Spice Alliance, Paulig and Santa Maria take the next step in 2011, when the Santa Maria brand becomes fully owned by Paulig. Adding the brand to the company’s portfolio enables a broader, more international food business with the scale to shape popular food culture. 

Paulig launches PINC. As the company’s venture arm, PINC explores new food solutions and future business opportunities. With a focus on sustainability, emerging technologies and shifting consumer needs, PINC becomes a testbed for bold ideas that reach beyond Paulig’s core categories. It signals a new strategy: growth doesn’t just come from products, but from shaping what food can be tomorrow. 

Paulig launches an ambitious sustainability programme that puts climate action and responsibility at the heart of its long-term strategy. The company commits to science-based climate targets, aiming by 2030 to cut emissions in line with the 1.5°C goal. At the same time, Paulig sets out to ensure all its packaging is recyclable and made from renewable or recycled materials, signalling a strong commitment: growth and great flavour must go hand in hand with a sustainable future for food. 

Liven joins Paulig bringing its Spanish-made Tex Mex products and innovative snacking expertise into the company. The acquisition adds one of Europe’s widest Tex Mex and snacking portfolios to Paulig’s offering and combines Liven’s manufacturing capabilities with Paulig’s long-standing flavour know-how. Paulig’s position in the fast-growing Tex Mex and snacking market across Europe is further strengthened. 

Panesar Foods becomes part of Paulig, adding its UK-made sauces, salsas and condiments expertise to the Paulig portfolio. After 17 years of working side by side, Panesar’s fast and flexible manufacturing is combined with Paulig’s ambitions in World Foods. The acquisition broadens Paulig’s portfolio and strengthens its position in the fast-growing World Foods, Tex Mex and snacking space. IndiGrand is one of Panesar's popular brands.

Paulig raises the bar for its climate ambitions with a Net Zero 2040 goal. The commitment spans the entire value chain, supported by clear milestones that drive emissions down step by step. Climate action becomes a built-in principle for how products are developed, ingredients sourced and the business grown, ensuring everyday choices steer the company toward a low-carbon future. 

Conimex joins Paulig, adding bold, beloved Asian-inspired flavours to the portfolio. With its long heritage dating back to 1932, Conimex brings even more colour to the mix. The partnership expands Paulig’s flavour world to new audiences and even more flavourful meals across Europe. 

In 2026, Paulig celebrates 150 years of bringing flavour and inspiration to everyday moments – connecting people through the joy of shared meals while making a positive impact on both people and the planet. Paulig has grown into an international food and beverage company, home to beloved brands such as Santa Maria, Paulig, Conimex, Risenta, Poco Loco, and Zanuy. Today, Paulig’s passion for flavour reaches not only consumers around the world but also industry and private label customers. From Tex Mex and coffee to Asian food, snacks and spices, family-owned Paulig continues its growth journey as a shaper of popular food culture. 

Founded in Sweden in 1911, Santa Maria is today a popular brand across Europe - and beyond. Santa Maria's portfolio include Tex Mex, spices and flavouring, Asian concepts, snacks and BBQ. Great tastes from destinations, near and far, have always been a part the Santa Maria brand. www.santamariaworld.com 

Paulig coffee brands hold a strong market position in Finland and the Baltics. We sell and market roasted coffee, ready coffee drinks, chocolate drinks and filter services. A wide range of brand products, continuing product development, seamless quality control, responsibility from bean to cup, and creating new coffee trends are the hallmarks of Paulig. www.paulig.com

Since 1932, Conimex has been bringing delicious Eastern flavours to the Netherlands. Over the years, it has grown into a market-leading brand known for its’ range of Asian meal makers, prawn crackers, soups, sauces, and seasonings. www.conimex.nl 

Risenta stands for naturally healthy food, which is natural, good and gives you energy. By offering products and inspiring more people to eat healthy, we want to support the wellbeing of people. www.risenta.se

Bringing great tasting products to consumers is what the Poco Loco brand is all about. While the core originates from the Tex Mex cuisine, Poco Loco has become much more than that. It is a brand for easy and versatile cooking and snacking, from creating a delicious Tex-Mex meal, a quick and tasty sandwich wrap or a delicious snack. www.pocoloco.be

Zanuy is one of Spain’s most beloved Tex Mex brands. The brand invites you on a culinary journey that takes you from the most authentic Mexican tradition to the trendiest Organic and Veggie recipe experience. www.zanuy.com