SPICES HAVE A RICH HISTORY IN OUR COMPANY

In 1775, 24-year-old Johann Caspar Fridlin (1751–1821) buys a house at Zeughausgasse 10 in Zug and opens a colonial goods store inside it. This heralds the beginning of the success story that is J. C. Fridlin Gewürze Ltd.

1796: Barely 21 years later, the company is in total disarray. The devastating “Geissweid fire”, which destroys a quarter of the city of Zug, burns Johann Caspar’s building to the ground. However, he rebuilds it together with the shop – it is actually still standing to this day.

In 1806, Johann Caspar Fridlin decides to start producing spices and tobacco. The French blow up a powder mill in Oberwil bei Zug. After the mill is rebuilt, Johann Caspar has the opportunity to purchase it. He starts producing there. The Fridlin family has been producing spices there in Canton Zug ever since.

In 1811, Johann Caspar’s third oldest son, Jacob Carl Fridlin, (1785–1863) takes over management of the company. With great care and skill, he spreads word of the high quality of his spices and snuff.

In 1856, Josef Christian Fridlin (1831–1914) is the third generation of the family to take over management of the company from his father. He is an entrepreneur and a businessman with interests in many fields.

In 1874, Josef Christian Fridlin purchases the mill in Letzibach that was constructed by Michael Stadlin in Allmend, Zug in 1856, and converts it into a spice mill.

In 1883, the company is entered into the Commercial Register for the first time as “J.C. Fridlin in Zug, Production of Snuff and Trade in Spices”.

In 1888, Josef Christian’s wife Martha Beck inherits a further spice mill, the “Innere Mühle”, in the city of Zug. Josef Christian starts operating the Innere Mühle.

In 1906, a new waterwheel is built in the mill in Letzibach. Electricity is only available in the Letzi area from 1915 onwards.

In 1914, Johan Carl (1885–1930), the son of Josef Christian Fridlin, takes over management of the company and leads it into the fourth generation upon the death of his father. Besides his business activities, he also works as a lawyer and farmer in Löberen.

In 1930, Jwan Carl Fridlin, known as Hans (1902–1969), takes over management of the company. He distances himself from the snuff segment and enters the company into the Commercial Register under the name “J.C. Fridlin, Spice Mill in Zug”.

In the 1930s, Jwan Carl Fridlin starts producing shakers for private households.

Their growing popularity in retail brings new orders for the retail business in the 1950s. He invests further in filling machines for spices. He produces pouches, tins and soon afterwards, the first spice jars.

John Carl Fridlin (*1935), the son of Jwan Carl Fridlin, takes over management of the company in 1969. Together with his wife, Trudy Fridlin Aeberli (1940–2012), he invests consistently in the strongly growing retail market. In 1982, the former sole proprietorship becomes “J. Carl Fridlin Gewürze Ltd.”

As space has become a premium in the city of Zug, the first new buildings for the filling plant are built at the current site in the industrial area of Bösch, in the municipality of Hünenberg, in 1987.

Since the turn of the century, the processes of J. C. Fridlin Gewürze Ltd. have been managed via an ERP system, and we are pressing forward with digitalisation in this area. The Hünenberg production site is extended in 2009. New filling halls and warehouses are built onto the existing production building.