A group of entrepreneurs founded the Oel- und Fettwerke SAIS in Horn, Thurgau, in 1916. The Italian abbreviation stood for Società anonima italo-svizzera per la produzione degli olii vegetali, in German "Italienisch-schweizerische Aktiengesellschaft für die Produktion von Pflanzenölen". The original purpose of the company was to import vegetable oils and fats from Italy, which were in short supply in Switzerland during the First World War. In 1928, the Schicht Group joined the Dutch margarine company Unie N.V., which became part of the Unilever Group in 1929. There were repeated agreements between SAIS and the Astra Fett- und Oelwerke in Steffisburg, which also belonged to Unilever: in 1963, among other things, the sales departments were merged and production rationalised, with SAIS producing the Dorina, Planta and, from 1987, Linea brands. In 1976, Astra became part of SAIS. In 1993, the merger took place to form Lipton-SAIS. The merger with Unilever Bestfoods in 2001 led to the closure of the Horn plant. In 2003, the Lugano-based company Oleifici Sabo acquired parts of the Horn plant from Unilever and has since been producing margarine there on their behalf. Today, the Sais brand belongs to Upfield Schweiz GmbH, which describes it as "a Rama brand".
A group of entrepreneurs founded the Oel- und Fettwerke SAIS in Horn, Thurgau, in 1916. The Italian abbreviation stood for Società anonima italo-svizzera per la produzione d ...
egli olii vegetali, in German "Italienisch-schweizerische Aktiengesellschaft für die Produktion von Pflanzenölen". The original purpose of the company was to import vegetable oils and fats from Italy, which were in short supply in Switzerland during the First World War. In 1928, the Schicht Group joined the Dutch margarine company Unie N.V., which became part of the Unilever Group in 1929. There were repeated agreements between SAIS and the Astra Fett- und Oelwerke in Steffisburg, which also belonged to Unilever: in 1963, among other things, the sales departments were merged and production rationalised, with SAIS producing the Dorina, Planta and, from 1987, Linea brands. In 1976, Astra became part of SAIS. In 1993, the merger took place to form Lipton-SAIS. The merger with Unilever Bestfoods in 2001 led to the closure of the Horn plant. In 2003, the Lugano-based company Oleifici Sabo acquired parts of the Horn plant from Unilever and has since been producing margarine there on their behalf. Today, the Sais brand belongs to Upfield Schweiz GmbH, which describes it as "a Rama brand".
