History

AquaPri – a family business

It all began in the year 1900, when a determined 14-year-old Dane named Anders Priess decided to take charge of his future and establish his own company in the fishing port of Glyngøre.

Due to his young age, it was his mother who formally owned the company which was therefore named “Priess & Co”.

Anders traded in fish he bought from local fishermen, much to the dismay of older traders, who did not welcome the competition. This was made very clear to Anders when he was slapped on the face and thrown into the water by a competitor with a remark that “we don’t want children buying up our fish around here”.

But despite such setbacks, Anders was determined to succeed and over the years his business flourished.

In time, he started his own family and he passed on his determination and business skills to his sons Henning and Tage. They joined the company in the 1930s and eventually took over from their father. At that point, “Priess & Co” had expanded into many kinds of seafood and in connection with the change of generation, it was divided into two separate companies.

The next generations

Priess & Co was taken over by Henning while Tage developed “Glyngøre and the Limfjord Company”. (The brand “Glyngøre” is still one of the strongest seafood brands in Denmark).

Henning’s sons Anders and Nels followed in their father’s footsteps and entered the family business which was eventually renamed “AquaPri”.

Today, Anders and Nels are still part of AquaPri’s management, together with their respective sons, Henning and Morten, who formally took over ownership in 2012.

In front, Henning Priess (left) and Morten Priess

 

 

 

 


Photos from the good old days


It all began in Glyngøre in the year 1900...

Smoking brislings - heads cut off before filling into cans
Heads cut off (above) before filling into cans (below). Smoking brisling (to the right).

Tuna fishing in the 50s
Tuna fishing in the 50's.

 Fishing for oysters
Fishing for oysters.

Danish fishing boats on a long trip to the Canary Islands
Danish fishing boats on a long trip to the Canary Islands (above). 
Listening to Danish radio programs from the Canary Islands (below).

Henning Priess (Sr.) below the painting of his father, Anders (Sr.), who founded the company. His two sons, Nels (left) and Anders (right), are still in the management of AquaPri today.

The old company headquarters in Glyngøre as it looks today.

 

Glyngøre harbor in the year 1950
Glyngøre harbor in the year 1950.

 

 

Loading a vehicle with fish - destination: Italy
Loading a vehicle with fish - destination: Italy.

 

 


Canned fish being boiled in large autoclaves.

 

 

Canned brisling - ready for export
Canned brisling - ready for export.

 

 

Cleaning eels - smoking eels
Cleaning eels (above) - smoking eels (below).

 

 

Fish assortment a hundred years ago
Fish assortment a hundred years ago.

 

 

The Priess company sends fishing boats all the way to Urugay
The Priess company sends fishing boats all the way to Uruguay to participate in a trial of freshwater fishing.

 

 

Founder of Priess & Co. Anders Priess and his two sons
Founder of Priess & Co., Anders Priess, between his two sons: Henning Priess on the right and Tage Priess on the left.

 

 

Book_Mellem-Tvende-Have
Source: "Mellem Tvende Have" from 1950
Photos: Hammerschmidt, Aarhus
Text: Knud Hansen, Odense
Publisher: I/S Grafikerne, Odense