Danish merchant and manufacturer
Danish margarine manufacturer Otto Mønsted was born on 23 November 1838 at Lyngsbækgård near Ebeltoft and died on 4 September 1916 in Copenhagen as Denmark’s richest man. He is quoted as saying “money is not the best thing, but to be able to earn it, I think, is so immensely enjoyable.”

He established himself in 1865 as a wholesaler of butter, grain and animal feed and established the first margarine factory – Aarhus Butterine Co – in Denmark in 1883. This was followed by perhaps the world’s largest margarine factory near London in 1894. In 1870, he married Anne Sophie Broge and the family moved from Aarhus to Copenhagen in 1899. In 1909, Otto Mønsted A/S was founded with Otto Mønsted as chairman. The company’s primary trade mark was OMA, an early three-letter initial abbreviation for Otto Mønsted Aarhus. It was part of the slogan: Say the name – OMA, a simple testament to Otto Mønsted’s talent for branding and marketing.

The pioneer of advertising

The company’s primary trademark was OMA, an early three-letter initial abbreviation for Otto Mønsted Aarhus. It was part of the slogan: Say the name – OMA, a simple testament to Otto Mønsted’s talent for branding and marketing. From the company’s inception in 1865, Otto Mønsted was a master at utilising the power of advertising and was personally involved in both the creative process and the branding of the ‘artificial butter’, as margarine was called at the time. The perception of margarine as a cheap alternative to butter changed Otto Mønsted over the years, especially with the well-known campaigns for OMA plant margarine. The vegetable product was marketed with artistic illustrations of exotic animals and peoples from around the world. Otto Mønsted was also a pioneer in packaging and outdoor advertising, where he ended up living up to this quote from the first textbook on advertising of the time with truck decoration, signage in urban spaces and illuminated advertising:
“Ideally, the goal (of advertising) is only achieved when people smile at those who in their ignorance do not know, for example, Otto Mønsted and his margarine.”

He and his wife were childless, so following a provision in their will, the Otto Mønsted Foundation was established in 1934 after the death of the surviving Anna Mønsted. All shares in Otto Mønsted A/S were transferred to the foundation. The company continued margarine production until 1981, when the margarine business was sold and the OMA brand was taken over by Unilever. Since then, Otto Mønsted A/S has been an investment company, and the profits from this are the basis for the Otto Mønsted Foundation’s distributions.

A brief chronology:

  • 1865 Set up as a wholesaler in butter, grain and animal feed in Aarhus.
  • 1870 Established steam mill.
  • 1876 Founded business with butter in tinned packaging for export.
  • 1883 Established the first magarine factory (Aarhus Butterine Co.) in Denmark.
  • 1894 Built magarine factory near London, Southall.
  • 1896-97 Built the villa Kristianiagade 5 in Copenhagen (architect Vilhelm Dahlerup).
  • 1899 Otto and Anna Mønsted move from Aarhus to Copenhagen.
  • 1909 Otto Mønsted A/S is founded with Otto Mønsted as chairman.
  • 1916 Otto Mønsted dies and leaves a 30-page will.
  • 1933 Anna Mønsted dies.
  • 1934 Otto Mønsted’s Foundation is established after the will (from 1916), as the surviving Anna Mønsted dies.