Our story
It all began in Porvoo, with love for licorice
Makulaku’s story began in Porvoo in 1994. What started as a family-owned company has grown over the years into an international licorice expert, but one thing has stayed the same: love for licorice.
Flavor has always been the starting point of our product development. Over the years, it has grown into a joyful and colorful world of taste, where traditional black licorice is joined by fillings, coatings, and new, surprising flavor combinations.
There’s a lot to know about licorice, but not everything has to be done the same way every time. We’ve always been drawn to trying something new and finding the next great flavor.
Decades of experience – and an eye on the future
Profound licorice expertise and strong product development are at the heart of what Makulaku does. In 1997, we were the first to bring black organic licorice to international markets. In 2011, we were once again pioneers, expanding our range with filled organic licorice products.
New ideas, interesting flavors, and changing consumer preferences guide our product development. We combine bold experimentation, excellent taste, and reliable quality.
Although licorice has a long tradition, we don’t believe everything has already been invented.
Developed for consumers – built for partners
A good product comes from understanding what consumers want. That’s why we develop our products in close cooperation with our customers and listen to what interests consumers right now.
Our private label and pick and mix expertise is strong, and we offer flexible product and packaging solutions for different needs. Our licorice also finds its way into industrial products – did you know, for example, that our licorice is used as a delicious licorice center in many chocolate products?
We want to deliver our products as fresh as possible. A significant share of our production is made to order for direct delivery, and some products go straight from the factory to store shelves.
From Porvoo to the world
Although Makulaku’s roots are in Porvoo, more than 70% of our revenue comes from international markets, and our products are already exported to four continents.
Around 65 confectionery professionals work at our Porvoo facility, and each year we produce about 3 million kilos of licorice and confectionery products.
We combine Finnish confectionery expertise, an international outlook, and flexible service. Our long experience and strong know-how give us a solid foundation for serving our customers, both in Finland and in international markets.
The history of Makulaku – 30 years of continuous development
1994 – Makulaku was founded in Porvoo. Production of traditional black licorice began on a pot-cooking line
1997 – Organic licorice production began and exports were launched
2000 – Production expanded with a new line and manufacturing of “licorice ropes” began – new colors and flavor options were introduced to the market
2006 – Invested in an IT system and obtained ISO 9001 quality certification
2011 – Production of filled organic licorice began, and a new, modern, environmentally friendly factory building was completed
2014 – Makulaku became owned by Makua Foods. Porvoon Herkku and Runebergin Makeistukku were merged into Makulaku
2016 – A third licorice production line investment was made, the product range expanded to include bars, and capacity increased. Investment in exports and Makulaku’s own branded products was launched
2017 – The FSSC22000 food safety system was certified
2018 – Annual production exceeded 2.5 million kilos
2020 – The BRCGS food safety system was certified
2021 – Makua Foods was acquired by the Danish Carletti Group
2024 – Annual production exceeded 3 million kilos
There's always something new to discover in licorice
The world of licorice is changing, and so are we. We follow consumers’ taste preferences, look for new inspiration, and always want to find new ways to enjoy licorice.
In the future, we want to be an even better partner for retail and industry, and to bring new products and favorite flavors to licorice lovers around the world.
We have decades of experience with licorice. And yet curiosity always keeps us moving forward.
You can fall in love with licorice all over again – again and again.