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Wednesday 19 February 2020

Australia: Australia Post 1809
Austria: St. Peter Stifts Kulinarium 803 Located in the walls of St Peter’s Abbey in Salzburg and remains the oldest restaurant in Europe that you can still eat in. The inn is rumoured to have served Columbus, Faust and Mozart.
Belgium: Affligem Brewery 1074 Still brewing top-class beer
Canada: Hudson’s Bay Company 1670
China: Ma Yu Ching’s Bucket Chicken House 1153 During the Jin Dynasty
England: The Royal Mint 886
Egypt: Egyptian National Railways 1854
Finland: Fiskars 1649
France: Monnaie de Paris 864
Germany: Staffelter Hof Winery 862 Oldest Winery in Europe
India: Wadia Group 1736
Ireland: Sean’s Bar 900
Italy: Marinelli Bell Foundry 1040
Japan: Kongo Gumi 578 World’s oldest still trading company, although taken-over in 2006
Kosovo: Meridian Corporation 1999
New Zealand: Bank of New Zealand 1861
Scotland: The Bank of Scotland 1695
Spain: Casa de Ganaderos 1218
Ukraine: Drohobych Salt Plant 1250 
United States: Shirley Plantation 1638 Edward Hill raised the farm and his descendants still occupy and manage the business today. 

10 comments:

Hels said...

welcome home :)

Of all the old facilities you mentioned, my favourite history was attached to Canada's Hudson's Bay Company. I still don't know how a fur merchandising company, even a big one, could control colonisation in British North America and even overrule the British Govt in Canada.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bazza - amazing how long they've lasted, but obviously adapted over the centuries. The Hudsons Bay Company is so like the East India Company - which has gone ... but one can see how the HBC managed to control the development of Canada. So interesting to see the organisations around the world - thanks Hilary

Parnassus said...

Hello Bazza, Interesting that many of these companies are banks or quasi-governmental, but a number of them deal with actual products. Today if a company is successful, it is immediately bought out and run into the ground, either to eliminate competition, or they "improve" the product to the point at which no one wants it any more.
--Jim

bazza said...

Hels: Thank you! The Hudson's Bay Company was as nothing when compared to the East India Company. They really did control the colony! They eventually got too big for their boots and were dissolved.

bazza said...

Hilary: Yes, see my reply to Hels above! I can't get over the Chinese chicken shop!

bazza said...

Jim: Many of them are Mints which, presumably are run as wholly-owned Government companys. The trend towards many multi-national companies having budgets that are bigger than many small nations is still continuing.

NanaDiana said...

Amazing. Love companies with longevity.

bazza said...

NanaDiana: I think we've lost more famous UK business names in the last few years than ever before! Longevity is reassuring!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Fascinating stuff! It's amazing that these companies have withstood such a long test of time. And... suddenly... I'm feeling very... young. :) (It's all a matter of perspective!)

bazza said...

Susan: Don't you think that Ma Yu Ching's Bucket Chicken Shop missed the chance to become the world's first multi-national organisation - just like McDonalds!