Friesens was started by D.W. Friesen in 1907 as a one-man operation in a 20-foot-wide store on Main Street in Altona, Manitoba, Canada. It was a confectionary store and telephone agent selling groceries, pencils, and other items necessary to rural life in 1907.

In 1923, Friesens purchased the local book store and added stationery, paper goods, and school supplies. Expansion into printing occurred in the 1930s, with the purchase of their first printing press, a hand-operated Gordon press, and a second one in 1935 to keep up with demand. In 1936, they purchased the local town printer following his death, and the company expanded further to include a wholesale division in 1946. In 1948, the founder D.W. Friesen retired and sold his business interests to his three sons. They incorporated as D.W. Friesen & Sons in 1950, which ultimately led to a second-generation opportunity with ambitions in wholesaling, newspaper publishing, packaging, and commercial printing. They have always operated as an employee family-centric company. In 1960, they began an employee profit-sharing program and established post-secondary scholarships; for employees children. In 1990, the company established the Graphic Arts College at Red River College, and the program continues today. In 2015, Friesens became a 100% employee-owned company.

Friesens is considered a very high-quality book printer, and their clients include National Geographic, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (Guggenheim Museum), Princeton University Press, Harvard University Press, Yale University Press, Patagonia (books and related print products), Milkweed Editions, Raincoast Books/Bloomsbury (Canadian Harry Potter printings), and many others.