Hero Group
{{Short description|Food manufacturer in Switzerland}}
{{Distinguish|text=Indian company Hero Motors Company}}{{Infobox company
| name = The Hero Group
| logo =
| type = Private
| founder = Gustav Henckell
Gustav Zeiler
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{ubl|Dr Arend Oetker (honorary chairman)|Dr Hasso Kaempfe (chairman of the Board of Directors)|Rob Versloot (CEO)}}
| products = Baby & Toddler Food, Baby & Toddler Milk, Jams, Healthy Snacks
| revenue = {{profit}} CHF 1.14 billion (2021)
| num_employees = 4,300 (2015)
| industry = Food industry manufacture of prepared meals and dishes other processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables
| foundation = {{sda|1886}}
| location = Lenzburg (Aargau), Switzerland
| homepage = [http://www.hero-group.ch/ www.hero-group.ch]
}}
Hero Group is a privately held consumer food manufacturer and marketing company based in Switzerland. Focusing baby and toddler food, healthy snacks, and natural spreads,{{Cite web |date=2023-09-18 |title=Hero Group Divests Nordic Gluten-Free Business To Dr. Schär |url=https://www.esmmagazine.com/a-brands/hero-group-divests-nordic-gluten-free-business-to-dr-schar-248291 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=ESM Magazine |language=en}} the group brands include Corny Snack Bars and Semper Baby food.{{Cite web |last=Harvey |first=Simon |date=2022-11-18 |title=Switzerland's Hero Group invests in new Spanish factory for baby food |url=https://www.just-food.com/news/switzerlands-hero-group-invests-in-new-spanish-factory-for-baby-food/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Just Food |language=en-US}}
Overview
In 1995, Dr. Arend Oetker acquired a majority shareholding in Hero and re-positioned the Group to focus on branded business. Business segments that no longer fitted this brand strategy were divested. In parallel, the Group embarked on a major geographic expansion program.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}
Today, Hero is producing products in its core product categories. The Group's operations are based predominantly in Europe, North America, Middle East/Africa and Turkey/Central Asia.
History
File:Brunch at Hotel MacDonald (3674538828).jpg
The Hero Group was founded in 1886 in Lenzburg, Switzerland by Gustav Henckell and Gustav Zeiler, two German immigrants.
In 1888, investor Carl Roth joined the business.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OhkeAQAAMAAJ&q=Gustav+Henckell |title=International Directory of Company Histories |date=1988 |publisher=St. James Press |isbn=978-1-55862-634-8 |language=en}} After Zeiler’s death in 1890, the first two letters of Henckell and Roth's names were combined to name the company ‘Hero Conserven Lenzbourg’.
In 1995, Arend Oetker took a majority holding in Hero with full ownership of the company being transferred to the Oetker family in 2003.{{Cite book |last=Breiding |first=R. James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mnkYFt6pijoC&q=Gustav+Henckell&pg=PT52 |title=Swiss Made: The Untold Story Behind Switzerland's Success |date=2013-01-10 |publisher=Profile Books |isbn=978-1-84765-809-8 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Holmes |first=Madelyn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7_AxDs2SkdwC&dq=Gustav+Henckell&pg=PA66 |title=Forgotten Migrants: Foreign Workers in Switzerland Before World War I |date=1988 |publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press |isbn=978-0-8386-3304-5 |language=en}}
In 2024, Hero bought the 'Deliciously Ella' brand, founded by Ella Mills.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Zoe |title=Deliciously Ella vegan food brand sold to Swiss group Hero |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/sep/17/deliciously-ella-health-food-brand-bought-ella-mills |access-date=21 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=17 September 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.hero-group.ch/ Official Site]
- [http://www.hero.ch/ Hero Switzerland]
- [http://www.hero.nl/ Hero Benelux]
- [http://www.hero.es/ Hero Spain]
{{Portal|Companies}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Food and drink companies of Switzerland
Category:Companies based in Aargau
Category:Swiss companies established in 1886