| The Hero Group | |
| Type: | Private |
| Founder: | Gustav Henckell Gustav Zeiler |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Key People: | 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: | CHF 1.14 billion (2021) |
| Num Employees: | 4,300 (2015) |
| Foundation: | 1886 |
| Location: | Lenzburg (Aargau), Switzerland |
| Homepage: | www.hero-group.ch |
Hero Group is a private, consumer food manufacturer and marketing company based in Switzerland. Focusing baby and toddler food, healthy snacks, and natural spreads,[1] the group brands include Corny Snack Bars and Semper Baby food.[2]
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.
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.
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.[3] 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.[4] [5]