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Company type | Private |
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Industry | Food industry manufacture of prepared meals and dishes other processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables |
Founded | 1886 |
Founder | Gustav Henckell Gustav Zeiler |
Headquarters | Lenzburg (Aargau), Switzerland |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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Products | Baby & Toddler Food, Baby & Toddler Milk, Jams, Healthy Snacks |
Revenue | ![]() |
Number of employees | 4,300 (2015) |
Website | 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, [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.[ citation needed ]
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]
In 2024, Hero bought the 'Deliciously Ella' brand, founded by Ella Mills. [6]