Hero Group is a private, consumer food manufacturer and marketing company based in Switzerland. Focusing baby and toddler food, healthy snacks, and natural spreads, the group brands include Corny Snack Bars and Semper Baby food.

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. 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

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. 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. In 2024, Hero bought the 'Deliciously Ella' brand, founded by Ella Mills.