Hero AG

About Hero

Hero AG is an international food company focused on branded nutritional products. Founded in 1886 in Lenzburg (Switzerland), the company has its global headquarters there to this day and employs around 4'000 employees at locations on five continents. The main product categories include baby and toddler food, natural spreads and healthy snacks, complemented by infant formula and specialities. The group includes brands such as Hero, Schwartau, Beech-Nut, Corny, Organix, Semper, Freche Freunde, Deliciously Ella and Baby Gourmet. Since 1995 the Oetker family has held the majority of shares; the group is a privately owned family business. The revenue published in 2025 amounted to CHF 1'187 million; with the Hero 2035 strategy, the company focuses on the Better Snacking segment.

Site

Lenzburg

Processes

Brand marketing (House of Brands), Research & Development (Food Naturalness Index with ETH Zurich and the University of Murcia), Production of baby and toddler food, spreads, snacks, Sustainable packaging development

Materials

Food Naturalness Index, Mono-Material Pouches

Certificates

B Corp (Hero UK & Ireland/Organix, erdbär/Freche Freunde, Baby Gourmet), B Corp (Organix, Freche Freunde, Baby Gourmet), Science Based Target

Founded

1886

Employees

4000

Industries

Food/FMCG, Baby and toddler food, Snacks, Natural spreads, Infant formula, Specialities

1. 01

   Procurement of fruits, ingredients and packaging

2. 02

   Research & Development (Food Naturalness Index)

3. 03

   Production at seven production sites

4. 04

   Packaging development and circular economy

5. 05

   Brand marketing (House of Brands)

6. 06

   Distribution in over 50 countries

Product Categories and Development

Locations

Lenzburg

CH

Global headquarters, Hero Switzerland (Karl Roth-Strasse 8); the jam factory on Karl Roth-Strasse was in 2025

• Office building with group management

Bad Schwartau

DE

Schwartauer Werke GmbH & Co. KG – production of fruit products and snacks

• Solar thermal systems for hot water supply

Murcia

ES

New energy-efficient production facility for mono-material pouches

Lot size

180 million pouches/year

• Photovoltaic systems (fully covered roof area)

Products and Brands

Inside the production

Quality and Certification

Quality and food safety form the foundation of the corporate culture; a group-wide quality expert team function defines and regulates the standards. Three subsidiaries (Hero UK & Ireland/Organix, erdbär/Freche Freunde, Baby Gourmet) are certified as B Corp.

History

1. 1886

   Foundation of Hero in Lenzburg, Switzerland; headquarters there to this day

2. 1995

   Dr. Arend Oetker acquires the majority of shares – the relationship continues to this day

3. 2011

   Opening of the jam factory in Lenzburg

4. 2012

   Launch of the group-wide mission; start of FNI research with ETH Zurich and the University of Murcia

5. 2021

   Introduction of four new corporate values; revenue CHF 1.14 bn

6. 2022

   Sale of the gluten-free Juvela division including the Pontypool bakery to S-Ventures plc; revenue around CHF 1.2 bn

7. 2023

   Announcement of the closure of the Lenzburg jam factory by the end of 2024 (48 jobs affected); revenue CHF 1.22 bn

8. 2024

   Acquisition of Deliciously Ella; sale of the Lenzburg production plant to Ricola; switch to 100 % green electricity at all production sites

9. 2025

   Christian Schierbaum becomes CEO; revenue CHF 1187 million; presentation of the Hero 2035 strategy; commissioning of the energy-efficient Murcia plant

10. 2026

    Issuance of a CHF 100 million senior unsecured bond (2.934 %); acquisition of The Gut Stuff