Hero Group

Hero Group acquires Canada's Baby Gourmet

18 Jan 2021

Hero Group, the Switzerland-based baby-food manufacturer, has expanded its portfolio through an M&A deal overseas.

Covid-19 food industry updates – Friday 18 September (free to read)

18 Sep 2020

just-food is providing daily updates on how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the world's packaged food sector.

Hero Group signs "strategic" deal with German baby-food firm

23 Nov 2018

Switzerland's Hero Group, the owner of US baby-food business Beech-Nut, has announced a "strategic partnership" with a firm in the same sector in Germany.

Hero Group sells US food-decoration business

30 Oct 2018

Hero Group, the Switzerland-based manufacturer, has offloaded its food-decoration assets in the US amid declining growth forecasts for the division.

PepsiCo takes US snack brand Poppables across pond; Kellogg adds to Nutri-Grain range in Australia; Arla launches Lurpak Softest spreadable butter straight from the fridge; Yildiz-owned Pladis launches Flipz in the UK

17 May 2018

just-food publishes the most notable product development from the international food sector, presented in bitesize format to give you a flavour of the innovation from your peers and competitors announced this week.

Europe buoys Swiss group Hero in 2016

6 Apr 2017

Hero, the Switzerland-based baby food-to-snacks maker, saw its earnings rise in 2016, helped by higher profits in Europe, despite muted growth in sales.

Hero Group "satisfied" with 2015 despite impact of Swiss franc

22 Apr 2016

Hero Group has reported mixed results for 2015, with the Switzerland-based baby food-to-jam maker seeing its top-line hit by the strength of the Swiss franc, its underlying sales grow but its profit metrics affected by one-off items.

US: Hero's Beech-Nut launches "real food for babies"

2 Apr 2014

Beech-Nut, the US baby food arm of Swiss food maker Hero Group, has launched a "100 % natural" line it claims provides "real food" for kids.

TURKEY: Hero buys out Yildiz from infant food JV

11 Mar 2014

Swiss food manufacturer Hero Group has acquired Yildiz Holding's stake in Turkish joint venture Hero Gida.

BRICs and beyond: Huishan IPO shows growing appetite for Chinese dairies

20 Sep 2013

The successful IPO of China Huishan Dairy Holdings Co. is fresh evidence of growing investor appetite for the Chinese dairy sector. As the largest dairy to operate a fully integrated supply chain in the country, Huishan is well-placed to benefit from recent developments in the industry, Katy Askew suggests.

In the spotlight: The uncertain fallout from China's infant formula probe

26 Jul 2013

Chinese regulators have launched an anti-trust investigation into the infant formula sector in the country and under pressure from the authorities, multinational formula manufacturers have implemented a series of price cuts. But will the move address the structural issues facing the category? Katy Askew investigates.

just the answer - Anna Rosier, Organix Baby Food

17 Jul 2013

The UK organic food market has experienced some ups and downs in recent years but organic baby food producer Organix has remained consistent in its approach to delivering high-quality organic products. Michelle Russell met up with managing director Anna Rosier to find out how the company is driving growth and find out more about the opportunities it see at home and abroad.

Organic baby food: Campbell looks to leverage Plum

17 Jul 2013

The Campbell Soup Company's recent acquisition of organic baby food maker Plum Organics must be viewed in the context of the group's aim to drive its top line by increasing its exposure to high-growth categories and markets. The deal opens the door to the rapidly expanding organic baby food sector, where growth is significantly outpacing conventional sales. And, moving forward, it is likely that Campbell will hope to leverage the strengths of each group to step up the pace of growth. Katy Askew reports.

In the spotlight: Beijing regulates to improve infant forumla safety

28 Jun 2013

The Chinese government has laid out a plan to improve safety standards in the high-profile infant formula sector through a combination of tougher regulation and consolidation. Nevertheless, the question of whether Chinese manufactures can convince consumers of the safety of their products remains. Katy Askew reports.

US: Campbell to buy US baby food group Plum Organics

24 May 2013

Campbell Soup Co. has struck a surprise deal to buy US baby food business Plum Organics.

BRICs and beyond: China looks to tighten food safety regulation

22 Apr 2013

The elevation of China's State Food & Drug Administration (SFDA) to a ministry level entity will consolidate the oversight of food safety issues under one umbrella. The Chinese authorities are hoping that the move will convince consumers that the government is serious about tackling the country's food safety problems. Nevertheless, a number of challenges remain. David Green reports from Beijing.

US: Hero, Goya launch Hispanic baby food

8 Apr 2013

Switzerland's Hero Group and US Hispanic-owned food company Goya have teamed up to develop a new range of Hispanic baby foods under the Beech-Nut/Goya brands.

Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week

8 Apr 2013

China dominated our headlines in the first part of the week. Swiss firm Hero Group was forced to defend the safety of its infant formula in the country after allegations a local distributor mislabelled products. Wal-Mart, meanwhile, issued a statement to reiterate its expansion plans in China after it emerged it would close three stores there. Emerging markets continued to feature heavily, with news Qatar had bought a majority stake in Indian group Bush Foods Overseas. And we interviewed the CEO of ambitious Brazilian dairy group Vigor.

CHINA: Our infant formula is safe, insists Hero Group

2 Apr 2013

Swiss food manufacturer Hero Group has insisted its infant formula on sale in China is safe after reports a local distributor allegedly mislabelled some of the company's products.

US: Hero appoints Boutelle Beech-Nut president

31 May 2012

Hero Group has appointed Jeff Boutelle president of its baby food subsidiary in the US, Beech-Nut Nutrition.

US: Hero Group announces Beech-Nut partnership with Mott's

3 Aug 2011

US baby-food firm Beech-Nut, an arm of Swiss food company Hero Group, has launched a range of co-branded baby food with apple sauce maker Mott's.

SIAL: Hero Group to open jam factory in Switzerland

17 Oct 2010

Switzerland-based food maker Hero Group is to open a jam production factory west of Zurich next year.

Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week

13 Aug 2010

Nestle, the world's largest food maker, published its half-year figures this week, numbers that are often a barometer for the rest of the sector. The company's results were robust although it did issue some caution over rising commodity costs. just-food reported from Moscow about the Russian grain crisis and the impact it could have on food makers. Meanwhile, Sara Lee chief Brenda Barnes stepped down due to illness and we analysed what the future holds for the US food group.

FRANCE: Hero Group to sell French fruit-dessert business

9 Aug 2010

Swiss food manufacturer Hero has announced it will sell its French fruit-dessert business to Charles Faraud.

US: Beech-Nut opens NY baby food facility

2 Jun 2010

US baby food producer Beech-Nut Nutrition Corp. has opened a US$124m production facility in upstate New York.

What will the recovery mean for organic in the UK?

12 Apr 2010

As the UK economy recovers, albeit slowly, there are signs that consumer behaviour is returning to "normal". There are questions, however, over how the organic food sector will arrest a slump in sales.

SWITZ: Hero Group plans more "value" NPD

7 Apr 2010

Swiss food maker Hero Group has hinted at plans to launch more products targeted at cash-conscious consumers in 2010.

Perrigo faces infant-formula brands after PBM buy

25 Mar 2010

The world of infant formula attracted the attention of M&A commentators this week with the proposed sale of own-label group PBM to healthcare giant Perrigo Co. The downturn has made private label more popular but, as Dean Best finds, infant formula is dominated by big brands - and their power is unlikely dented too much by the sale of PBM.

SWITZ: Hero stands by "robust" 2009 sales

24 Mar 2010

Swiss food maker Hero Group today (24 March) posted what it termed a "robust" sales performance for 2009 despite a fall in turnover.

SWITZ: Baby food booms for Hero

6 Mar 2009

Hero Group, the Switzerland-based food maker, said today (6 March) that a rise in revenues from its infant nutrition arm boosrted sales in 2008.