The lid fits on the pot - a portrait of Hügli
The history of Hügli began in 1935 with the invention of the first industrially produced bouillon cube, also known as the "Brodox". Beat Stoffel, founder of the company, decided to name the company after the developer of the cube, Otto Hügli, in his honor. He also became the first managing director of Hügli, which was initially based in Arbon on Lake Constance in Switzerland.
One year after its foundation, it was clear where Hügli's journey was heading. From then on, the company specialized in the production of ready-to-cook soups, sauces, bouillons and seasonings. Hügli concentrated on selling its products to major customers in the catering and food industry. Early on in its history, the company focused on two areas that can be described as "trendy" in the food industry today: Convenience products and the food service sector. in 1974, the company moved from Arbon to Steinach, where the headquarters of Hügli Holding AG are still located today.
Expansion abroad
With the founding of the Hügli subsidiary in Hard, Austria, the move abroad took place in 1959. Shortly afterwards, Hügli took over the Radolf-Werke in Radolfzell, Germany, in 1964. The plant in Radolfzell was gradually expanded from 1990 onwards and is now by far the
the Hügli Group's largest and most modern production site. It mainly produces dry blended products such as soups, sauces and seasonings as well as desserts and ready meals
From 2000 onwards, several expansion steps were taken at an ever faster pace. Hügli secured its entry into the Eastern European market with the acquisition of Bonita in the Czech Republic. From its site in Zasmuky, Hügli primarily supplies retail and food service customers in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.
In 2005, Hügli took over two further production sites. In Germany, the Neuburg site was added with the takeover of Inter-Planing GmbH. For Hügli, the takeover of Supro AG in St. Gallen also meant the expansion of the product range to include liquid sauces and salad dressings. In 2007, the Italian sauce specialist Ali-Big joined Hügli in order to further expand the range of liquid convenience products for the food service and food retail sectors. This was followed the following year by the acquisition of Contract Foods in Redditch, United Kingdom.
The food service brand "Familie Vogeley" has been part of the Hügli family since 2013. Two years later, the EDEN and granoVita brands were added, two well-established brands with over 100 years of expertise in healthy nutrition. The Hügli sites were expanded to include the distribution site in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, and the production site in La Vall d'Uixó in Spain. in 2016, the Hügli Group also acquired a majority stake in the Dutch company Bresc B.V.
The experts for individual food products
Today, Hügli is active throughout Europe with around 1,500 employees at 15 locations. Each year, almost 60'000 tons of high-quality food are produced at the production sites and in 2017 Hügli generated a turnover of 384 million Swiss francs.
The Hügli Group's business units (divisions) are strategically aligned to the individual requirements of customers. The Food Service division serves the out-of-home market, while food retailers, brand owners and food manufacturers are served by the Customer Solutions division. The Food Ingredients Division is the point of contact for groups in the food industry. The fourth division, Consumer Brands, supplies health food stores, organic markets and food retailers with Hügli's own organic brands.
Hügli is characterized above all by culinary delights, creativity and speed. For Hügli, culinary means passion and dedication to food - from the selection of ingredients and the development of recipes to creative serving suggestions. Creativity is the basis for innovation. This applies to both product development and marketing. This company structure enables Hügli to react quickly and flexibly to customer requests.