Grupo Arcor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Grupo Arcor

Arcor main plant in Arroyito
Type	Public (S.A.I.C.)
Founded	5 July 1951; 73 years ago (1951-07-05)
Founder	Fulvio Pagani
Headquarters	Arroyito, Córdoba , Argentina
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Luis Pagani (Chairman & CEO)
Products	Confection
Brands	Chocolate Aguila Bagley
Revenue	3.2 billion USD (2015)
Subsidiaries	Mastellone Hnos.

Grupo Arcor is a big food company from Argentina. They are famous for making lots of yummy sweets and snacks. The company started on July 5, 1951, in a city called Arroyito, Córdoba.

Arcor makes many different foods. These include candies, chocolates, cookies, and ice cream. They have 39 factories across Latin America. Arcor is the world's top maker of hard candies. They are also one of the ten biggest candy makers overall.

In Argentina, Arcor is the largest producer of processed foods. Their products are sold in more than 120 countries around the world. In 2012, many business leaders thought Arcor was the most valuable company in Argentina.

How Arcor Started and Grew

The first Arcor plant in Arroyito, Córdoba, 1958

Arcor began on July 5, 1951. A group of friends, whose families came from Italy, opened their first candy factory. This factory was in Arroyito, a city in Córdoba Province.

The Pagani Family members were key founders: Amos, Renzo, Fulvio, and Elio. They decided to name the company Arcor. This name came from combining "Arroyito" and "Córdoba". There were 23 people who owned parts of the company when it started.

Arcor first sent its products to the United States in 1968. They sent milk candies without keeping them cold. Because of this, the candies arrived completely melted! Arcor made things right by paying back their partners in the U.S. for all the costs.

By 1958, Arcor was making 60,000 kilograms of candy every day. They also started making many different kinds of products. Arcor kept growing across South America. In 1995, they opened a large candy factory in Peru.

Important Purchases and Partnerships

To become even stronger, Arcor bought "Chocolates Águila" in 1993. Águila was a very old chocolate company from Argentina, started in 1880. It was known for its chocolate bars. Arcor added new products like ice cream and other sweets to the Águila brand.

In 1994, Arcor bought "Noel & Cia. Ltda. S.A.". This company was founded in 1847 and was known for its jellies and chocolates. Four years later, Arcor bought "Lía", a company that made cookies. They also opened the Arcor Museum in Arroyito that year.

In 1999, Arcor Group bought "Dos en Uno". This was a top candy company in Chile. It had a strong presence in the region.

By 2003, Arcor was earning a lot of money and had 13,000 employees. In 2004, Arcor teamed up with a French company called Danone. Together, they took over Bagley. Bagley made crackers and cookies in Argentina.

This partnership made Arcor–Danone the biggest cookie maker in South America. Arcor owned 51% of Bagley, and Danone owned 49%. This team-up was only for cookies. Both companies continued their other businesses separately.

Around 2001, many big Argentine companies faced challenges. Arcor also went through a tough time. However, Arcor managed to get its finances in order by 2008. During these years, Arcor also bought Benvenuto SACI in 2005. This company owned the La Campagnola brand.

With this purchase, Arcor started making canned products like tuna, tomatoes, and peas. At that time, Benvenuto had 2,000 employees. They all became part of the Arcor team. By then, Arcor had 14,000 employees in Argentina.

Arcor Group also expanded to Europe. In 2002, they opened offices in Barcelona, Spain.

Arcor's Brands and Products

As of August 2021, Arcor Group makes products in more than 12 different food types. These include jams, sauces, canned vegetables, fish, drinks, and more.

Arcor store on Avenida Corrientes in Buenos Aires

Sonrisas cookie, with its characteristic smiling face

Here is a list of some of the brands and products made or sold by Arcor:

See also

In Spanish: Arcor para niños

• La Serenísima (subsidiary)
• Melville Sewell Bagley