Haribo facts for kids
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Former headquarters in Kessenich, Bonn
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| Private | |
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 13 December 1920 |
| Founder | Hans Riegel Sr. |
| Headquarters |
Grafschaft, Rhineland
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Germany
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Candy, especially gummy candy |
| Revenue | €1.7–2.0 billion |
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Number of employees
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~7,000 (2018) |
Haribo is a famous German candy company. It was started by Hans Riegel Sr. in Kessenich, Bonn, Germany. The name "Haribo" comes from the first two letters of his name (Hans Riegel) and his hometown (Bonn). In 1922, Haribo made the world's first gummy candy. These were small gummy bears called Gummibärchen. Today, Haribo's main office is in Grafschaft, Germany.
Contents
Haribo's Sweet History
Haribo officially started on December 13, 1920. Its founder, Johannes Riegel, registered the company. In 1921, his wife, Gertrud Riegel, became the first employee. Hans Riegel started with simple tools. He had a sack of sugar, a copper pot, a marble slab, and a stove. He bought a house in Bonn that became Haribo's first factory.
Just two years later, Hans Riegel created the first gummy bear. It was called the Tanzbär (Dancing Bear). These early bears were bigger and softer than today's Goldbears. They were made with gum arabic instead of gelatin.
In 1925, Haribo began making licorice candies. By the early 1930s, the company had grown. It set up a sales team and built a new main factory.
During World War II, Haribo's production slowed down a lot. This was because raw materials were hard to find. After Hans Riegel passed away in 1945, his wife continued the business. Their sons, Hans and Paul, took over in 1946 after returning from being held captive.
Hans Riegel Jr. was the public face of the company. Paul Riegel focused on creating new products. Haribo grew by buying other candy companies. In 1957, they bought Kleutgen & Meier. In 1961, they took over Bonera in the Netherlands. A new main office opened in Bonn in the 1960s.
Haribo also expanded into France. In 1967, they bought part of Lorette, a French candy factory. This company later became Haribo-France SA. In 1987, it joined with Ricqles Zan. This created Haribo Ricqles-Zan. They even have a small factory museum in Uzès, France.
In 1968, Haribo bought shares in Dr. Hillers in Solingen, Germany. They fully took over the company in 1979. A new production facility was built there in the 1980s. Haribo kept growing and buying candy makers around the world. They started selling in America in the 1980s. By 2013, Haribo had 16 factories. They made over 100 million gummy bears every day!
In 1986, Haribo bought the rights to the Maoam candy. They also bought Haribo Chamallows. Haribo's main office was in Bonn until 2018. Then, it moved to Grafschaft in Rhineland-Palatinate. Bonn still has a Haribo factory.
Hans Riegel Jr. passed away in 2013. He had led the company for many years. His position was then filled by the Hans Riegel Foundation.
Haribo Today
Haribo has about 7,000 employees. They work in four factories in Germany and ten in other European countries. By 2003, Haribo products were sold in over 100 countries.
In 2008, the company faced an investigation. This was about agreements with other candy makers regarding prices. In 2012, Haribo was fined for these agreements.
Moving the Main Office
Since 2005, there was talk about Haribo moving its main office from Bonn. The Bonn location could not expand anymore. The towns of Gelsdorf (in Grafschaft, Rhineland) and Rheinbach were considered.
In April 2018, Haribo moved its main office to Grafschaft. Some factory work stayed in Bonn.
The Famous Goldbears
Goldbears are fruit gums shaped like small bears. They are about two centimeters tall. They are made of sugar, sugar syrup, and flavorings. They also contain acids, coating agents, water, and gelatin. Gelatin gives them their chewy texture. Since 1960, Haribo has called its gummy bears Goldbears. This helps tell them apart from other brands.
In 2005, Haribo made about 100 million Goldbears every day. They were produced in 15 factories across Europe. Goldbears are sold in over 100 countries. They bring in the most money for Haribo. In Germany, almost everyone knows the Goldbear brand. Haribo says Goldbears stand for "childlike happiness."
For the German market, Goldbears are colored with natural fruit extracts. In the past, artificial colors were used. Even though blue colors are possible now, Haribo does not want to change the traditional Goldbear colors.
In August 2007, some Goldbear flavors changed. Apple was added as a new green flavor. The strawberry flavor, which used to be green, became light red. The Goldbears also got a slightly different shape. They now have a smiling face.
For the UEFA European Championship in 2008, Haribo made "Schwarz-Rot-Goldbären." This mix had black, red, and yellow Goldbears. These colors were inspired by the German flag. The flavors were blackcurrant (black), raspberry (red), and lemon (yellow). It was the first time Haribo made black Goldbears.
For the FIFA World Cup in 2014, Haribo made the "Goldbären-Fan-Edition." This mix included cherry (dark red), grapefruit (red), watermelon (green), woodruff (dark green), and apricot (orange) flavors. It also had blue Goldbears with blueberry flavor. Haribo also made a sugar-free version of Goldbears. However, it was stopped because some people had stomach issues from an ingredient called maltitol.
There is a halal version of Haribo Goldbears available in some countries, like the United Kingdom. These are made in Turkey using beef gelatin. This gelatin is allowed under Islamic dietary laws if prepared correctly. The packaging has a halal certification.
Haribo in the UK
Haribo started selling sweets in the UK in 1992. They bought a company called Dunhill's. Dunhill's made liquorice Pontefract cakes and had been around since the 1700s.
Haribo's most popular brands in the UK are Starmix, Tangfastics, Supermix, and Maoam. Maoam is a chewy sweet brand. Haribo bought it in 1986 from its original German maker. Haribo also makes Pontefract Cakes at its factory in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. The company has seven shops in the UK. These are in places like Pontefract, York, and Kent.
Haribo in the US
Haribo candies have been sold in the United States since 1982. In Germany, Haribo was just a regular candy. When Haribo of America started in the 1980s, Haribo's gummy candies became available in many US stores. These included drugstores and grocery stores. The packaging was changed to English. The sizes and prices were also adjusted for the US market.
Sales grew very quickly in the first year. Gummy bears became so popular in the US. Soon, many other companies started making them too. These included German Trolli and American Black Forest.
In 2015, Haribo of America moved its main office to Rosemont, Illinois, near Chicago. On March 23, 2017, Haribo announced its first US factory. It is a large factory in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. It was planned to start building in 2020.
In 2023, the US factory began making Goldbears. Haribo factories do not offer public tours.
Global Reach
Haribo plans to grow even more in China and Brazil. In China, they have opened test stores in Shanghai and Guangdong province. New factories opened in Castleford, West Yorkshire, in 2016. Haribo also plans to open a factory in São Paulo, Brazil.
Haribo Slogans
Haribo has a famous German slogan: "Haribo macht Kinder froh – und Erwachsene ebenso" This means "Haribo makes children happy – and adults as well." In English-speaking countries, the slogan is "Kids and grown-ups love it so – the happy world of Haribo."
Other countries have their own versions:
- In Hungary: "Gyermek, felnőtt kedve jó – édes élet, Haribo" ("Child and adult is happy – sweet life, Haribo").
- In France: "Haribo c'est beau la vie, pour les grands et les petits" ("Haribo life is beautiful, for big ones and little ones").
- In Italy: "Haribo è la bontà, che si gusta ad ogni età" ("Haribo is the delicacy that one can taste at any age").
- In Turkey: "Çocuk ya da büyük ol, Haribo'yla mutlu ol" ("Be a kid or a grown up, be happy with Haribo").
- In Denmark: "Luk op for noget godt! Luk op for Haribo! Den er go'" ("Open for something good! Open for Haribo! It is good").
- In Spain: "Vive un sabor mágico, ven al mundo Haribo" ("Experience a magical flavour, come to Haribo's world").
The music for the Haribo jingle was created by UK composer Stephen Lee Vickers.
See also
In Spanish: Haribo para niños
