Two years after its sale by Nestlé, which sold 60% of its French subsidiary to the Spanish Casa Tarradellas, Herta is evolving fully independently.
And no shortage of ambitions.
Held in joint venture by the Spanish specialist in charcuterie products and the Swiss giant, the group operating the brand most purchased in supermarkets in France, is renamed Herta Foods.
And he changed captain with the arrival at the helm on January 1 of Marc Auclair, a former United Biscuits and Soufflet group.
The latter succeeds Arnaud de Belloy, who piloted the brand for nearly 10 years.
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“
While we were in transition mode with Nestlé for two years, we are now evolving fully independently,
supports the new CEO of Herta Foods
, which weighs 800 million euros in turnover.
With three major axes to give new impetus to the brand, particularly in Europe
”.
Marc Auclair, the new CEO of Herta Foods since January 1, 2022 Herta Foods
Leader of the charcuterie department
In fact, Herta today carries out 70% of its activity in France.
By betting, among other things, on nitrite-free ranges and the simplification of recipes, the group has climbed since 2017 to the first step in the charcuterie department by dethroning its great rival Fleury-Michon, with 13.5% market share.
But under the Spanish flag, Herta Foods clearly wants to go further.
First on its supplies, by continuing the efforts made on quality made with its “
Préférence
” sector.
The group is counting in particular on improving the well-being of its pigs, and that of animal nutrition with "
an encouragement to short circuits
".
Enough to respond to the growing concerns of consumers on these subjects.
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Second axis, not the least: the acceleration of investments to increase production capacities.
If the year 2021 resulted in a decline in Herta's sales, this is explained by an excellent year 2020. Over two years, the group's turnover thus remains up by nearly 8%.
Supported by its new shareholder, Herta, which has already announced an envelope of 85 million euros for its two French sites of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise (Pas-de-Calais) and Illkirch (Bas-Rhin), will increase the envelope by 15 million euros.
In particular to strengthen its analysis laboratories, and finance a pilot site to improve the working conditions of its employees.
Possible launch in Spain
Among the priority markets are of course those where it is already present: France, Belgium, Germany and England.
“
This perimeter will not change, but we are not forbidding ourselves anything
” explains Marc Auclair.
To take advantage of synergies with its Iberian shareholder, the group could market Casa Tarradellas products in France.
Even launch his brand beyond the Pyrenees.
Finally, Herta intends to continue to operate one of the major levers of its growth in recent years: improving the nutritional quality of its hams, culinary ingredients, and Knackis.
Since 2002, it has reduced the salt content of its bacon bits by 40% and that of its Le Bon Paris hams by 25%.
On his Knackis, fat was reduced by 25% over the same period.
For the past five years, and to answer questions about a controversial ingredient, the group has finally successfully bet on nitrite-free ranges.
A market that now weighs a third of its sales, or nearly 270 million euros.
Now, 100% of its charcuterie innovations are nitrite-free.