Michael began working in his parents' small dairy, and over the years turned the family business into an international business empire employing thousands of workers • 86 years old was at his death
The late Michael (Mickey) Strauss
Photography:
Yossi Zeliger
Michael Strauss, one of the founders of the giant Strauss company, passed away today (Saturday).
He was 86 at the time of his death.
Today, Strauss is an international company operating in more than 20 countries and employs 7,000 workers in Israel and a total of about 14,000 workers worldwide.
Michael Strauss was born in Germany to Richard (Dr. of Economics) and Hilda Strauss.
In 1936 he immigrated to Eretz Israel with his family.
That same year, his parents established a dairy in the yard of their home in Nahariya.
His mother set up a cheese-making business, which became a Strauss company.
Michael attended the naval school in Haifa, and served in the army as an instructor in the navy.
At the end of his military service he took a course in dairy technician at the Weizmann Institute of Science, then studied at a school of dairy technicians in Switzerland.
He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Harvard University.
In 1975, with the death of his father, Strauss was appointed chairman of the Strauss Dairies.
In 1991, he was appointed president and chairman of the Strauss Group. At this stage, the group included many other companies and activities in the field of food in Israel. 2010 Unilever increased this holding to 90%) and a partnership with the global company Danone, which began producing yogurt delicacies under the international brand. Later, Danone Corporation acquired 20% of the dairy.
In 1997, Michael Strauss led a strategic move to enter into a partnership with Elite and acquire control of the company. A very significant partnership for the group - it was an entry into the field of roasted coffee in international markets.The Strauss Group has since become the fifth largest coffee producer in the world in terms of purchasing green coffee and most coffee activity is concentrated in Central and Eastern Europe, Israel and Brazil.
One of the great and significant moves that Michael Strauss made as director of the Strauss Group, before retiring from day-to-day management, was in 1999 with the partnership (50%) with the giant corporation PepsiCo-Frito Lay, which formed the basis for another partnership between Strauss and PepsiCo in 2007. PepsiCo entered as a 50% partner in Sabra, which is jointly owned with Strauss.
