Kraft Heinz snaps up condiments & sauces brand Hemmer in Brazil

04 Apr 2022 --- The Kraft Heinz Company, owner of the Heinz and Quero brands in Brazil, has acquired a majority stake in Companhia Hemmer Indústria e Comércio (Hemmer), a Brazilian food company focused on condiments and sauces. 

The deal was approved without restriction by CADE (Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense), Brazil’s antitrust body. It was first announced in September 2021, and CADE was notified in November 2021.

Supporting Brazilian foodservice growth
Rafael Oliveira, president of International Markets at Kraft Heinz, remarks: “This is an important move for our International growth strategy, which is focused on Taste Elevation, our portfolio of high-quality, delicious products that enhance the taste of food.”

“This combination represents a tremendous growth opportunity for both companies, which are both built on the pillars of tradition, innovation, quality ingredients and flavor,” adds Fernando Rosa, managing director of Brazil, Kraft Heinz.

In 2021, Hemmer reported net sales of approximately US$26 billion (Credit: Hemmer).Hemmer is a 107-year-old company based in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil. In 2021, Hemmer reported net sales of approximately US$26 billion. 

Kraft Heinz touts the brands and portfolios of both companies as complementary.

Hemmer will also benefit from Kraft Heinz’s distribution network and go-to-market model in Brazil, including in the growing foodservice channel.

Business highlights and developments
Kraft Heinz recently consolidated its US and Canada businesses last December to create the “North America Zone,” which is expected to take effect in this second quarter of fiscal 2022. These two accounted for approximately 80% of the food titan’s 2020 consolidated net sales. 

The company also previously joined a coalition of other food giants including Nestlé, Nando’s and Greggs to urge policymakers to legislate the ban of enriched battery cages for egg-laying hens. Many egg producers have already agreed to remove cage egg production from their supply chain by 2025 but concede that more can be done.

Among other developments, Heinz teamed up with astrobiologists in November to successfully cultivate tomatoes in space-like conditions for their ketch-up. The Marz edition is cultivated in similar soil, temperature and water conditions found on the Red planet.

Edited by Benjamin Ferrer