Strategy

Hero's strategy consists of three pillars that are crucial for its future development and further profitable growth: Innovation, Nutrition, and Internationalization.

Innovation

Decreasing product life-cycles – as a result of both changing consumer needs and improvements in food technology – and increasing global competition mean that our target to deliver profitable growth will only be met if we are able to generate a continual flow of innovation. Thus, innovation is a crucial element of the Group's future success. We are aware of the challenges that this goal involves and have prepared the Group accordingly: we have made major investments in R&D and technology, especially in our global core categories Infant Nutrition and Fruit, and we will continue to do so.

Nutrition

Consumers are increasingly looking for food products that, in addition to taste and quality, also offer clear nutritional value. Hero Group sales are already heavily weighted in favour of nutrition-enhanced products. This is a result of the successful development achieved in recent years in the areas of Infant Nutrition and Fruit, categories where nutritional aspects are clear. Our strategy is to develop the whole Group into an even stronger player in the field of nutrition. We will do this by improving the nutritional content of all of our products and developing international credibility by systematic investments in nutritionally-focused Research and Development projects through new, original and innovative products and building up a strong corporate culture around the concepts of well-being and good health. Our goal is to generate at least 75 % of our Group revenues from Nutrition products by 2010.

Internationalization

In recent years, the Group has developed from a local to a pan-European player, thereby marking the first steps towards becoming an international Group. Recent economic indicators show a weaker growth dynamic in our European core markets, with a low likelihood of significant improvement in the coming years. As a result it is clear that growth will have to be driven by focused investments in markets outside Europe. Our experience to date in Africa / Middle East and Turkey / Central Asia provides a clear example of how exceptionally high growth rates can be achieved in emerging markets. In addition, our North American operations show an excellent performance with further potential for tremendous future growth.

 

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