History of Bell Food Group Ltd
The Bell Food Group has grown from a small Swiss butchery established in 1869 to become one of Europe’s leading food specialists. Our history is marked by a number of visionary personalities who have guided the company to where we are today.
Samuel Bell-Roth (1840 - 1920), the son of Johann Rudolf Bell-Stork, opens his "Ochsenmetzg" (ox butchery) at Streitgasse 13 in Basel on Easter Monday 29 March 1869.
Establishment of the company "Aktiengesellschaft Samuel Bell Söhne". Acquisition of a large site at Elsässerstrasse 174-188 in Basel (the company's current headquarters).
Bell puts the cooling plant with its 40-metre high cooling tower in Elsässerstrasse into operation. Bell also enters into an alliance («Bell Alliance») with the then Union of Swiss Consumer Associations (V.S.K.), today’s Coop and the parent company of the Bell Food Group.
Bell takes over the French charcuterie manufacturer Polette.
In January, Bell Holding Ltd takes over 75 percent of the shares of the German sausage manufacturer Abraham GmbH in Seevetal near Hamburg.
On 1 May 2015, Bell exercises the agreed option to buy a further two percent of Hilcona AG, increasing its stake as controlling shareholder to 51 percent.
Bell takes over the Eisberg Group specialising in fresh convenience salads and fruit, merges Eisberg with Gastro Star and sets it up as an independent subsidiary of Hilcona. Bell takes over the poultry specialist Huber Group.
A strong group is created from various individual companies. The Meat (Bell), Convenience Ultra-fresh (Eisberg) and Convenience Fresh (Hilcona) business areas are united under the umbrella of the Bell Food Group.
The Bell Food Group takes over Hügli Holding in Steinach (SG). Hügli is active in 11 countries with production plants and sales organisations. Hügli is particularly strong in the food service sales channel. With this acquisition, the Bell Food Group is expanding its European presence and extending its product portfolio in the long-life convenience segment (soups, sauces, desserts, seasonings, ready meals).
Eisberg, a member of the Bell Food Group, acquires Sylvain & Co SA, a Vaud-based company specialising in the processing of salads, vegetables and fruit. This strengthens the Bell Food Group's market position in western Switzerland.
The Bell Food Group acquires a stake in the Dutch start-up Mosa Meat, the world's leading company for cultured beef.
The Bell Food Group sells the sausage business of Bell Germany to the Zur Mühlen Group and concentrates on raw ham in Germany, where it is the market leader.
Hilcona takes over the sandwich production of ARYZTA Switzerland in Schlieren (ZH).
Bell Switzerland takes over the Lucerne hatchery Stöckli AG.