A Station for Everyone
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

German Businessman Who Built Gummi Empire Dies At 90

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Let's turn from things you'd like your kids to eat to things they actually want to eat. Today's last word in business is: Haribo.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We are sad to report that the man who built the candy empire known as the Happy World of Haribo died yesterday. In 1945, Hans Riegel took over the gummi bear company founded by his father and transformed it from a local German candy maker to a household name recognized around the world.

MONTAGNE: Riegel regularly watched cartoons and read comic books to find inspiration for his gummi creatures. As he once said: I love children; they are my customers. I have to be informed about what they want to nibble. Clearly, he was on to something.

INSKEEP: And today, Haribo has an estimated annual profit of $2 billion, and produces 100 million gummi bears per day. Which means someone in the world is eating 100 million gummi bears per day. Because, as the jingle goes, kids and grownups love them so.

And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.