Our story – From pioneer to pearl
The foundations for Migros Industrie were laid as far back as 1928 by Migros founder Gottlieb Duttweiler, when Migros was forced to set up its own manufacturer network and acquire production companies due to a delivery boycott. From that point, Migros Industrie developed into a top-performing industrial group over the decades.
Milestones on the path to an industrial group
1925
Migros
On 15 August 1925, the 37st birthday of Gottlieb Duttweiler, Migros AG is founded with five sales vehicles and a starting capital of CHF 100,000.
1928
Midor
With the acquisition of Alkoholfreie Weine AG, Migros obtains its first production company. The company is now called Midor AG and is the leading retailer of biscuits and ice cream in Switzerland.
1931
Jowa
Founding of Jonatal AG, Wald, which manufactures chocolate. As of 1955, the company is called Jowa AG and is the leading Swiss bakery and a key producer of foodstuffs in Switzerland.
1933
Mifa
Founding of Mifa/Gifa AG for the manufacture of detergents and cleaning agents as well as margarine and fat products. As of 2012, Mifa belongs to the Mibelle Group.
1945
Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG
Acquisition of the tinned goods factory Tobler & Co. in Bischofszell, which is now known as Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG (Bina), and specialises in convenience, potato and fruit products.
1950
Chocolat Frey
Acquisition of Chocolat Frey AG. Chocolat Frey chocolate is produced 100% in Switzerland. The wide range includes large and small bars as well as pralines, truffles and mini chocolates.
1954
Delica
Founding of the Migros-Lagerhaus-Genossenschaft in Birsfelden. Now known as Delica AG, it is one of the biggest coffee roasters in Switzerland. It procures, refines and markets high-quality coffee from all over the world.
1955
ELSA Estavayer Lait SA
Founding of the milk processor Estavayer Lait SA (Elsa). It is now the biggest dairy factory in Switzerland.
1957
Riseria Taverne
Founding of Riseria Taverne SA. The largest rice mill in Switzerland follows a consistent quality philosophy and runs its own cultivation projects in India and Thailand.
1958
Aproz Sources Minérales
Partialacquisition of Aproz Sources Minérales. Today, Aproz fills over 80,000 bottles per hour and bottles around 200 million litres of natural mineral water per year.
1958
Micarna SA
Founding of Micarna SA in Courtepin with what was then the most state-of-the-art meat factory in Switzerland. Today, the Micarna Group consists of various companies in Switzerland and Germany.
1960
Mibelle AG
Founding of Mibelle AG for the production of personal care products. Mibelle AG is now part of the Mibelle Group, which is active in all in categories of care cosmetics such as facial care, body care, hair care, sun protection and baby care.
1964
Mifroma
Founding of Mifroma SA. Mifroma matures, cuts, grates, packs and markets several hundred types of cheese from Switzerland and abroad.
1993
Expansion abroad
Entry into the export business in the field of personal care and beauty.
1993
Mifroma France
Commissioning of Mifroma France, the export platform of the ELSA Mifroma Group for cheese and other dairy products as well as for the sale of products of the French subsidiary Baïko.
2004
Mérat & Cie.
The gastro-butchery Mérat & Cie. AG, headquartered in Bern, is acquired by the Micarna Group.
2008
Dörig Käsehandel
Acquisition of Dörig Käsehandel AG, which refines and sells Appenzeller cheese.
2009
M-Industry USA, Inc.
Founding of M-Industry USA, Inc., a trading platform for the sale of M-Industry products in the United States.
2009
Acquisition of Natura Bündner Fleischtrocknerei.
The family company Natura Bündner Fleischtrocknerei, headquarted inTinizong, is acquired by the MicarnaGroup.
2010
Acquisition of Favorit Geflügel AG.
It produces high-quality poultry meat from animal-friendly housing.
2010
Mibelle UK
Acquisition and integration of Hallam Beauty Ltd. into the Mibelle Group and thus an international expansion of the personal care range.
2012
Founding of the Mibelle Group.
Mibelle AG Buchs and Frenkendorf andMibelle Ltd. are merged under the umbrella brand Mibelle Group. The headquarters of the Mibelle Group is the Buchs site in the canton of Aargau.
2013
Bergsenn
Acquisition of Bergsenn AG, the biggest producer of Grisons mountain cheese specialties.
2013
Founding of M-Industrie AG.
The legal company Migros Industrie AG is founded in the course of impelling the international expansion of the industry. Migros Industrie AG is the management and service company of Migros Industrie, comprising the Centres of Excellence and Shared Service Centres, which provide services across the whole of Migros Industrie.
2014
Rudolf Schär AG
Acquisition of Rudolf Schär AG, the leading manufacturer of high-quality and traditional meat specialties from the Säntis-Bodensee region.
2015
M-Industry Germany
Founding of M-Industry Germany, a trading platform for the sale of Migros Industrie products in Germany.
2015
KM Seafood GmbH
Founding of KM Seafood GmbH, which produces fresh and sustainable fish in aquaculture.
2015
Lüchinger + Schmid AG
Acquisition of Lüchinger+Schmid AG, the Swiss market leader in the processing and production of shell eggs, egg products and convenience products.
2015
Acquisition of QBC UK.
Expansion of the Mibelle Group’s exclusive brand business through the acquisition of a majority stake in QBC Quantum Beauty Company UK.
2015
Maurer Speck, Flüh
Maurer Speck is transferred to the Micarna Group as part of a succession arrangement.
2016
Fleury Viande
Acquisition of Gabriel Fleury S.A., the second-biggest dried meat company in Wallis.
2016
Idhéa
Acquisition of Idhéa, which specialises in the production and sale of cold sauces and spices.
2016
Mibelle France
Acquisition of Ondal Sarl France and integration into the Mibelle Group. The company specialises in hair care products for the retail and professional fields, hair colouration as well as facial and body care products.
2016
Sushi Mania
Sushi Mania SA, headquartered in Vuadens in the heart of Gruyère, was founded in 2002 and specialises in Japanese cuisine and Asian gastronomy. Sushi Mania is part of the FFB Group.
2017
Tipesca SA
The Micarna Group expands its seafood range and acquires Tipesca SA. The family business Tipesca, headquartered in Monteceneri, boasts a wide range of fresh, smoked and processed fish products. Since its founding, Tipesca has developed from a regional fishmonger into an important fish manufacturer for Swiss gastronomy.
2017
M-Industry France
Founding of M-Industry France, a trading platform for the sale of M-Industrie products in France.
2017
Schwyzer Milchhuus
Acquisition of Schwyzer Milchhuus – a traditional Schwyz company near Lucerne. Over 22 million kilograms of milk are processed into cheese specialties, yoghurt as well as pasteurised milk and cream at the two production sites in Brunnen and Schwyz every year.
2017
Bäckerei Hug
Acquisition of Hug Bäckerei AG. Hug Bäckerei AG is part of the Hug Group and specialises in the semi-industrial production of fresh and frozen bread and baked goods. It complements the range of the FFB Group and, owing to regional specialties, strengthens its roots in central Switzerland.
2017
M-Industry Spain
Founding of M-Industry Spain, a trading platform for the sale of Migros Industrie products in Spain.
2017
M-Industry Netherlands
Founding of M-Industry Netherlands, a trading platform for the sale of Migros Industrie products in the Netherlands.
2018
Gowoonsesang Cosmetics Co.
The Mibelle Group enters the South Korean market and acquires the company Gowoonsesang Cosmetics Co., Ltd. based in Seoul. With its brand Dr. G, Gowoonsesang specialises in dermocosmetics and fits perfectly into the international expansion strategy and the brand portfolio of the Mibelle Group.
2019
SoFine Foods
SoFine Foods manufactures vegan products – from escalopes, burgers and nuggets to full meals. With the acquisition of SoFine, the ELSA Mifroma Group further expands its range of meat alternatives, thereby responding to growing consumer demand for plant-based products.
2020
Swiss Aquakulturen Birsfelden
The Micarna Group founds Swiss Aquakulturen in Birsfelden and starts the reproduction and fattening of perch and whitefish.
2021
Delica AG
Merging of the companies Chocolat Frey, Midor, Delica, Total Capsule Solutions and La Riseria into Delica AG. The Buchs site in the canton of Aargau is the headquarters of Delica AG.
2021
MARQ Labs
Through the acquisition of the US company MARQ Labs, Inc. the Mibelle Group is launching into the major, global market for self-tanning and continues to establish its position on the international market for cosmetics and personal care products.
2022
Fusion of the Micarna Group
The company Rudolf Schär AG is fused into the Micarna Group. In 2022, Tipesca SA is integrated into the subsidiary Mérat AG.
2022
Rebranding of M-Industrie AG to Migros Industrie AG
After the logo for M-Industrie was adapted in 2021, M-Industrie AG was officially rebranded as Migros Industrie AG in 2022.
2022
CoffeeB
With CoffeeB, Migros launches the world’s first coffee capsule system that works without a capsule. CoffeeB machines are filled with what are called coffee balls – small, garden-compostable balls made of pressed coffee. Delica AG employees have worked on the development of the biggest product innovation in Migros history for five years.
2023
Fresh Food & Beverage Group (FFB Group)
Merging of the sister companies JOWA AG and Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG to form the legal entity Fresh Food & Beverage Group (FFB Group). The headquarters of the FFB Group is the Volketswil site.
2023
ELSA and Mifroma merge
The two companies of the ELSA-Mifroma Group and Mifroma merge and form the Elsa Group with their respective locations in Estavayer-le-Lac (formerly ELSA) and Ursy (formerly Mifroma)
2025
L’Oréal acquires South Korean subsidiary of the Mibelle Group
L’Oréal S.A. is acquiring Gowoonsesang Cosmetics Co. Ltd, the South Korean subsidiary of the Mibelle Group.
2025
Sale of the Mibelle Group
As part of its refocusing on its core business, Migros is selling the Mibelle Group to the Spanish family business Persán.