What Herta does

Herta is a French branded consumer packaged goods (CPG) company specializing in processed meats and ready-to-use pastry products. Its portfolio covers white hams (under the LE BON PARIS sub-brand), sausages (KNACKI and others), bacon and lardons, croque-monsieur sandwiches, dry sausages (fuet, chorizo), and pastry/pizza doughs (TARTE EN OR). Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Noisy-le-Grand (Île-de-France), the company operates two production sites (Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise in northern France and Illkirch-Graffenstaden in Alsace), two logistics platforms, and a national sales force, employing approximately 1,800 people.

The company generates revenue by selling branded processed food products through major French grocery retailers, including hypermarkets and supermarkets (Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc, Intermarché, Casino, Lidl, Aldi), with secondary distribution in the UK, Belgium, Germany, and Spain. Its value proposition combines convenience (ready-to-use hams, doughs, croque-monsieur) with health-positioned variants such as reduced-salt (-25%) and nitrite-free options, supported by a content-marketing platform featuring 1,950+ recipes. Herta states its products are present in 9 out of 10 French households, positioning it as the most-purchased food brand in France.

Ownership changed in December 2025 when Casa Tarradellas acquired Nestlé's remaining 40% stake, ending the prior joint venture and giving Casa Tarradellas full ownership. The company continues to operate as HERTA S.A.S., a French private limited company (Société par actions simplifiée). Its leadership comprises a Directeur Général (Charles de Kervenoael) and a Directeur des Ressources Humaines (Thomas Smuczynski). Herta has no disclosed AI, software, or technology product lines; its competitive position rests on brand equity, retail distribution density, production scale, and category breadth in the French processed-food market.

Name

Herta

Legal name

HERTA, Société par actions simplifiée

Website

https://herta.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Herta is a French branded food manufacturer (founded 1897) producing processed meats (hams, sausages, bacon, croque-monsieur) and pastry/pizza doughs under sub-brands including KNACKI, LE BON PARIS, and TARTE EN OR, distributed through major French and European grocery retailers and now fully owned by Casa Tarradellas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Processed Meat & Prepared Foods Manufacturing

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118), Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza, Wings & Oven-Baked Prepared Foods (In-Store Concepts) (CRAHAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patisseries & Viennoiserie (French-Style) (THAFAFAB), Freshly Made Grab-and-Go (Sandwiches, Wraps, Salads) (CRAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Processed meat products
• Charcuterie manufacturing
• Pastry and pizza dough
• Consumer packaged foods
• Ham and sausages

Headquarters

HQ city

Noisy-le-grand

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Packaged Goods Sales: Herta generates revenue through the sale of branded processed meat products and pastry/dough products to retail consumers via supermarket chains and grocery stores in France.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Herta is a French food manufacturer producing branded processed meat products (white hams, sausages, bacon/lardons, dry sausages) and ready-to-use pastry/pizza dough, plus pre-packaged croque-monsieur sandwiches. Products are sold to French households through major retail and grocery chains.

Product overview

Herta is a French food company specializing in prepared meat products and pastry/dough products. The product portfolio is organized around core categories: white hams (Jambons blancs), pastry and pizza doughs (Pâte à tarte et pizza), sausages (Saucisses), dry sausages (Fuet, saucissons), bacon and lardons (Lardons, dés, poitrines), and croque-monsieur sandwiches. Key sub-brands include KNACKI (sausages), LE BON PARIS (hams), and TARTE EN OR (pastry products). The company operates in the fresh food market serving French consumers through retail distribution, with products featuring variations such as reduced salt, nitrite-free, and organic options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jambons blancs (White Hams) White ham products in various cuts and preparations, marketed under the LE BON PARIS brand, for everyday consumer meal preparation and charcuterie.
• Pâte à tarte et pizza (Pastry and Pizza Doughs) Ready-to-use pastry and pizza dough products under the TARTE EN OR brand, including puff pastry, shortcrust pastry, shortbread pastry and pizza bases in various formats, including palm oil-free options.
• Saucisses (Sausages) Various sausage products including KNACKI brand sausages, Cervelas, charcuterie sausages and poultry sausages, with reduced salt and nitrite-free options.
• Fuet, saucissons (Dry Sausages) Spanish-style dry sausages including Fuet and Chorizo in sweet and spicy varieties.
• Lardons, dés, poitrines (Lardons, Dices, Breasts) Smoked and plain lardons, bacon bits and smoked breast products, including reduced salt and nitrite-free variants.
• Croque-monsieur (Toasted Sandwiches) Pre-packaged toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, including TENDRE CROC and CROC'INI product lines in various flavors, for quick meal preparation.
• Gamme Volaille (Poultry Range) Poultry-based processed product range launched as a new line, expanding Herta's offering beyond pork-based charcuterie.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 out of 10 French households have Herta products in their refrigerator

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Casa TarradellascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Casa Tarradellas acquired Nestlé's remaining 40% stake in Herta Foods in December 2025, ending the joint venture with Nestlé. This transaction gave Casa Tarradellas full ownership of Herta. The sale was part of Nestlé's strategic review to refocus on health and plant-based nutrition.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fleury Michon: French charcuterie and prepared meals leader with overlapping categories including hams, ready meals, and snacking. Closest direct competitor to Herta in the French branded processed-meat space, similar scale, and similar premiumization/health-forward strategy.
• Bridor: French premium bakery and viennoiserie manufacturer serving retail and foodservice across Europe. Comparable to Herta's pastry/dough manufacturing capabilities, with broader foodservice exposure.
• Cooperl: French pork cooperative with significant charcuterie and prepared pork products (sausages, hams, pâtés). Comparable in product mix to Herta's pork-heavy charcuterie range and serves similar French retail channels.
• Charal: French beef and meat brand owned by Bigard, focused on retail-ready meat products including minced beef, steaks, and prepared meat. Direct competitor in French retail meat aisles with comparable branded-CPG go-to-market.
• Saint Michel: French family-owned biscuits, madeleines, and viennoiserie manufacturer. Comparable in French-branded pastry manufacturing and retail grocery distribution to Herta's pastry range.
• Brossard: French pastry and viennoiserie specialist producing cakes, madeleines, and brioche for retail. Directly comparable to Herta's TARTE EN OR pastry line in French retail distribution and consumer occasions.

Broad incumbents

• Panzani: French pasta, sauce, and prepared foods brand owned by Panzani/Brun Investment. Comparable as a major French branded grocery manufacturer with retail distribution and convenience-meal positioning overlapping with Herta's dough/pizza range.
• Bonduelle: French global leader in prepared vegetables with growing ready-meal exposure. Comparable as a large French branded food manufacturer serving similar grocery channels though focused on plant-based categories rather than meat.
• Findus Group: European frozen and prepared food manufacturer with fish, ready meals, and plant-based products across multiple European markets. Comparable in European footprint and ready-meal category, though frozen-led rather than fresh.
• Bigard Group: France's largest meat processor, operating across beef, pork, and poultry with extensive retail and foodservice distribution. Comparable as a French meat-industry incumbent though much larger and broader in scope than Herta's branded portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/herta_france/?hl=fr
• Xx.com/nestlebelgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Herta