Hans Riegel inventor of the famous jelly bear

Hans Riegel - inventor of the famous jelly bear Hans Riegel was born on 3 April 1893 in Friesdorf near Bonn. After leaving school, Hans Riegel trained as a confectioner. After the end of the First World War, Heinen, a company based in the Kessenich district of Bonn, was looking for a confectioner, and Hans Riegel became a partner in the business.

1920: Hans Riegel married Gertrud, who became his first co-worker in his young firm. 1922: Hans Riegel invented the “Dancing Bear”, the figure of a bear made from fruit jelly, which later became world-famous as the HARIBO Goldbear.

Hans Riegel had his first success when he began to manufacture liquorice products. The first product was the liquorice stick, with the HARIBO logo stamped on it. It was followed by the Liquorice Wheel, which was later to become internationally famous, and many other liquorice delicacies. HARIBO’s advertising slogan, which literally translates as “HARIBO makes children happy”, was created in the mid-30 s

In 1946, brothers Hans and Paul Riegel returned from prisoner of war camps and took over the company. In the mid-60 s, the advertising slogan “HARIBO makes children happy” has the phrase “and adults too” added to it. The English version is “Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of HARIBO”.

In 1962 HARIBO advertised its products on German TV for the first time. In 1998 HARIBO began to use new media. You can now use the Internet to keep up to date with the latest developments at HARIBO twenty-four hours a day, wherever you are in the world.

In 2002 the world-famous HARIBO Goldbear celebrates its 80 th birthday.

Copyright: Tom Ginezki, Antonio Messerschmidt, Dominic Donner, Graf von Arco Oberschule 2010