Bruno Landesberg (1920–2017): Holocaust survivor who founded Sano. From Chernivtsi to Harvard to building a 500-product, $621M household empire. Family still runs it.
From Chernivtsi to Harvard to Every Third Israeli Household
Bruno Landesberg (ברונו לנדסברג, August 8, 1920 – October 19, 2017) founded Sano — the Israeli household products company that manufactures more than 500 products, reports approximately $621 million in annual revenue, and whose Maxima laundry brand is used in every third Israeli household. He built it from a single cleaning product in a three-employee workshop — and his family still runs it.
Chernivtsi, Bucharest, Saratov, Bukhara
Landesberg was born in Chernivtsi (then Romania, now Ukraine). His father — a merchant and importer — died when Bruno was two and a half. At 14, he moved with his family to Bucharest.
In 1940, with the Nazis advancing, Bruno and his brother fled back to Chernivtsi, where he met his future wife, Raya. In June 1941, they escaped together to the Soviet Union, settling first in Saratov — where Landesberg studied literature, history, and economics at the university — then moving to Bukhara, in Uzbekistan, where their son Alex was born.
After the war, the Landesbergs made their way to Israel.
Israel: From Distribution to Manufacturing
In 1958, Landesberg established the Southern Marketing Company Ltd. (חברת השיווק הדרומית) — a distribution company for household cleaning products in southern Israel, initially distributing for Vitco Fertilizers.
The early years were difficult. Landesberg supplemented his income by lecturing on marketing and sales management at the Israeli Management Center. Those lectures earned him a scholarship for a five-month specialization in international marketing at Harvard University.
In 1961, after returning from Harvard, he opened a factory in Bat Yam (בת ים). Three employees. One machine. Three products. The first: toilet-bowl scouring powder.
In 1963, Sano secured the Israeli distribution license for 3M Scotch-Brite — generating the cash flow that funded in-house product development. In 1965, the company was formally registered as Sano-Bruno's Enterprises Ltd.
The Multi-Category Platform
Landesberg's strategy was unusual for Israeli consumer goods: rather than specializing in one vertical, he built a multi-category platform — cleaning products, paper goods, toiletries, cosmetics, insecticides, baby care — all under the Sano umbrella. The breadth created shelf-space leverage and distribution efficiency that single-category competitors couldn't match.
Sano went public on the TASE in 1982. In 1987, Landesberg received the Industry Award in the chemistry category.
The Family Continues
Bruno Landesberg died on October 19, 2017, at age 97. The company he built continues under family control: his son Alexander (Alex) Landesberg serves as vice chairman of the board, and his grandson Yuval Landesberg is CEO. The company operates five factories in Israel, exports to 30+ countries, and has been listed on the TASE for more than four decades.
Key Facts
Born: August 8, 1920 · Chernivtsi (then Romania, now Ukraine)
Died: October 19, 2017 · Israel · Age 97
Founded: Sano Bruno's Enterprises Ltd. (TASE: SANO1)
Education: Saratov University (literature, history, economics) · Harvard University (international marketing)
Holocaust: Fled Chernivtsi to Soviet Union (1941) · Saratov → Bukhara → Israel
Company today: 500+ products · ~$621M revenue · 5 factories · 30+ export markets
Successors: Alexander Landesberg (son, vice chairman) · Yuval Landesberg (grandson, CEO)
Awards: Industry Award, chemistry category (1987)
