The Strauss family: three generations from a Nahariya dairy farm (1939) to Israel's largest food conglomerate. Richard & Hilde → Michael → Ofra. Strauss Group: NIS 5.69B revenue, 15,000 employees.
The Strauss family built Israel's largest food and beverage conglomerate across three generations, from a dairy farm in Nahariya in 1939 to a publicly traded company with 15,000 employees in 20+ countries. Richard and Hilde Strauss founded the business, their son Michael industrialized it, and granddaughter Ofra merged it with Elite in 2004 to create today's Strauss Group.
How Did Richard and Hilde Strauss Start the Business in 1939?
Dr. Richard Strauss and Hilde Strauss were German Jewish immigrants who arrived in Nahariya in 1939 with their son Michael. They settled around a small cabin, grew vegetables, and set up a cowshed with two cows. Hilde made whipped cream from leftover milk and added it to strawberries picked in the field near their home, and the resulting "strawberry delicacy" gained fame across northern Israel.
Richard began selling the strawberry cream commercially, and the British High Commissioner awarded the Strauss family first prize for their dairy products. Hilde then leased an ice factory in Acre and established the first ice cream factory, producing a cone called Tilon, an idea she had seen in Italy, which became a household name.
What Did Michael Strauss Do as the Second Generation?
Michael Strauss, Richard and Hilde's son, served as chairman for decades. He professionalized the operation, expanded beyond dairy into coffee and snacks, and built the management infrastructure that enabled the company's eventual public listing and international expansion.
Michael prepared his eldest daughter, Ofra Strauss, for the chairmanship, taking her on night delivery routes as a child, where she helped carry containers of dairy products. He formally retired in 2001, handing the chair to Ofra, though he remained involved in the business.
What Changed Under Ofra Strauss, the Third Generation?
Ofra Strauss (born 1965, per Strauss Group's own executive biography) became chairwoman in 2001. Her defining move was the 2004 formal merger of Strauss and Elite, combining Strauss's dairy, ice cream and coffee operations with Elite's chocolate, confectionery and salty-snack empire. The merger created Strauss-Elite Group, now Strauss Group (TASE: STRS), Israel's dominant food and beverage conglomerate, per Wikipedia's entry on the company.
Under Ofra, the group expanded into Brazil (via Três Corações, now one of the world's largest coffee operations), Eastern Europe, and the United States (via the Sabra hummus joint venture with PepsiCo). Danone held a stake in the group through the transition, and the Max Brenner chocolate cafe chain launched under her tenure. Strauss Group's own corporate biography of Ofra states that, since 2003, she has been ranked 42nd and 47th on Fortune's list of the Most Powerful Women in Business, and 12th and 16th on the Financial Times' Top 50 Women in World Business list in 2009 and 2010.
What Does Strauss Group Look Like Today?
Strauss Group operates across five core areas: Strauss Israel (dairy, salads, snacks), Strauss Coffee (Israel, Brazil, Eastern Europe), Sabra-Obela (fresh dips and spreads, a joint venture with PepsiCo), Max Brenner (chocolate cafes), and Strauss Water. Revenue runs approximately NIS 5.69 billion, with about 15,000 employees in 20+ countries, per Wikipedia's company profile.
The family's other members include Ofra's sister Irit and brother Adi, a businessman who founded "Adi's lifestyle." Ofra's son Tom Strauss co-founded Tailor Brands, a design-tech startup. The Strauss story is part of Olam's broader Builders series on Jewish business dynasties, alongside families like Safra and Ofer.
Key Facts
- Founded: 1939, Nahariya, Israel
- Founders: Dr. Richard Strauss and Hilde Strauss, German Jewish immigrants
- Generation Two: Michael Strauss, chairman, retired 2001
- Generation Three: Ofra Strauss, chairwoman, 2001 to present
- Company: Strauss Group (TASE: STRS)
- Revenue: approximately NIS 5.69 billion
- Employees: approximately 15,000 in 20+ countries
- Key merger: Strauss + Elite, 2004
- Key subsidiaries: Strauss Coffee / Três Corações, Sabra (PepsiCo joint venture), Max Brenner, Strauss Water
- Origin product: whipped cream with strawberries, Nahariya, 1939
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded the Strauss family business?
Dr. Richard Strauss and Hilde Strauss, German Jewish immigrants who arrived in Nahariya in 1939, founded the business that became Strauss Group.
How many generations have led Strauss Group?
Three: founders Richard and Hilde Strauss, their son Michael Strauss, and Michael's daughter Ofra Strauss, who has chaired the company since 2001.
What was the Strauss family's founding product?
Whipped cream made from leftover milk and added to strawberries, a "strawberry delicacy" Hilde Strauss created in Nahariya that gained fame across northern Israel before the family moved into commercial dairy and, later, ice cream.
When did Strauss merge with Elite?
Strauss and Elite formally merged in 2004 under Ofra Strauss's leadership, creating Strauss-Elite Group, now known as Strauss Group (TASE: STRS).
See also: Ofra Strauss, Strauss Group, Strauss Coffee, and Elite Chocolate.
Sources
Wikipedia, Strauss Group; Strauss Group, board and leadership biographies; Equilar ExecAtlas, Ofra Strauss executive biography.
How we report: Olam stories draw on public filings, company disclosures and named sources, checked by our editors. Read our methodology · Corrections
