Herbert W. Mederer

Class of 2003

Herbert was born March 17, 1946. He attended the commercial college in Nuernberg, Germany. He has four children, Nicolas, Marie-Louise, Gregory and Mark.

Herbert got his start in the candy business at age 16, sweeping the floors of his father Willibald’s Willi Mederer KG candy factory, which specialized in jellies and chews under the Wilmed brand. To learn the trade, he apprenticed at several French and Austrian companies throughout the 1960s.

In 1981, Herbert was appointed director and owner of the renamed Mederer GmbH and replaced the Wilmed brand with Trolli. Herbert says his father was influential in supporting the transition and helped him decide to take the new brand international.

For his efforts, Herbert received the European Candy Kettle award in 1993.

Although he regrets the sale of his U.S. business in 1997, Herbert operates plants in Germany, Spain, China and the Czech Republic that produce Trolli gummies in a wide range of shapes.

Describing his vision, Herbert says: “I have a good imagination and can combine ideas and business execution. Some people have good ideas but fight to bring them to life. I don’t have to fight because I can do both.”

A sports enthusiast, Herbert enjoys skiing, hiking, biking and sailing. He also appreciates listening to classical music and reading general technical magazines, scientific publications and best-selling novels. Herbert is fluent in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish.