Rudolf Wild
Encyclopedia
The German entrepreneur
Rudolf Wild (February 25, 1904 in Wiesloch
, Baden
- September 16, 1995, Eppelheim
) is the founder of WILD
, a producer of natural ingredients for food products and beverages.
, Frankfurt
and Freiburg
, in 1931, Rudolf Wild founded his first company – Zick Zack Werk Rudolf Wild. He set the goal of producing basic materials for non-alcoholic drinks using only natural raw materials.
He presented the first completely natural alcohol-free drink, with no artificial flavorings, preservatives or colorings under the brand Libella
at the Interbrau trade fair in 1951. Although Rudolf Wild initially received a skeptical response from customers, his philosophy eventually won recognition as a quality characteristic throughout the beverage and food industries.
Under his leadership, WILD developed into an international company. The company is now owned and operated by one of his sons, Hans-Peter Wild
.
, in the same year.
Rudolf Wild received the honorary medal of the Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg for his many years of support for the university both financially and in idea generation, and became an honorary member in 1994. The Maison Internationale des Intellectuels (M.I.D.I.) awarded Rudolf Wild the honor of Senator h. c. in 1985.
To mark his 85th birthday in 1989, Rudolf Wild was awarded the Verdienstkreuz mit Stern
(Great Cross of Merit with Star) for his life's work by the then Ministerpräsident
of Baden-Württemberg, Lothar Späth
. The Verdienstkreuz mit Stern is the highest award issued by the Federal Republic of Germany
.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
Rudolf Wild (February 25, 1904 in Wiesloch
Wiesloch
Wiesloch is a city in Germany, in northern Baden-Württemberg. It is situated 13 kilometres south of Heidelberg.After Weinheim, Sinsheim and Leimen it is the fourth largest city of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis and is in the north-central area near Heidelberg with its neighbouring town Walldorf...
, Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
- September 16, 1995, Eppelheim
Eppelheim
Eppelheim is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg bordering Heidelberg. It belongs to the district Rhein-Neckar-Kreis.-Location and neighboring communities:...
) is the founder of WILD
Wild (company)
Rudolf Wild GmbH & Co. KG is a company headquartered in Eppelheim, Germany, near Heidelberg.The company produces natural ingredients for food products...
, a producer of natural ingredients for food products and beverages.
Biography
After studying chemistry in HeidelbergHeidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
, in 1931, Rudolf Wild founded his first company – Zick Zack Werk Rudolf Wild. He set the goal of producing basic materials for non-alcoholic drinks using only natural raw materials.
He presented the first completely natural alcohol-free drink, with no artificial flavorings, preservatives or colorings under the brand Libella
Libella
Libella is a soft drink that was widely consumed in Germany in the 1950s and 60s. It was developed by Rudolf Wild, an entrepreneur from Heidelberg who sought to make a fruit-favored drink without artificial ingredients...
at the Interbrau trade fair in 1951. Although Rudolf Wild initially received a skeptical response from customers, his philosophy eventually won recognition as a quality characteristic throughout the beverage and food industries.
Under his leadership, WILD developed into an international company. The company is now owned and operated by one of his sons, Hans-Peter Wild
Hans-Peter Wild
Hans-Peter Wild is a German entrepreneur and lawyer. He is the owner and chairman of Rudolf WILD GmbH & Co. KG, which, according to company information, is the world's largest private manufacturer of natural flavor ingredients for food products and beverages.-Biography:Hans-Peter Wild was born in...
.
Social involvement
Rudolf Wild concentrated on the well-being of his employees while also supporting the citizens of his hometown of Eppelheim – for example, with his generous donation for the construction of a community center.Awards
In 1979, Rudolf Wild was named the first honorary citizen of the Eppelheim district in recognition of his services to both the citizens and the district. He was also awarded the Stauffer Medal, the highest award of the state of Baden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, in the same year.
Rudolf Wild received the honorary medal of the Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg for his many years of support for the university both financially and in idea generation, and became an honorary member in 1994. The Maison Internationale des Intellectuels (M.I.D.I.) awarded Rudolf Wild the honor of Senator h. c. in 1985.
To mark his 85th birthday in 1989, Rudolf Wild was awarded the Verdienstkreuz mit Stern
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
(Great Cross of Merit with Star) for his life's work by the then Ministerpräsident
Minister-President
A minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
of Baden-Württemberg, Lothar Späth
Lothar Späth
Lothar Späth is a German politician of the CDU.From 30 August 1978 to 13 January 1991 he was minister-president of Baden-Württemberg and chairman of the CDU Baden-Württemberg, serving as President of the Bundesrat in 1984/85.Later on he worked for Jenoptik AG until 2003...
. The Verdienstkreuz mit Stern is the highest award issued by the Federal Republic of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.