German Chocolatier Ritter Establishes U.S. Base, Ralf Hilpuesch Named CEO

March 27, 2024

Hilpuesch spent 13 as president/CEO of Storck North America, another German candy company with a U.S. headquarters in Chicago.

Dave Fusaro

German chocolatier Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG, known for its Ritter Sport brand, has established a U.S. subsidiary in Chicago and appointed Ralf Hilpuesch as CEO of Ritter Sport USA.

Hilpuesch, a native of Germany, has 30 years of confectionery experience, the previous 13 as president/CEO of Storck North America, another German candy company with a U.S. headquarters in Chicago.

The announcement of his appointment made scant mention of the company’s desire to expand its business in the U.S. market. Ritter’s products are found in more than 100 countries worldwide.

About the Author

Dave Fusaro | Editor in Chief

Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.