Rudolf Wild

Rudolf Wild

Rudolf Wild (born February 25, 1904 in Wiesloch ; † September 16, 1995 in Eppelheim ) was a German entrepreneur and founder of the WILD company , a manufacturer of ingredients and preliminary products for the food industry.

Life

Wild studied chemistry in Heidelberg , Frankfurt and Freiburg ; he was a member of the Allemannia Heidelberg fraternity . In 1931 he founded his first company with his wife Leonie Wild - the Zick Zack Werk Rudolf Wild . He had set himself the goal of producing raw materials for non-alcoholic drinks exclusively from natural raw materials.

In 1951, at the Interbrau trade fair, he presented the first non-alcoholic drink on a purely natural basis, free of artificial flavorings, preservatives and colorings, under the Libella brand . He also developed the "stand-up pouch", the characteristic packaging for the Capri Sun, which he also invented . Under his leadership, WILD developed into a global company.

Awards, appreciation

In recognition of his services to the citizens, but also to the community of Eppelheim, he was made an honorary citizen of the community in 1979. In the same year he received the Staufer Medal of the State of Baden-Württemberg . In 1985 the Maison Internationale des Intellectuels (MIDI) awarded Rudolf Wild the title of Senator hc

On the occasion of his 85th birthday in 1989, Rudolf Wild received the Grand Cross of Merit with a Star from the then Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Lothar Späth, for his life's work . For his many years of financial and non-material support in favor of the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg , Rudolf Wild received the University's Medal of Honor in 1994 and became its honorary member.

In Eppelheim the Rudolf-Wild-Straße and the Rudolf-Wild-Halle (community hall) are named after him.