In 1965, Robert Kraft graduated from the Harvard Business School and began laying the foundation for starting a uniquely diversified and financially strong group of businesses. Each of the Kraft Group’s companies has since inherited the mission of building a mutually beneficial long term relationship with all of its business partners. This strategy has led to a successful track record in six areas of focus:
- Paper and packaging manufacturing and distribution of forest products
- Sports, entertainment and event management
- Construction and real estate development
- Private equity and venture investing
- Sustainability
- Philanthropy
Today, the Kraft Group, headquartered in Foxborough, Mass., is a major player in the world of business. It ranks in the top 90 of America’s largest privately-owned businesses, according to Forbes and employs more than 9,500 people worldwide.
In the paper, packaging and forest product industries, the Kraft Group companies aggregated together would rank in the top five of all paper and packaging companies in the United States. International Forest Products, the Kraft Group’s global trading company, was the United States’ fifth largest exporter in 2017, according to the Journal of Commerce, conducting business in more than 90 countries. The paper, packaging and forest products group produces, converts and trades in excess of 4 million tons of paper annually.
The company’s sports, entertainment and event management companies include Kraft Sports + Entertainment (Gillette Stadium, the National Football League’s six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Major League Soccer’s five-time Eastern Conference champion New England Revolution) as well as Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR) and Patriot Place.
Its construction and real estate development team has internally built and developed more than $1 billion worth of projects covering all types and uses, from office towers and world-class medical facilities to sports stadiums and mixed-use developments.
The Kraft Group’s team of investment professionals allocates and manages the group’s capital that exists outside of the operating businesses. Today, the group’s portfolio includes world class, hedge fund, private equity venture fund managers, as well as a significant portfolio of direct investments with a primary focus on technology, healthcare and life sciences.
In all of its business activities, the Kraft Group is mindful that good business and sustainability can go hand-in-hand and strives to be cognizant of the impact it has on the environment. As a result, the Kraft Group is responsible for recycling 1.5 million tons of products annually. Serving as a role model of environmental responsibility for the many industries it conducts business in, the Kraft Group’s sustainability initiatives have received many environmental awards.
Robert and his late wife Myra understood the power of philanthropy even before the Kraft Group had achieved significant financial success. For 50 years, the principle of giving back to your community and the world at large has been a core value of the group, with the Kraft family and its foundations contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to charities and nonprofits around the world.
The Kraft Group is a privately-owned, family-operated company. We are very proud of what has been achieved over the last 50 years through the hard work of our dedicated team members and welcome you to take a closer look at our family of businesses.
