Theo Müller
German businessman; owner of the Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller dairy group
| Theo Müller
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 January 1940 (Forbes) Aretsried, Germany (Forbes) |
| Nationality | German |
| Residence | Zurich, Switzerland (Forbes) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Owner of the Müller dairy and food group (Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller) |
Theo Müller (born 30 January 1940), whom Forbes spells Theo Mueller, is a German businessman and the owner of the Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, the dairy and food group known for the Müller brand.[1][2] He took over the family dairy in 1971, and the group reported turnover of €10.3 billion for 2025.[1][2] Forbes says he moved to Switzerland in 2003.[1] On 11 November 2026 the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list ranked Müller 362nd in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$9.8 billion; Forbes lists the source of wealth as dairy.[1][3] In the annual World's Billionaires list published in 2026, Forbes had ranked Müller 313th, at US$10.4 billion.[4]
Müller group
The group says Ludwig Müller founded a dairy in Aretsried in 1896, and that the company is still entirely family-owned.[2] Forbes says the village dairy had four employees when Theo Müller took it over from his father in 1971. It says he improved processing and distribution until it became the first dairy in Germany to sell fresh milk products nationwide.[1] Forbes adds that the group also works in packaging, logistics, vehicle maintenance, fruit processing and convenience food.[1] In 2021 manager magazin described the group as registered in Luxembourg, with 2020 revenue up 4% to €5.9 billion.[5] The group's own website gives turnover of €10.3 billion for 2025.[2]
Succession
Accounts of the handover of the supervisory board differ. Forbes's 2022 profile said that in 2020, a few days after his 80th birthday, Müller passed his supervisory board role to his son Stefan.[1] Its current profile instead says Stefan became head of the supervisory board on 1 January 2022.[1] In December 2021 manager magazin reported that Stefan Müller would take the chair on 1 January, replacing Till Reuter, who had chaired the board since September 2019.[5] The magazine also reported that a joint venture with PepsiCo led by Stefan Müller had been ended in 2015.[5]
Residence and personal security
Forbes says Müller moved to Switzerland in 2003 to reduce the tax his children would pay when they inherited the company.[1] It also reports that in 1995 two armed men dressed as police officers tried to kidnap him, and that he fought them off and escaped.[1]
Wealth history
Forbes has included this entry in its annual World's Billionaires list in 14 of the editions from 2001 to 2026 checked for this profile, starting with 2013. The table gives the rank and estimated net worth in each annual list.[4][1]
| Year | World's Billionaires rank | Net worth (US$ bn) |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 527 | 2.7 |
| 2014 | 520 | 3.1 |
| 2015 | 462 | 3.7 |
| 2016 | 324 | 4.5 |
| 2017 | 414 | 4.2 |
| 2018 | 480 | 4.4 |
| 2019 | 568 | 3.7 |
| 2020 | 426 | 4.2 |
| 2021 | 550 | 5.1 |
| 2022 | 586 | 4.8 |
| 2023 | 611 | 4.5 |
| 2024 | 498 | 5.9 |
| 2025 | 581 | 6.0 |
| 2026 | 313 | 10.4 |
International and political links
This section uses the same ten headings for every profile in this series. Only specific, sourced actions are included; company-level and foundation-level actions are labelled as such. Where nothing was found, the entry reads "No documented involvement found in sources checked."
Israel (investments, operations, donations, contracts, statements)
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Zionist or pro-Israel organisations and lobbying groups
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Jewish communal charities
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Gulf states
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
China
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Russia
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
India
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Palestinian or Arab causes
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Home government
Müller is a German citizen who has lived in Switzerland since 2003, according to Forbes.[1]
Other international links
His group is registered in Luxembourg, according to manager magazin.[5]
Notes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Forbes, Forbes profile record for Theo Mueller (Forbes data feed behind forbes.com/profile/theo-mueller/) Forbes, live record, read 11 November 2026, accessed 11 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, About us Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, accessed 11 November 2026, accessed 11 November 2026.
- ↑ Forbes, Forbes Real-Time Billionaires data feed Forbes, live; downloaded 11 November 2026 16:19 UTC, accessed 11 November 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Forbes, Forbes World's Billionaires list data feed, annual editions 2001–2026 (one file per year at this path with the year substituted; all 26 files downloaded and read) Forbes, annual lists; downloaded 20 October 2026, accessed 11 November 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 manager magazin, Generationswechsel bei Müller-Milch: Stefan Müller wird Aufsichtsratschef manager magazin, 22 December 2021, accessed 11 November 2026.