Jebsen Group
| File:Jebsen Group logo.svg Group logo | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Marketing, investment, distribution |
| Founded | March 1895 |
| Founder | Jacob Jebsen, Heinrich Jessen |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau) |
Key people | Hans Michael Jebsen (Chairman), Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly (CEO) |
| Products | Beverage, consumer goods, motors, investment services |
| Revenue | 18.8 billion HKD (2021) |
Number of employees | >2,000 (2021) |
Jebsen Group (), established in 1895, is a company specializing in marketing, investment, and distribution. With its headquarters situated in Hong Kong and additional offices located in mainland China and Macau, the group operates through four principal divisions: Beverage, Consumer, Motors, and Jebsen Capital. It facilitates market entry for more than 200 prominent companies, aiding them in brand development and market share expansion throughout Greater China.
The chairman of the group is Hans Michael Jebsen, while Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly holds the position of CEO. In 2021, the company reported revenues amounting to 18.8 billion HKD and employs a workforce exceeding 2,000 individuals.
History
Founded in Hong Kong in March 1895 by cousins Jacob Jebsen and Heinrich Jessen from Aabenraa, Jebsen & Co. began as a shipping agency originally owned by Jebsen’s father, who managed a fleet of fourteen coastal steamers along China’s shoreline. Over time, the business broadened its activities. To oversee European operations, Jebsen & Jessen Hamburg was launched in January 1909. Later, in December 1963, Arwed Peter Jessen established Jebsen & Jessen Group with a focus on markets in South-East Asia.
Milestones
- 1896: Became a member of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
- 1897: Entered the industrial arena by acquiring BASF agency rights to import indigo dyes into China
- 1898: Created Diederichsen, Jebsen & Co., the first joint venture in China including a brick factory in Qingdao
- 1906: Purchased the premium German beer brand Blue Girl Beer
- 1941: After co-founder Jacob Jebsen passed away, leadership transferred to his eldest son; new partnership formed in Shanghai by 1944
- 1953: Introduced Hong Kong’s first Volkswagen Beetle
- 1955: Obtained exclusive Porsche distribution rights for Hong Kong and Macau; expanded to seven dealerships across mainland China
- 1957: Took part in the first Canton Fair
- 1970: Collaborated with Siemens on a large-scale computer-controlled public telephone system installed in Hong Kong
- 1973: Modern Terminals Limited launched Hong Kong’s inaugural container terminal at Kwai Chung
- 1978–1979: Established first Liaison Office in Beijing
- 1991: Founded Jebsen Fine Wines in Hong Kong
- 2001: Imported Porsche vehicles into mainland China for the first time
- 2013: Introduced multi-brand lifestyle retail concept J SELECT
- 2017: Launched new business segment, Jebsen Capital
- 2018: Opened a manufacturing facility in Dalian alongside Austrian partner TCG Unitech
Jebsen Motors
Since 1955, Jebsen Motors has been representing Porsche in Hong Kong and expanded its presence to mainland China in 2001. It ranks among the longest-established and largest Porsche dealer groups worldwide.
In 2023, for the ninth year running, Jebsen Motors received Porsche China's Dealer of the Year award. That year, it delivered over 11,000 vehicles across mainland China, Macau, and Hong Kong, making up roughly 12 percent of Porsche’s sales within the region.
Jebsen Beverage
As the largest beer distributor in Hong Kong, Jebsen Beverage has been marketing Blue Girl Beer since acquiring it in 1906, making it one of the market's most enduring import portfolios. In 2019, it entered into a joint venture with global brewing company AB InBev to drive Blue Girl Beer’s expansion throughout Mainland China.
Jebsen Consumer
For more than four decades, Jebsen Consumer has specialized in premium small domestic electrical appliances, representing well-known brands such as Casio.
Jebsen Capital
Established in 2017 as the investment division of Jebsen Group, Jebsen Capital was among the initial backers of the German COVID-19 vaccine developer BioNTech and took a leading role in the Series C extension funding round for the Berlin-based health technology company PlusDental.
Group logo
The emblem of the Jebsen Group, designed in 1895, displays three mackerel fish arranged vertically inside a laurel wreath. The top and bottom fish face left, while the central one faces right. This emblem is inspired by the coat of arms from the founders’ hometown of Aabenraa, which belonged to Germany in 1895 and was transferred to Danish control in 1920.