Franz Kienast
Last week, we bid farewell to Franz Julius Robert Viktor Kienast, affectionately known as Dr. Franz or Dr. Francisco. He was one of Adeste’s pioneers, a member of its second founding generation, and the father of Marcus Kienast, the company’s CEO.
To speak of his journey is to tell a story that runs alongside Adeste’s own, something that always seemed destined to be. It was a path marked by years of dedication, guided by a visionary mindset and a genuine drive to make things happen.
Alongside the Kratschmer family, Dr. Franz played an essential role in building and expanding the food and health businesses in Brazil, helping position Adeste as a benchmark and a leader across multiple markets. More than developing businesses, he believed in his ideals, in people, and in the future, transforming possibilities into reality.
As a representative of the Kienast family’s second generation, he took on the responsibility, together with his partners, of carrying forward his father’s legacy. He did so with deep respect for what had already been built, while never losing the forward-looking perspective that continues to guide us as we write new chapters of this journey. His leadership was defined by consistency, partnership, and a strong commitment to everything he did.
Under his active leadership, shared with the Kratschmer family, we witnessed Adeste expand and become the absolute leader in its main business at the time, natural casings. We saw new partnerships emerge and grow, establishing collaboration as a key pillar of our culture and bringing businesses that have shaped who we are today, such as organotherapics and natural dog chews.
In 2014, with the establishment of the company’s corporate governance, Dr. Franz stepped away from executive management to make room for the third generation, now represented by his son, Marcus Kienast, as CEO, and took a seat as Board Member. Even in this new phase, he remained a constant presence in the office. He valued being close, following daily activities, and staying connected.
This human approach left marks that go far beyond his professional journey. His legacy lives within Adeste, but not only there. It is also found in the memories, the stories, and the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
From left to right: Wilson Mathias, board member; Franz Kienast and Peter Kratschmer, second-generation family members and board members; Richard Kratschmer, third-generation family member and board member; and Marcus Kienast, third-generation family member, board member, and CEO of Adeste.
Today, his absence becomes presence in everything we do. In all that we continue to build, there is so much of what he believed in and helped make possible.
This is how his story continues, alive in our essence, in the values that guide us, and in the future we keep building.
In memory of Franz Kienast
September 15, 1935 – April 25, 2026.