A massive company most people have never heard of owns some of the most famous coffee and cafe chains in the world, including Panera Bread, Krispy Kreme, and Pret a Manger

Hollis Johnson

Most people have never heard of JAB Holding.

• JAB Holding owns some of the most famous chains in the world, including Krispy Kreme, Panera, and Peet's Coffee.
• The company is owned by the secretive German Reimann family, which has a net worth of at least $19 billion.
• Here is the breakdown of all the chains that JAB Holding owns.

Krispy Kreme, Panera, Pret a Manger, and Peet's Coffee are some of the most beloved chains in America.

However, not everyone realizes that these chains are all owned by the same company.

JAB Holding is the investment arm of the secretive Reimann family. JAB owns chains including Krispy Kreme, Panera, Caribou Coffee, Au Bon Pain, and Pret A Manger, as well as Keurig Dr. Pepper and bottled-water brand Core.

Here's a breakdown of all the chains owned by JAB:

Yutong Yuan/Business Insider

The family behind the massive holding company has been in the news recently because Bild, Germany's largest newspaper, reported that it had uncovered documents that revealed Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. were supporters of the Nazi party and that during World War II they used Russian civilians and French prisoners of war as forced laborers.

Read more: The secretive German family behind the company that owns Panera Bread, Krispy Kreme, and Pret a Manger is donating more than $11 million after the discovery of its Nazi past

When Albert Reimann Sr. was in control of JAB, the company was focused on industrial chemicals. In recent years, however, the holding company has acquired some of the biggest names in food and beverage.

Read on for more details on all the chains JAB owns: