E rich Wesjohann is a German billionaire who, along with his brother Paul-Heinz, built the family's business into a global powerhouse in the poultry genetics industry. The company, EW Group, is the world leader in the breeding and genetics of poultry, including both egg-laying hens and broiler chickens for meat production. The company's origins trace back to a small hatchery founded by their father.

In 1999, the two brothers split the family empire. Erich took control of the poultry breeding division, which has since grown into the massive and highly profitable EW Group. His company, Aviagen, is the dominant global player in broiler chicken genetics. The company's highly specialized breeding programs produce the parent stock that is sold to poultry producers around the world. His success is a story of dominating a highly specialized and critical niche at the very beginning of the global food supply chain.