Robert Kraft made his money primarily by building a paper and packaging business empire, then massively increasing his wealth through sports ownership, especially the New England Patriots.

Early business and paper fortune

Robert Kraft grew up in modest financial circumstances in Massachusetts and did not come from great inherited wealth.

His first big financial success came in the paper and packaging industry, where he joined and later bought into Rand-Whitney, eventually controlling paper mills and packaging operations that became consistently profitable.

The Kraft Group

Kraft later organized his holdings into The Kraft Group, a diversified private holding company he chairs and runs as CEO.

The Kraft Group’s core businesses include paper and packaging, real estate development, private equity–style investments, and sports and entertainment assets, which together form the backbone of his multi‑billion‑dollar net worth.

Buying the New England Patriots

In 1994, Kraft bought the New England Patriots for roughly $172–175 million, then a record price for an NFL franchise.

As the NFL’s popularity and media deals exploded, the Patriots’ value surged into the multi‑billion‑dollar range, turning that original purchase into one of his most lucrative investments.

Other sports and media ventures

Beyond the Patriots, Kraft’s group owns or has owned additional sports properties such as a Major League Soccer club and stadium‑related enterprises, further boosting his wealth.

He has also invested in broadcasting, including stakes in regional television ventures, adding media income streams on top of his core industrial and sports businesses.

Today’s net worth and main drivers

Recent estimates place Robert Kraft’s net worth at around $11–12 billion , placing him among the richer business figures in the United States.

Most of that wealth traces back to three pillars: his early success in paper and packaging, the dramatic appreciation of the Patriots and related sports assets, and ongoing diversified investments within The Kraft Group.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.