175 years Lindt & Sprüngli

LINDT&SPRÜNGLI 8 Since you took over the management of Lindt &Sprüngli over 25 years ago, sales have increased more than fivefold, while profits and share prices have multiplied. Did you expect this? When I took up management as the new CEO in 1993, we were only generating CHF 890 million and our core markets were limited to Switzerland, Germany, and France. The rest of the world was relatively untouched ground for us. I was aware of our operational strengths and weaknesses. I had a clear vision and was very keen to take advantage of the considerable growth opportunities. Initially, the greatest challenge was putting together a motivated management team and working out a well-defined strategy for Lindt&Sprüngli. This is only possible with clear goals and a corporate culture based on a common set of values. We formalized this in our Lindt&Sprüngli Credo and thus created a foundation that still shapes us today. What were your goals when you started at Lindt &Sprüngli back then? My goal was definitely to develop Lindt into a global brand for premium chocolate and to achieve market dominance in every impor- tant market. Lindt&Sprüngli was to become a Swiss global player, an embodiment for quality, competence, innovation, and passion. I wanted to export our Swiss values to the world. From my own experiences from my time in the US, it was clear to me that this would mean conquering the world’s largest chocolate market, the USA. We started with sales of USD 20 million and are now, including Ghirar- delli and Russell Stover, with over USD 1.5 bil- lion, the no. 1 for premium chocolate in the The Swiss gentleman in the chocolate business Passion American market. Acquiring Ghirardelli and Russell Stover was one of the most important milestones in our company’s history. What innovations are you particularly proud of? There are quite a few, of course. I am still very proud of the successful development of the unique Lindt image with a distinctive ambassador – our Master Chocolatier – who has become a true icon of Swiss quality. I am also proud that we managed to enlist the world’s best tennis player Roger Federer as a Lindt brand ambassador in 2009. In the same year, we also began to develop our own store network to give our consumers a unique brand experience. Our “Global Retail” is an international success story and a significant success factor for the whole Group today. I am particularly proud of the large acquisitions and my long-term management team with the right spirit. In the 2020 anniversary year, I am now extremely pleased to see the realization of one of the most visionary projects of the Lindt Chocolate Competence Foundation – the Lindt Home of Chocolate. Direct contact with the employees was and still is important to you. How do you ensure that you never lose touch with employees in all manner of different areas? During my regular visits to subsidiaries and production facilities around the world, I always foster an open exchange with all employees, whether they are in the production department, marketing teams, or other company divisions. I am always open to new ideas. Sometimes, I also discuss new inspirations directly with our Master Chocolatiers and we consider whether and how they could be implemented. Interview with Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors Ernst Tanner