Ricola saw very positive development in 2017
Ricola is strengthening its position in the important German market. Subject to the consent of the Federal Cartel Office the company is taking a holding in the CFP Brands distribution joint venture as an equal partner of Perfetti van Melle and Fisherman’s Friend. From 1 January 2019, with Ricola as a new shareholder, the expanded joint venture will represent a comprehensive product portfolio with strong brands.
Ricola, the family-run company deeply rooted in Laufen, Switzerland, produces its functional herbal specialities exclusively in Switzerland and exports 90 percent of them. "We want to further increase our presence in the important German export market", says Felix Richterich, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Swiss company. "The CFP Brands joint venture has excellent connections in the German confectionery market. Our involvement in this partnership is based on shared values and common interests."
The CFP Brands joint venture brings together strong, innovative brands under one roof and markets them jointly in Germany. The founding members are international confectionery companies Perfetti van Melle and Fisherman’s Friend. Ricola’s inclusion strengthens the joint venture’s comprehensive product portfolio of well-known brands: Chupa Chups, Mentos, Smint, Mentos chewing gum, Fisherman’s Friend – and now cough and throat drops from Ricola.
The existing CFP Brands shareholders also see a major opportunity in Ricola’s coming on board as an equal partner. "We are honoured and delighted to represent the strong Ricola brand in the German market in future", says Jörg Beiss, CEO of CFP Brands, "offering customers, consumers and shoppers an expanded, rounded portfolio of high-quality products. The partnership will offer customers the best possible service: They will have easy access to top brands from a single source. CFP Brands stands for comprehensive advisory expertise in all distribution and trade channels." The agreement covers the drug store and pharmacy market, food retailing and convenience stores.
Ricola and Klosterfrau, its current distribution partner in Germany, have agreed to allow their contract to lapse at the end of 2018. “As a valued distribution partner", Felix Richterich emphasizes, “Klosterfrau was part of Ricola’s success story in Germany. We thank Klosterfrau for the good collaboration in the last 30 years.”
Subject to the consent of the German Federal Cartel Office, the expanded CFP Brands joint venture will take over the distribution and marketing of Ricola in Germany from 1 January 2019.
Brief profile of Ricola
CFP Brands Süßwarenhandels GmbH & Co KG is a joint venture of international confectionery companies Perfetti van Melle (Italy/Netherlands) and Fisherman’s Friend (United Kingdom). As a marketing and distribution company, CFP distributes several top brands in the confectionery sector in the German market, among them Fisherman’s Friend, Mentos, Chupa Chups, Smint and Center Shock. Based in Bonn, CFP Brands has over 110 employees.