Lindt & Sprüngli reports record first half results

The Swiss chocolate company Lindt & Sprüngli AG, Kilchberg has reported record first half results which normally lags behind the second half due to the seasonal nature of premium chocolate sales. Increased efficiency, successful marketing and innovative products have contributed to pushing up its first half net income to SF4.7m, compared to a SF1.7m loss last year. Total sales were up almost 9% to SF847.2m, in a sluggish international chocolate market, which has seen a modest 2-4% growth over the past year.
Lindt & Sprüngli had its half-year sales boosted by increased demand for attractively packaged gift products and top-quality speciality products, such as its rich dark chocolates “Pralinés Noirs Intenses.”
The only subsidiary to report less successful sales was Italian traditional chocolate manufacturer Cafarrel, acquired by Lindt & Sprüngli in 1997. The decline in sales resulted from a narrowing down of the brand s wide product range to a more selective range, which the company described as “an efficiency investment for the future.”