Katjes Fassin continues to grow

Sugar confectionery manufacturer Katjes Fassin GmbH + Co KG, Emmerich, achieved growth in 2005 of 5.1% on 2004, with sales up to €189.3 m.According the company’s press release, in Germany sales rose to total €162.7 m (2004: € 158.1 m). Sales abroad amounted to € 26.6 m, with growth in the double digit region. For the current year managing partners Tobias Bachmüller and Bastian Fassin are expecting growth of 10%. According to Katjes Fassin this ambitious target is to be achieved by implementing three strong sales-driving campaigns. Firstly,new advertisements for Yoghurt Gums and Tappsy featuring supermodel Heidi Klum will be run. Secondly, a new range of fruit gums and licorice containing 30% less sugar will be launched under the name “Kalle Katjes”. Thirdly: the internationalisation of brands will be intensified by means of a “zero fat”campaign in ten countries, again featuring Heidi Klum.
Dutch authority rule against “0 procent vet”
The Dutch authority Voedsel en Warenautoriteit (VWA) however recently announced a decision banning Katjes subsidiary Katja from labelling their products “0 procent vet”. Since the drops had never contained any fat anyway the “0 procent vet” label was misleading, ruled the VWA.