|
|
|
| . |
|
|
A Swiss Alpine meadow in your mouth
In 1940, Richterich was able to incorporate his knowledge of the curative power of herbs into further distinguishing his confectionary product. With the support of his wife, Rosa Beck, he concocted the ideal recipe for an herbal lozenge. A unique blend of 13 Swiss herbs created the intense flavor of the Ricola product with which we are so familiar today. In 2001 Ricola is a company with 350 employees and over 250 million Swiss francs (about 139.20 million dollars) in annual sales in over 50 countries around the world. The current CEO, Felix Richterich, is the great-grandson of the founder of the company, which has remained family-owned through all these years. When one walks around the headquarters of Ricola in Laufen, one is pleasantly surprised by the unexpected interior. Herzog & de Meuron, currently known for their celebrated Tate Modern in London, designed the postmodern setting of the Ricola offices. It is typical of Ricola's outlook (blending tradition with modernity) that these architects have been designing for them for many years. Richterich continues the story of Ricola's development and how the family has been able to adapt to and flourish with the changing economic environment: "My grandfather was very local. He had a bakery and was inventive on the production side. My father was an entrepreneur. He was more business-minded, but in a pioneering way." When talking of the current consolidation in the food industry around the world, Richterich says that size alone is not enough for success. "What is essential is that you have special expertise that gives you advantages over larger companies," he points out. "In the case of Ricola we have established a niche in the herbal confectionary area. This is really our specialty." What Richterich wants to add as his contribution to the family business saga is to focus on the brand. "Ricola should be a brand with values and not just a product," he explains. "Simultaneously we should have a more global approach and focus on America and Asia, whereas my father was more "Swiss" in his approach and focused on Switzerland, Germany, Italy and France." Elaborating on brand values, Richterich says the company wants to be "traditional and modern; sweet and healthy, rather than hip and trendy." Everything always comes back down to the product. The famous herbal lozenges are still made according Richterich's grandfather's original recipe. "They are natural, good tasting and also very effective for minor throat irritations," he adds. He cites studies that have proven that the lozenges have a soothing effect on these irritations: "This is due to the 13 different varieties of herbs involved. "Ricola Schweizer Kräuterzucker" is the name we have given to the herb sugar although we have also developed a sugar free variant." The sugar free product line has enabled Ricola to continue expansion in terms of sales and market share. Today, the Ricola range of products includes 45 herbal specialties and it continues to expand. In Japan, Ricola first established itself more than 30 years ago by partnering itself with Nisshoku, a family-run trading house based in Osaka. The relationship between Ricola and its partner has remained strong through the years. "We have had a number of lasting relationship with partners in our markets, particularly with the Nakamura family of Nisshoku," recalls Richterich. "It was my father and Mr Nakamura's father who started doing business together, hence the relationship has been very close and personal from the beginning." Ricola's success in Japan has been replicated all over Asia. "The Asian market has great potential. Our product concept is appreciated in Asia because there is a lot of interest in herbs and their medicinal effects in general. We have a strong presence in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Korea," he adds. "We believe in the region and we want to be close to it," stresses Richterich. "During the crisis of 1998, a lot of people left. We felt that even though Asia was down, it would bounce back, so we decided we had to stay." "Our growth will never be sudden and sharp; it will be long term, step by step," he concludes. "We want organic growth and we want to remain independent."
|
Ricola www.ricola.ch Hilti www.hilti.co.jp  |
Felix Richterich, great-grandson of Ricola's pioneering founder, oversees the company's blend of traditional values with modern merchandising.