Questions for Thomas Meier, CEO Ricola AG:
What makes your company unique?
Ricola is the world leader in herbal sweets. The world-famous Ricola brand, the high-quality herbal specialties and the special family culture, down-to-earth Swiss and at the same time world class, are the pillars of Ricola's success. We call Ricola "the small, big company".
How would you describe the USP of your products? To what extent is sustainability a central aspect of Ricola AG's business development?
The USP of every Ricola candy is the perfect balance of good taste and beneficial effect. The blend of 13 herbs from the Swiss Alps is the basis of every Ricola product. Sustainability has been part of the company's DNA since it was founded in 1930. The herbs, for example, are all grown naturally, organic.
You are already active in 45 countries. What are your most important export markets?
The largest market for Ricola is the USA. Followed by Germany, France and Italy. Canada is also an important market. We have our own subsidiary in the USA, which is responsible for sales and marketing in the country.
Where do you see the biggest challenges in the coming years, but also opportunities?
The challenges are manifold. The sharp rise in the cost of raw materials and energy is continuing at a high level. In addition, the exchange rate of the Swiss franc is strengthening against our main export currencies, the euro and the US dollar. We want to overcome these challenges and not complain. That won't change anything. We need to face these developments with entrepreneurial wisdom and courage and move forward innovatively. We need to continuously improve the competitiveness of our own company. We are constantly working on this throughout the company, at all levels, in Switzerland and abroad.
Ricola AG has been a loyal Gold member of S-GE since 1979. What developments have surprised you the most in recent decades?
The COVID-19 pandemic was the "black swan" that no one could have foreseen. The pandemic presented us with major challenges. We lost impulse sales points at the drop of a hat and colds also disappeared. A large part of our business collapsed. At the same time, this crisis was an opportunity to throw useless things overboard and make our strategy more future-proof. We emerged stronger from the crisis. In general, export-oriented Swiss companies have to continuously work on their global competitiveness despite many challenging macro trends and an increasingly dense regulatory environment. At the same time, new technologies such as GenAI open up great opportunities. This requires new skills in companies and much faster adjustments than in the recent past. Swiss companies have also been able to compete successfully in the global market in the past. This is also thanks to the good framework conditions in Switzerland, the good education of the people in Switzerland, the relatively business-friendly and sovereign legislation in Switzerland and thanks to good networks, including through S-GE.
