Hamburg, 15 November 2018. A cross-generational partnership between two companies not only requires the personalities to mould and support such a cooperative venture. Above all it also requires harmonised corporate cultures, based on entrepreneurial virtues such as reliability, mutual respect and an uncompromising commitment to quality.The family businesses of Gebr. Heinemann and Ritter Sport have been cultivating this type of collaboration, based on mutual trust, since 1968. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their partnership, the Hamburg-based retailer and the Swabian chocolate manufacturer took the opportunity to look back on a lengthy period of success and profitability together.
“In an increasingly competitive international business environment made up of major corporations, our two family businesses provide evidence that SMEs with traditional values can still be successful as global players. This maxim has now bound our two companies together for five decades and has proven profitable for both parties. This fills me with great pride and I am firmly convinced that we will continue to pursue our joint success strategy to great effect in future”, says Claus Heinemann, co-owner of Gebr. Heinemann.
Co-owner Gunnar Heinemann adds: “Whether small or large, crunchily chocolatey, crispy, fruity or nutty – I have loved the wide variety of chocolate squares since I was a child. The brightly coloured bars have occupied a permanent place in my life ever since. So I am particularly delighted to note that Ritter Sport’s chocolate creations have also occupied a permanent place in our product range for half a century.”
Business relationships are good, partnerships are even better!
The aim of a genuine partnership is long-term cooperation, and it requires not only the necessary commercial basis but also a transparent exchange of information and mutual trust. Gebr. Heinemann cultivates long-standing successful partnerships with its suppliers and as a concession-holder at international airports. Long-term, reliable and trust-based partnerships pay off for both parties, enabling solid growth and opening up more and more new markets. The start of the cooperation between Gebr. Heinemann and Ritter Sport 50 years ago was associated for good reason with the efforts of the confectionery manufacturer to achieve a more international presence. Gebr. Heinemann was also looking for more expansion opportunities at that time. This happy convergence of the business aims of the two companies was highly favourable for the start of their cooperation. It formed a solid basis for a forward-looking partnership.
“For us, Gebr. Heinemann is a reliable and effective partner in the travel retail sector and we have achieved growth together. The company has supported us in our efforts to become more established in the travel retail sector. The global structure and the international retail expertise of Gebr. Heinemann offer the basis for this”, says Alfred T. Ritter, owner of Ritter Sport.
TREX and special campaigns
Ritter Sport is one of the most popular confectionery brands in Germany. The chocolate square invented by Clara Ritter in 1932, now ranging from the Mini up to the 250 gram bar, is the key building block of the company’s brand. The packaging of each of the 40 or so different creations has its own distinctive colour.Ritter Sport has been developing travel retail exclusives and other special products since 2007. These include, for example, the Ritter Sport Minis in a 500g bag and as a 250g Tower, the 1000g Ritter Sport Variety Tower containing 10x100g bars, or the Ritter Sport Minimeter, a metre-long box containing 72 colourful Ritter Sport Minis.
The brightly coloured chocolate bars are available at around 60 international retail outlets of Gebr. Heinemann and they are highly popular among travellers around the globe. As a result Gebr. Heinemann is recording its highest sales figures not only in Frankfurt but also in Istanbul, Amsterdam and, since they opened at the start of the year, in the SWEET DREAMS by Heinemann shops in Hong Kong.
Future prospects
After half a century of successful partnership, Gebr. Heinemann and Ritter Sport are not merely looking to the past, but above all to the future. In recent years the two family businesses have significantly intensified their cooperation and are jointly facing the growing challenges in the travel retail market with special products and innovative campaigns. Once again for the 2019/2020 season Ritter Sport has developed special products specifically for the travel retail market, such as the 397g Choco Cubes bag and the 4x16.67g “Chocolate World”. For the first time Ritter Sport has also developed a channel-specific product exclusively for the airline sales channel, in the form of “Play with me”. This includes 4 Minis (4 x 16.67g) and a small game, to help travellers both large and small to while away the time above the clouds in an enjoyable manner.
Press contact:
Gebr. Heinemann
Julia Knors
Corporate Communications Manager
http://www.gebr-heinemann.de/press
Ritter Sport
Petra Fix
