Lindt eyes further growth in China

Seeing China as a key market for future growth, Swiss chocolate producer Lindt & Sprungli is stepping up efforts to invest in the country.

Michal Spiller, chief executive officer of Lindt & Sprungli Germany, with country responsibility for Austria, China and Japan, said: "China is one of our strongest-performing markets. Over the past five years, we grew by an average of 20 percent in the market every year.

"China is one of the world's most exciting and dynamic markets. Every time I visit, I am impressed by the energy, the speed of innovation and the sophistication of Chinese consumers. People here appreciate quality, authenticity and memorable experiences," Spiller added. "These are values that perfectly match what Lindt stands for. That is why we see China not simply as an important market, but as a long-term partner and an important part of our future growth plans."

Clare Ma, general manager of Lindt & Sprungli China, said:"We have found strong demand among Chinese consumers for chocolate gifting during traditional festivals, and this demand continues to grow. Starting in 2024, we began introducing limited-edition zodiac gift boxes for Chinese New Year.

"Creating gift boxes for the Chinese market means staying close to local preferences and telling Lindt's global story in a way that resonates with them. That is why embracing traditional culture and creating emotional connections will continue to be at the core of our localization efforts in China."

A recent white paper released by market consultancy Shangpu Group noted that China's high-end chocolate market is demonstrating strong growth momentum and structural change. High-quality consumption has become a core engine for market expansion, according to the report.

Chen Shenyu, a manager of Shanghai-based China Insights Consultancy CIC, said that the Chinese chocolate market is still in the growth stage of structural upgrading. Compared with mature markets, its core constraint is not supply, but the transformation of consumer mentality from "gift consumption" to "daily consumption". That is to say, chocolate is still seen more as a holiday gift or occasional snack in the eyes of most consumers, rather than a high-frequency daily treat.

"From the perspective of per capita consumption, the annual chocolate consumption per capita in China is about 300 grams, while that of mature markets in Europe and America is about 10 times higher, indicating the growth potential of the chocolate category in China," he said.

On July 1, on Huaihai Middle Road in Shanghai, Lindt opened its first retail store in China. It offers a variety of chocolates, chocolate ice cream and chocolate drinks for consumers.

"We want to grow with the Chinese market in a win-win partnership. The current focus from the government on boosting domestic demand and consumption has only deepened our confidence to invest further in China. It also provides a favorable external environment for sustained and stable growth. This fully resonates with our plans in China. We look forward to bringing the unique Lindt experience to more cities across China and to delighting many more consumers in the years to come," Spiller said.