Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli said today that it expects sales to grow by between 6% and 8% in 2014, helped by expansion into new markets.
The company also reported full year financial results for 2013, which showed that net profit jumped by almost 24% to 303 million Swiss francs (€249 million) from the year previous.
Sales were up 8% to 2.89 billion Swiss francs while operating profit rose to 14%, up from 12.4% in 2012.
The chocolatier said the global expansion of its boutiques and Lindt chocolate cafés has taken it to 200 outlets which now make up 9% of group sales.
Lindt also announced day that it had set up its first own subsidiary in South America via a joint venture with Brazilian chocolate maker the CRM Group as it continues to expand in emerging markets.
The purpose of the joint venture, in which Lindt & Sprüngli will have a majority interest of 51%, is to make Lindt the leading international premium chocolate label in Brazil by establishing the internationally successful retail concept.
"Thanks to continuous investments in the brand and in the markets, Lindt & Spruengli is perfectly equipped to master these challenges and to attain its long-term strategic goals again in the financial year 2014," the group said.
© 2014 - European Supermarket Magazine by Enda Dowling
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