Page 19 - July 2021

boutiques in these unusual times, launching their flagship store in the UK on Regent Street last year as well as launching boutiques in the US
and Canada.
In the coming months, the idea is not to add stores in additional countries, but rather to focus on the 15 countries they are already present
in and adapt and grow in them territories.
“We realised that there are a lot of synergies when you are in a city and you are in a position to open a third or even a fourth store around
the same area, because with a company like ours that has fresh products, you can move the products back and forth between boutiques and
even assist each other with staff members,” Läderach says.
Innovation of product is a pivotal part of the company focus, and the head of innovation and production is Elias Läderach who is the current
World Chocolate Master. Their recent product launches include chocolate tablets and chocolate popcorn. They try to launch one or two
major innovations each year along with many seasonal items.
Because of everything that has happened across the world in the last 18 months or so, the store of the future may look a bit different to
what shoppers are used to. However, Johannes feels that in the food sector, particularly the premium food sector, the store experience is
still about indulgence and customers still want to visit a physical store and smell, touch and taste the items.
“I feel, even in the long run, that stores will play a key role in building the brand and making the products accessible together with
the services.”
When discussing social media, Johannes immediately says that while they are of course key channels, it is the content you generate that
makes them so important. He feels that they have a major advantage because chocolate is such a unique product.
“Social media is an immense opportunity to tell our stories and while we are doing that now, we are not doing it enough and we are
currently hiring new people to generate content in terms of videos and posts. We firmly believe that good content will also distribute itself,
because people will feel like sharing it,” Läderach comments.
The two key cornerstones throughout the company’s existence has been people and product, this has not changed throughout its 59 years
and this is why customers have remained loyal to the brand, even through difficult times in the wider economic world. Johannes says people
love the friendliness displayed by staff, along with the advice they receive and the generous sampling on offer. Then of course they appreciate
the innovative and high-quality products which they can savour with all five senses.
It is this idea of growing the company at an ideal pace whilst maintaining these levels of product quality and innovation that is what Johannes
feels is the biggest challenge facing Läderach in the future.
“I am excited for the future after a period of time unlike anything we have ever seen before, and I hope that the situation will continue to
improve in the coming months,” Läderach concludes.

Regent Street, London, UK
JulY 2021 Retail & leisuRe inteRnational 19