Haribo opened in March a new shop in Vendenheim, north of Strasbourg, in the Bas-Rhin. His nineteenth address in France. And the movement does not stop. A twentieth store at the famous German candy brand should be inaugurated in July, in Béziers, at the Polygone, more precisely. The recipe is proven: a small area of 80 to 90 m2 installed in a commercial area, known as the “village of brands” and shelves bursting with gelled crocodiles, Tagada strawberries, Dragibus and other Chamallows. “ Customers don’t come for Haribo, they are attracted to clothing brands, for example, but they leave with a bag full of candy, it’s an impulse buy », Explains Jean-Philippe André, boss of Haribo France.
However, for the past year, impulse buying has been shaken by the crisis due to the coronavirus. As proof, according to Mr. André, sales of Haribo fell, in France, by 7% in 2020, to 243 million euros. ” We have lost the boxes that we take to the office or buy for children’s birthdays. We have also suffered from the drop in attendance at airports and train stations », Explains the leader. The company’s turnover remained stable in supermarkets but fell sharply in other sales channels.
A very strange period, a source of unanswered questions. Like this question, worthy of a Sphinx enigma: why did the French particularly shun Tagada strawberries? Rather seeking their comfort by crunching chocolate bars. The company did not dwell on this adventure, preferring to focus on staying the course in this navigation in tumultuous waters.
Adapt to new consumer expectations
After the surprise of 2020, it has therefore built a plan of attack for 2021, counting on a first half still upset. Moreover, the shops had, once again, to lower the curtain, at the beginning of April, for the third confinement. They are preparing to reopen their stalls on May 19. ” We will do better this year, but we will not yet find the level of 2019 », Says Mr. André.
One of its challenges is to maintain the mobilization of the teams. After a departure plan for around 100 employees announced in 2016, to increase productivity, Haribo negotiated a new three-year plan at the end of 2019 with employee representatives. The key is to maintain the two French factories of the German group, one located in Marseille, the other in Uzès (Gard). A new profit-sharing agreement for the 730 permanent employees was also negotiated.
The company is also trying to adapt to new consumer expectations. After having marketed a gelled crocodile with a low-sugar recipe, Haribo offers new recyclable packaging to wrap its Dragibus. The company is now waiting for the judgment of its customers. Mr. André, he is preparing for another verdict. He decided to run for the votes of his peers to become president of the National Association of Food Industries (ANIA), a powerful professional union. Result expected in June 2021.