5. Implementation and Controlling in the Marketing Planning Process432
Case 5
Alfred Ritter GmbH
The German chocolate maker of Ritter Sport is considering new customers in –
international markets
Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG (www.ritter-sport.de) was incorporated in 1912 as
Alfred Ritter Schokolade- und Zuckerwarenfabrik. Today it is a private owned
company and one of Germany’s leading chocolate manufacturers. The company
is number one in the German market for 100-gram-chocolate bars. In 2009 it
had a market share of 10 percent of the total chocolate confectionery market.
Alfred Ritter’s square chocolate bars are well known: about 95 out of 100 Germans recognize the Ritter Sport brand. Ritter has a strong position in other European markets, including Denmark, Italy, Austria and the Netherlands. Ritter
Sport chocolate bars are also available in 60 countries around the world. The
grandchildren of company founder Alfred Ritter own and control the family
enterprise.
Operating from its base in Swabian Waldenbuch, Ritter Sport has become one
of the most successful European chocolate manufacturers since its inception in
1932. In Germany the company has a
significant market share and enjoys
an impressive 98 % brand awareness.
Known worldwide for its trademark
square chocolate bars (designed to fit
perfectly into the pocket of a sports
jacket), Ritter Sport had a workforce
of 800 employees and a turnover of
€ 274 million in 2009. More than 50 %
of the production is now exported. As
an early pioneer of recyclable polypropylene packaging, Ritter Sport
has established a reputation as a trailblazer of environmentally friendly
business practices.
The 1912 Origin
The Ritter company was the offspring of a sweet liaison that had nothing to do
with business. On July 4, 1912, Alfred Ritter, a master candy maker, and Clara
Göttle, a woman with a sweet smile who owned a candy store in Bad Cannstadt,
a small German town near Stuttgart, got married. Shortly after, the newlyweds
launched their own business, which was named Alfred Ritter Schokolade- und
Zuckerwarenfabrik (Alfred Ritter chocolate and candy factory). In a rented space
in a house in Bad Cannstadt, where the couple took up their first residence, they
established a small candy production facility that was more a workshop than
a factory. However, the name reflected the high ambitions of the Ritters. Their
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Case 5 433
business liaison turned out to be very successful. Alfred Ritter was a skilful
creator of a never-ending stream of sweet novelties, which were made with the
help of a handful of workers and then sold in his wife’s store. Alfred oversaw the
production and logistics part of the business. Clara took care of marketing and
sales, as well as of the financial side.
Only two years after its foundation, the family business suffered its first severe
crisis. When World War I broke out in the summer of 1914, Alfred Ritter was
drafted into the army and the candy production had to be shut down. In 1917, he
was discharged from the army for health reasons and transferred to a civil job
at the Stuttgarter Schokoladefabrik Eszet, a chocolate manufacturer in Stuttgart.
There he learned first-hand about the industrial manufacturing of chocolate,
especially so-called Kremschokolade, or ‘cream chocolate.’ Cream chocolate bars
were not solid but hollow and were filled with different kinds of fillings.
By 1920, Alfred Ritter Schokolade und Zuckerwarenfabrik employed some 40
workers, and the demand for Ritter candy products kept rising. In 1923, the company opened a second store in Bad Cannstadt, which was also managed by Clara
Ritter. Three years later, the Ritters bought their first delivery truck. At that time,
the number of employees had already doubled from six years earlier. This was
partly due to the fact that candy products were still made mostly by hand. Another reason was ‘Alrika’, Ritter’s brand name cream chocolate, which became
a big seller. However, the property in Bad Cannstadt had already reached its
limits and, most importantly, did not allow the installation of machinery for the
mass production of chocolate. Once again, Alfred and Clara Ritter started looking for a bigger site.
Struggles During the Depression and World War II
The onset of the Great Depression in the fall of 1929 was a gift and a challenge
at the same time. On one hand, it provided opportunities to acquire financially
struggling businesses. On the other hand, the demand for sweets dropped significantly. After considering a number of manufacturing sites that had been put
up for sale at the beginning of the economic crisis, the Ritters decided to move
their business to Waldenbuch, a small town south of Stuttgart. The factory they
first leased and later bought was built as a chocolate factory, and the property
seemed to be spacious enough to contain future expansions. On July 1st, 1930, all
production operations were moved to the new location.
Despite all difficulties, Alfred and Clara Ritter kept up faith in their business.
Soon after the move to Waldenbuch, they decided to start manufacturing solid
chocolate bars in four varieties. Two years later, they added another chocolate
product. As the story goes, Clara Ritter suggested making a solid chocolate bar
that would fit in any jacket pocket without breaking. Unlike the common rectangular shape, this chocolate bar was square. To distinguish it from the conventional bars, it was called Ritter’s Sportschokolade – Ritter’s Sports Chocolate. The
new launch was soon supported by advertising posters for display windows
and by commercials in movie theatres. However, Ritter’s Sportschokolade was
only one among about 100 different products of its kind in the market.
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5. Implementation and Controlling in the Marketing Planning Process434
In 1935, the German government
started cutting back on cocoa imports.
Ritter was not able to buy enough cocoa and other raw material and began
to launch candy products made from
less restricted materials, such as jelly
beans, fruit gum products, and candy
sticks.
After World War II began in September 1939, it became increasingly difficult to maintain production. Many
male workers were drafted into the
army and raw materials became even
more scarce. In 1940, production operations were shut down in Waldenbuch. Until the end of the war, the
premises of the Alfred Ritter chocolate and candy factory were used by other
businesses. For a limited time, electric appliances manufacturer AEG turned
the Ritters’ factory into a site for making replacement parts for certain weapons.
Later, the company’s premises were employed as a warehouse. Even immediately after the war ended in 1945, the chocolate factory was used by another
manufacturer to make toothpaste.
A New Start in the Post-war Era
The main problem during the years immediately following World War II was
the same as before the war: scarce raw materials. Sugar was rationed and cocoa
was simply not available. Bartering was common between businesses. Some
wholesalers who were Ritter’s customers exchanged sugar for finished candy
products. Customers had to bring their own packaging materials. Then, in 1947,
Ritter’s warehouse burned down.
The introduction of a new currency – the Deutsche Mark – in the three western
sectors of Germany marked a new beginning for the country, its people, and the
economy. Beginning in 1950, cocoa was available again in West Germany without any limitations. Ritter immediately resumed the manufacture of Ritter Sport
chocolate and soon offered the company’s entire pre-war product range.
Company Perspectives
Since 1968 people have been able to enjoy ‘Ritter Sport’ outside of Germany.
Today the chocolate squares are being marketed in more than 60 countries. The
chocolate that finds admirers worldwide is made with great know-how, state-ofthe-art manufacturing technology, and much care in Waldenbuch.
In April 1952, company cofounder Alfred Ritter died at age 66. He was succeeded
by his only son, Alfred Otto Ritter, who had returned to Waldenbuch wounded
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Case 5 435
immediately after the war. However, he was soon afterwards taken prisoner by
the French Allied Forces and not released until 1947. The 37-year-old had joined
the family business in 1937, after he had gained some practical experience as
an apprentice at three different candy and chocolate manufacturing companies.
His elderly mother Clara remained actively involved in the business until she
died in March 1959 at age 82.
Chocolate became increasingly more popular in postwar West Germany. American soldiers who gave out chocolate bars to German civilians after the war contributed to this trend.
In the mid-1960s, the company started to expand its distribution network. Until
then, almost all of Ritter’s customers were located in southwest Germany, including the Frankfurt am Main area.
In the late 1960s, the company started a fruitful cooperation with the DEWE
advertising agency which lasted many decades and greatly contributed to the
company’s growing success. After conducting a detailed study of the market,
DEWE suggested that Ritter switch to ‘mono-marketing’ and focus solely on
the production of square chocolate bars. They got the green light from Alfred
Otto Ritter and created a campaign that transformed Ritter Sport from a chocolate product into a brand name. In 1969, the company stopped making rectangular chocolate bars and two years later ceased the production of pralines. At
the same time, new fillings were created for Ritter Sport chocolate. The major
national breakthrough came with the launch of a Ritter Sport bar with a yogurt
filling. Supported by a massive national advertising campaign, the new creation
and its marketing, which focused on feeling young and being active, tapped a
huge market at a time when leisure, sports, and travel were starting to play an
increasing role in people’s lives. The compact chocolate squares with the healthy
filling were presented as a nutritious food that helped people stay fit.
The strategy was a huge success
and catapulted Ritter Sport into the
first league among German chocolate makers. By the mid-1960s, Ritter ranked among the 15 leading
German 100gram chocolate bar
manufacturers with a market share
of roughly 5 percent. By 1970, that
percentage had already doubled. In
1960, Ritter employed 190 people. Ten
years later the number had grown to
260. During the same time period,
the company’s sales almost tripled,
reaching DM73 million in 1970.
Reaching for the Top and Out to the World
In 1970, the company’s TV commercials reached consumers in all of West Germany for the first time. The Ritter Sport brand was connected with a catchy
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5. Implementation and Controlling in the Marketing Planning Process436
slogan: ‘Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut’ (‘Square. Practical. Good.’). Two years
later, the company’s sales passed the DM100 million mark and Ritter’s market
share among German chocolate bar makers kept growing. In 1974, the company
made another bold move when it introduced a new packaging design. Each of
the different variations of the square chocolate bars was wrapped in its own
bright colour. While other chocolate bars were traditionally packaged in darker
colours, such as dark red and brown or royal blue, Ritter Sport bars stood out on
the shelves with their bright yellow, orange, red, green, and sky-blue packaging.
Alfred Otto Ritter, however, was not able to witness the success of his decision.
In late October 1974, he died from a sudden heart attack.
Alfred Otto Ritter’s wife Marta took up the challenge and assumed responsibility for the family business. At the same time, a three-person advisory board
was formed with chairperson Marta Ritter and two close friends of the family
who had been loyal advisors to the company on business matters over the years.
The advisory board chose three top managers as directors who took care of the
day-to-day business affairs. In 1978, the third generation of the Ritter family
– daughter Marta-Luise and son Alfred Theodor Ritter – joined the advisory
board that guided and controlled the company’s management. Five years later,
Alfred Theodor Ritter became the board’s new chairperson. From then on, the
two took turns in heading the board every five years.
Meanwhile, the company introduced another novelty in the chocolate industry
in 1974. Previously, chocolate bars had been wrapped in cellophane or a thin
aluminium foil, followed by a second layer of paper or carton. In the late 1960s,
Ritter’s engineers were challenged to develop a new packaging solution for
chocolate containing whole nuts, which could not be pressed into an exact form,
since some nuts were bigger than others and protruded from the chocolate. Ritter started experimenting with plastic wrappings which at that time were used
for packaging candy or chocolate-covered candy bars. However, a consumer
survey conducted in 1972 revealed that their new packaging was hard to open.
After some more experimenting, the company came up with a solution. The
seam of the package was moved from the centre of the package to the location
where the first section of chocolate broke off. It was then sealed closed with a
thin layer of special glue that was easy to open. The ‘Knick-Pack ‘was introduced
in 1976 and became an instant hit. It was not only easy to open but also to close
again. Since then, all Ritter Sport chocolate varieties have been packaged in the’
Knick-Pack.’
In the 1980s, the domestic demand for chocolate began to stagnate. The industry
panicked and prices plunged. Except for times when cocoa prices shot through
the roof, this trend has continued into the new century. Competition became
tougher and tougher. A number of competitors, among them the international
chocolate giant Nestle, tried to launch square chocolate bars. However, Ritter defended its turf fiercely. The company was able to convince courts that consumers
identified the square form with the Ritter Sport brand.
To meet the challenge of the stagnating domestic chocolate market, the company
followed three strategies:
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Case 5 437
First, it invested in strong advertising campaigns in both good times and bad.
After a short interruption in the late 1980s, when the attempt to re-launch Ritter
Sport in a new ‘high lifestyle’ campaign (was not accepted by consumers), the
company returned to its roots, emphasizing high quality and its familiar slogan
‘Square. Practical. Good.’
Second, the company looked to other countries for further growth. Until 1967,
Ritter Sport chocolate was sold almost exclusively in Germany. By 1987, exports
accounted for over 9 percent of the company’s sales. The chocolate squares were
shipped as far as Australia, South Africa, Chile, Japan, Canada, and the United
States.
Third, Ritter tried to reverse the downward price spiral by raising prices. An
initial attempt at this had failed in 1985, a year when cocoa prices climbed extremely high. When the company tried to compensate for the higher cost by
increasing prices, sales dropped significantly. German consumers, known to be
very sensitive to chocolate price changes, switched to cheaper brands. In the
mid-1990s, prices for chocolate bars hit bottom again in Germany. They dropped
so low that many manufacturers lowered the cocoa content and used low quality ingredients in order to cover their costs. When cocoa prices rose significantly
again in 2000, Ritter decided to do the opposite. The company’s second attempt
to raise prices was more successful than the first one. The price raises were accompanied by an improvement in product quality. A new advertising campaign
focused on the product and its higher quality, explaining the new move to consumers. Sales dropped but not significantly. The introduction of the new Euro
currency in Germany might have helped, too. Suddenly, a bar of chocolate that
was sold for one German Mark cost ‘only’ about 50 cents.
By 2000, there were fewer than 200 chocolate manufacturers in Germany and,
with the exception of Ritter Sport, the industry giants dominated the market.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the company had made increasing gains against
its major competitor in the market for 100-gram chocolate bars. The leading
brand, Milka, had a market share of 29 percent in the mid-1990s. Ritter Sport
was number two with about 18 percent but number one in chocolate bar sales at
gas stations. In a difficult market, the company managed to stay at the top. By
2002, Ritter Sport’s market share in the 100-gram segment had climbed to over
24 percent.
Looking ahead, Ritter Sport aimed at winning over younger people to lower the
average age of the typical Ritter Sport consumer, who was 44 years of age in 2002.
In 2003, the company was planning to introduce its new ‘Active-Range’, which
was targeted at young people. Another priority was the company’s expansion
into Eastern Europe, especially its joint venture with the Russian chocolate maker Odintsovo Confectionary Factory, where Ritter was planning to put out about
10,000 tons of Ritter Sport chocolate annually, beginning in fall 2003. Finally, the
company abandoned the ‘mono-marketing’ strategy and focused more on new
product development, including a range of artificially sweetened chocolate bars,
a number of bars with seasonal fillings (fruity for the white ‘summer chocolate
‘range and truffle fillings for the winter months), and a line of filled chocolate
bars targeted at women. In addition, the company introduced its classic range
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5. Implementation and Controlling in the Marketing Planning Process438
in a broad variety of sizes – from mini to extra large. One possibility for the future was the introduction of chocolate made with organically grown cocoa from
Nicaragua, where the company helped fund an organic farming project. In 2008
Ritter Sport was offered as an organic chocolate brand.
When Alfred Theodor Ritter joined the family business in the mid-1980s, industry advisors tried to persuade the Ritters to sell the business. Even the consultants they had hired to help the struggling company advised them to sell. They
refused.
Key Dates
1912: Alfred and Clara Ritter start a family business.
1919: Brand name cream chocolate Alrika is launched.
1930: The Ritters move their business from Cannstadt to Waldenbuch.
1932: Ritter’s Sport Chocolate is introduced.
1940: The company is closed down until the end of World War II.
1946: Alfred Ritter Schokoladefabrik resumes operations.
1952: Alfred Otto Ritter takes over responsibility for the family business.
1960: Alfred Otto Ritter decides to focus solely on Ritter Sport chocolate bars.
1970: A TV advertising campaign launches Ritter Sport as a leading brand.
1974: Marta Ritter takes over responsibility for the family business.
1976: ‘Knick-Pack’ packaging is introduced.
1978: A third generation of the Ritter family joins the company’s advisory
board.
1982: Ritter Sport Minis are introduced
2000: Ritter’s ‘higher prices for higher quality’ campaign is launched.
2002: Ritter Sport is the market leader in the 100-gram chocolate bar segment.
2005: As grandson of the company’s founder, Alfred Theodor Ritter takes over
the chairmanship of the company and continues the family tradition. Situated under one roof and located next to the company grounds, the new
RITTER MUSEUM and the expanded RITTER SPORT chocolate shop open their doors in the
autumn to welcome visitors.
2008: Ritter Sport is offered as an
organic chocolate assortment.
Using the ingredients obtained
from supervised organic farming, Ritter Sport tries to gain
complete authority over chocolate production. A new modern
wrapper design is introduced.
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Case 5 439
Ritter sport advertising slogans around the world
German packaging: ‘Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut.’ (‘Square. Practical. Good.’)•
French packaging: ‘Carré. Pratique. Gourmand.’•
English packaging: ‘The handy chocolate square’•
English packaging (UK): ‘Quality in a Square.’ (English packaging now fea-•
tures ‘Quality. Chocolate. Squared.’)
Italian packaging: ‘Quadrato. Pratico. Buono.’•
Danish Packaging: ‘Kvadratisk. Praktisk. God.’•
Russian packaging: ‘• ??????????. ??????????. ???????.’ or ‘?????????.
???????. ???.’
Canadian packaging: ‘Quality. Chocolate. Squared.’•
The international chocolate markets
In 2007 the global chocolate confectionery market was worth USD 50 billion
(EUR 37 billion). Europe accounted for 45 %, United States for 31 %, Asia Pacific
for 18 % and the rest of the world accounted for 6 %.
Overall in the chocolate confectionery business there is a trend towards more
expensive and premium products. Products containing a greater proportion of
cocoa are especially popular, as does exotic flavours, health and wellness variants. Among the most successful health and wellness variants are reduced-sugar
products, which reflects growing consumer concerns over illnesses like obesity
and diabetes. This trend has also boosted the demand for organic products. In
line with the trend towards ethical consumerism, fair-trade products play an
increasing role in chocolate confectionery. Once a relatively small niche, fairtrade chocolate products are now sold in all types of retail outlets, including
discounters’ outlets. Furthermore, media coverage and clinical studies have focused on the link between dark chocolate and heart health. In July 2007, a study
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a link between dark chocolate consumption and lower blood pressure. The independent
nature of this study lends further credibility to chocolate’s health claims.
The global market for chocolate confectionery is more consolidated in the Western regions, while the Asia Pacific market, which is rapidly catching up with the
West, is more fragmented. Product innovation and stable customer tastes have
kept the market secure and mature in the West, while production is only just
increasing in Asia Pacific. The sheer size of the Asia Pacific market shows great
prospects for the industry if it continues to expand. Tastes in chocolate vary
from region to region. Milk chocolate is the most popular choice in the US, UK
and Japan, while most of Europe prefers plain chocolate, and white chocolate is
particularly popular in some parts of Asia. The most successful competitors in
each region are those whose products most satisfy the regional tastes.
Within the European market there is a clear north/south divide when it comes to
chocolate consumption, reflecting among other things the difference in average
temperatures in the two halves of the continent.
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5. Implementation and Controlling in the Marketing Planning Process440
The top four countries in the rankings are all in the north. The British are the
biggest consumers of chocolate in Europe, munching their way through more
than 10 kg each every year. The Netherlands takes fourth sport with per capita
consumption of 5 kg) while the main southern European countries covered by
the report (Italy and Spain) are well down the list - Italians eat just 2.5 kg of
chocolate each year while Spaniards consumer just 1.7 kg.
Perhaps reflecting the fact that it straddles both the north and the south of the
continent, France comes between these two groups with consumption of 4.9 kg
per person.
While most Europeans eat chocolate on a regular basis, their tastes differ greatly,
and not just in terms of the cocoa content.
For example, the most popular type of chocolate confectionery in the UK is
countlines such as Kit Kat, Snickers or Crunchie, which account for 45 per cent
of total volume sales, followed by moulded bars (solid chocolate bars, blocks or
tablets shaped by pouring melted chocolate into moulds, with or without added
ingredients such as fruit and/or nuts) at 22 per cent and boxed chocolate (13 per
cent).
German consumers prefer moulded bars, while the French prefer chocolate
which offers simplicity and purity of taste, without additional flavours and with
little sugar. Italian tastes are geared towards the more indulgent and sophisticated end of the market.
In Spain, chocolate manufacturers are trying to follow the rest of the confectionery market and increase their market share by introducing low-fat products,
Datamonitor claims. But this strategy has not been particularly successful and
some companies are now focusing on the high quality, premium price boxed
chocolate sector of the market.
Generally, the Western European sales of chocolate confectionery have been affected by a rising sense of health consciousness, having a particular impact on
the chocolate segment.
The focus for growth is consequently shifting towards Eastern and Central
Europe. Russia is the largest in volume terms - it’s a big market with very low
prices. Low prices in Russia and across the East are serving to boost volume sales
rates, especially as average incomes are rising, although there are still questions
over the solidity of economic growth and reconstruction in some countries, including Russia.
The competition in chocolate confectionary is intense. The leading multinational players with their main brands and market shares (in different markets)
look like this:
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Case 5 441
Manufacturer
Main brands United
Kingdom
(%
market
share)
Germany
(%
market
share)
France
(%
market
share)
United
States
(%
market
share)
Total
World
(%
market
share)
Mars (US) Mars, Snickers, M&Ms,
Bounty,
Twix, Bounty, Dove,
Milky Way
23 12 6 32 11
Nestle (CH) Quality
Street, Milky
Bar, After
Eight, Smarties, Rolo
18 6 13 5 15
Cadbury
(UK – USA)
In beginning of 2010
acquired by
Kraft Foods,
USA
Cadbury’s
Dairy Milk,
Cadbury’s
Roses,
Cadbury’s
Crème Egg
29 – 3 –
(Sold
under a
Hersey
license)
8
Kraft Foods
(USA)
Terry’s,
Toblerone,
Milka
5 12 10 1 8
Ferrero
(Italy)
Kinder, Duplo, Hanuta,
Mon Chéri,
Ferrero
Rocher
2 19 16 1 7
Hersey (USA) Reese’s,
KitKat (under license
from Nestle),
Hershey’s
Kisses
– – – 34 8
Ritter GmbH
(Germany)
Ritter Sport,
Quadrago
– 7 1 – 1
Lindt &
Sprüngli
(CH)
Lindt,
Lindor, Les
Pyréneens,
Excellence,
Champs
Elyssées,
Créations
70 %, Fioretto, Swiss
Tradition
1 8 11 2 2
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5. Implementation and Controlling in the Marketing Planning Process442
Manufacturer
Main brands United
Kingdom
(%
market
share)
Germany
(%
market
share)
France
(%
market
share)
United
States
(%
market
share)
Total
World
(%
market
share)
Private
Labels
- 7 12 10 2 10
Others - 15 24 30 24 30
Total 100 100 100 100 100
Sources: Adapted from Euromonitor, Datamonitor and own estimates
Table 1: The competitive situation (market shares) in the main international
market and worldwide (2008)
In beginning of 2010, UK’s Cadbury was acquired by US Kraft Foods.
The global market is generally difficult for new players to penetrate, as it is
dominated by a series of major international players with a long and established
history of success in the chocolate market. These players include Nestlé, Mars,
Ferrero and Kraft Foods, which have all experienced strong sales throughout the
West. So far, Nestlé is the only one of these companies which has managed to
achieve significant success in Asia Pacific, but it still lacks a leading position in
the region’s markets. The leading players in the US and UK- Hershey and Cadbury – have not expanded their businesses beyond their home markets, in spite
of their success on the domestic level.
In United States & Canada, Hersey Co (with brands like Reese’s and Hersey’s
Milk Chocolate) is a market leader in chocolate confectionary, but they are mainly a North American player. I 1988 Hersey purchased the Cadbury US operations, and since then Hersey holds the license to manufacture and sell Cadbury
chocolate products in USA. This is the reason why Cadbury (now Kraft Foods)
is not having any market shares in United States (see Table 1), though Cadbury
chocolate are being sold there, but by Hersey.
The growth of the Asia Pacific market offers great prospects for the competitive
landscape, as it will allow an increase in international trade as Western companies attempt to break into the market and capitalize on regional tastes. If the
Western industry leaders acquire successful positions in the Asia Pacific market, further consolidation is likely to occur as they acquire the smaller domestic
players in Asia Pacific.
Ritter Sport distribution
In the mature Western European market, Ritter Sport is exploring new distribution channels with changing consumer lifestyles and demand trends. Impulse
channels such as forecourt retailing and kiosks are a particular target, as consumers’ busy lifestyles drive demand for indulgent on-the-go snacks. This has
included the development of products tailored specifically to the requirements
of such channels, with smaller servings of brands. For example, the company
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Case 5 443
has introduced smaller, Ritter Sport Minis tailored to the convenience-orientated demand of impulse channels, designed for on-the-go consumption.
In addition, Ritter Sport is expanding its internet activity.
Ritter Sport is also expanding its distribution while seeking to maintain a focus on its premium image. Thus, while Ritter Sport products are available in
a number of mass retail channels, the company is also considering utilizing
branded outlets as flagships for brand development.
Duty free/travel retail also plays an important part in Ritter Sport’s distribution
strategy, with the company benefiting from a strong presence in airport shops.
Questions
1. Please discuss Ritter Sport’s strategic distribution alternatives in order to gain
further market shares in the world confectionery market
2. Ritter Sport is now considering launching a separate business unit with the
name ‘Ritter Sport Chocolate Café’ chain within the Ritter Group. Please
discuss pros and cons for such an international chocolate café chain.
3. Please prepare a proposal for organizing, implementing and controlling the
future international marketing plan of Ritter Sport
Sources:
www.ritter-sport.com/•
Euromonitor•
Datamonitor•
Public information•
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5. Implementation and Controlling in the Marketing Planning Process444
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About the authors 447
About the authors
Svend Hollensen (svend@sam.sdu.dk) is Ph.D. and Associate
Professor of International Marketing at University of Southern Denmark (Sønderborg). He has practical experience from
a job as International Marketing Coordinator in a large Danish multinational enterprise as well as from being International Marketing Manager in a company producing agricultural machinery. After working in industry from 1983 to 1987
(the last two years as International Marketing Manager) he
received his Ph.D. from Copenhagen Business School (CBS)
in 1992. He has published articles in international recognized
journals and is the author of the following globally published
textbooks such as Essentials of Global Marketing, Global
Marketing and Marketing Research – An International Approach. Svend Hollensen has
also worked as a business consultant for several multinational companies, as well as
global organizations like World Bank.
Marc Opresnik (opresnik@fh-luebeck.de / www.opresnikmanagement-consulting.de) is Ph.D. and Associate Professor
of Business Economics, in particular Marketing and Management, at the Fachhochschule Lübeck, Germany, and a visiting professor to other international universities such as the
East China University of Science & Technology (ECUST) in
Shanghai and the European Business School London. He has
10 years experience from working as Senior Marketing Manager, Business Development Manager and Global Coordinator Project Planning in Strategy & Portfolio for Shell International Shell International Petroleum Co. Ltd. Marc Opresnik
has worked as a business consultant for several multinational
companies, institutions and governments.
Autoren.indd 447 03.08.2010 12:57:05 Uhr
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Zusammenfassung
Marketing – A Relationship Perspective
Moderne Grundlange zum Marketing
Das Lehrbuch behandelt eines der wichtigsten und aktuellsten Themenfelder des modernen Marketings. Der Ansatz verbindet dabei den klassischen Ansatz der strategischen Marketingplanung und seiner Instrumente mit dem neuen Ansatz des Relationship Marketing. Der ganzheitliche Ansatz des Buches umfasst dabei die aktuellen Marketing-Grundlagen, Praxisbeispiele sowie anwendungsorientierte Fallstudien und eignet sich somit ideal sowohl für Manager und Entscheidungsträger im Marketing-Bereich, Studenten in Bachelor- und Materstudiengängen sowie Dozenten und Trainer.