Business area Hilcona

In spite of the fact that consumer sentiment remains tense and demand is continuing to shift towards less expensive product ranges, Hilcona substantially increased sales in 2024. The strong growth for fresh meals and tofu deserves a special mention. The trend towards ultra-fresh and handmade products continued in the past year too. In addition to the positive growth experienced in the retail segment in Switzerland, the food service and industrial customer business and the retail business in Germany also developed very well.

As the raw materials and energy markets were stable in the first half of 2024, the procurement situation has eased somewhat. Constant adjustments to the product ranges, a positive sales price level and successful efficiency projects made it possible to compensate for the shift in demand towards less expensive segments.

The market growth seen for vegetarian and vegan products diminished a little in 2024. It is encouraging, however, that the internal start-up The Green Mountain continued to grow in this stagnating environment.

• Launch of innovative products with 100 % natural ingredients such as the new cordon bleu and the chunks made from 100 % plant-based proteins manufactured in Switzerland.
• Implementation of a new brand image and new packaging to strengthen the brand message and brand recognition in the second half of 2024.
• Sharp increase in demand for tofu in the retail and food service channels.

The automatic high bay warehouse in Schaan (LI) will be commissioned in the first half of 2025. This will lead to an improvement in our internal logistics and further efficiency gains, thus laying the foundation for future growth.