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Lindt & Sprüngli has ousted CEO Adalbert Lechner as it seeks to restore growth, appointing former chief executive Dieter Weisskopf on an interim basis. The company expects to name a permanent CEO in the second quarter of 2027 after cutting its full-year organic sales growth outlook to unchanged to 2%.
Lindt & Sprüngli has ousted CEO Adalbert Lechner and appointed former chief executive Dieter Weisskopf as interim leader, as the Swiss chocolate maker works to revive growth after lowering its sales outlook. The owner of Lindt and Ghirardelli said its board believes new leadership is needed to return the business to consistent growth; the company expects to name a permanent CEO in the second quarter of 2027.
Weisskopf, who is the company’s vice-chairman and led Lindt & Sprüngli as CEO until 2022, will take over on an interim basis. The company said it is searching for a permanent successor. It did not announce a departure date for Lechner or provide further details about the circumstances of his removal in the source report.
The leadership change follows a reduction in the company’s annual forecast. Lindt & Sprüngli now expects organic sales growth to be unchanged to 2% for the year, down from its initial target of 6% to 8%. The company also cut its outlook twice this year, according to Food Dive.
The board said it wants the company to return to stronger growth and make use of opportunities across its global markets. Weisskopf said he would focus on investing in the brands while improving profitability, and described his interim responsibility as handing the business to the next CEO with renewed momentum.
Leadership Change Follows Forecast Cuts
The CEO change puts growth and profitability at the center of Lindt & Sprüngli’s immediate agenda. A lower sales forecast can affect expectations for the company’s performance, while the appointment of an interim leader signals that the board is seeking a different approach as it looks for a permanent chief.
For consumers, the announcement does not itself indicate a change to Ghirardelli or Lindt products, prices or availability. But the company’s stated focus on investing in its brands while improving profitability points to the balance the next CEO will need to manage: sustaining the brands’ appeal while responding to weaker demand and higher costs.
The change also matters to employees, suppliers and investors because Weisskopf’s appointment is temporary and the search is expected to continue into 2027. Until a permanent chief is named, the company will be led by a former CEO who is tasked with restoring momentum and preparing for a handover.
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Lower Outlook and Regional Challenges
Lindt & Sprüngli has faced pressure from consumers pulling back on spending and volatile cocoa prices that have raised costs, according to the Food Dive report. The company’s revised outlook followed lower-than-expected order volumes in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, which it cited last month in explaining its reduced guidance.
The sales forecast is for organic growth, which measures sales changes without the effects of acquisitions and currency movements. The revised range—unchanged to up 2%—is below the company’s original 6% to 8% target. Lindt & Sprüngli also made leadership changes in Germany and Austria, markets where it has recently faced challenges, the report said.
The company is headquartered in Switzerland and owns several chocolate brands, including Lindt and Ghirardelli. The leadership announcement is therefore a group-level development, rather than a change announced solely for the U.S.-based Ghirardelli business.
““return to consistent, strong growth and to capture opportunities in all its markets globally.””
— Lindt & Sprüngli board
Permanent CEO and Recovery Remain Open
The company has said it expects to name a permanent CEO in the second quarter of 2027, but the source report does not identify candidates or provide details about the search. It also does not specify whether the board has set milestones for judging whether growth has recovered before the permanent appointment.
It remains unclear how quickly sales may improve, how cocoa-price volatility will affect costs, or whether Lindt & Sprüngli will revise its outlook again. The report gives the revised full-year organic sales range but does not include a new profit forecast or quantify the effect of the CEO change on individual brands, including Ghirardelli.
Interim Tenure and CEO Search
Weisskopf will lead the company while the board searches for a permanent chief. The next stated leadership milestone is the expected appointment in the second quarter of 2027. Investors and other stakeholders will also be watching for company updates on sales, costs and any further changes to the annual outlook.
Until the company provides more detail, the immediate focus is on whether the interim leadership can improve momentum while carrying out the board’s stated priorities of brand investment and better profitability. Lindt & Sprüngli has not announced a specific restructuring plan or changes to its product lines as part of the CEO change.
Key Questions
Who is replacing Adalbert Lechner?
Dieter Weisskopf, Lindt & Sprüngli’s vice-chairman and former CEO, will serve as interim chief executive while the company searches for a permanent successor.
When will Lindt & Sprüngli name a permanent CEO?
The company expects to appoint a permanent CEO in the second quarter of 2027. It has not identified candidates in the source report.
Why did Lindt & Sprüngli change its CEO?
The board said it concluded new leadership was needed to return the company to stronger, consistent growth and pursue opportunities in its global markets. The announcement follows cuts to the company’s sales outlook.
What is the company’s latest sales forecast?
Lindt & Sprüngli expects full-year organic sales growth to be unchanged to up 2%, compared with its initial forecast of 6% to 8%.
Does the CEO change mean Ghirardelli products will change?
The source report does not announce changes to Ghirardelli products, prices or availability. The CEO appointment applies to parent company Lindt & Sprüngli.
Source: rss
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