2024-08-01 17:26:58
The traditional chocolate brand Halloren is apparently withdrawing from a large supermarket chain. The reasons are said to be price disputes.
The traditional chocolate brand Halloren is apparently withdrawing from a large supermarket chain due to differences over prices. According to a report in “Bild” citing information from employees of the company from Halle in Saxony-Anhalt, Halloren is planning to remove its products from the shelves of the discounter Lidl. For 280 of the approximately 400 employees, the decision means 30 percent short-time work until the end of the year.
Halloren boss Darren Ehlert only confirmed that another major customer would no longer be supplied. According to Ehlert, the employees showed a lot of understanding for the difficult step: “I was surprised at how much understanding almost everyone reacted with,” Ehlert told “Bild”.
Halloren Schokoladenfabrik AG is Germany’s oldest chocolate factory and is particularly popular in the east for its Halloren balls. The discounter Lidl is probably the company’s biggest customer.
According to employees, the conflict was sparked by the significantly increased prices for cocoa. While Lidl was apparently willing to bear less than 20 percent of the higher costs, Halloren apparently saw things differently.
However, Halloren is already looking to the future. In addition to looking for new major customers, the company is also planning new products – including chocolate bars with fruit and caramel filling for the international market. Darren Ehlert emphasized: “Our company has been around for more than 200 years and I want Halloren to still be around in 200 years.”
This is not the first time that Halloren has said goodbye to a major trading partner: the company terminated its business relationship with Kaufland a year ago. However, Halloren was then able to achieve up to 50 percent more sales of its products with other retailers.