Consumers still crave chocolate: Lindt & Sprüngli reports higher earnings

Lindt & Sprüngli reported chocolate sales of CHF2.16 billion ($2.43 billion) in the first half of the year, a slight increase from the previous year. The group's profitability also saw a modest rise during this period. From January to June, Lindt & Sprüngli experienced organic growth of 7%, as detailed in a press release issued on Tuesday. The company reported growth across all regions. +Sign up to get the most important news from Switzerland directly in your inbox This growth is attributed to mid-single-digit price increases implemented to offset higher cocoa prices, along with increased sales volumes and mix effects. Volume/mix growth was recorded at 0.9%. Operating profit (EBIT) rose by 14.6% to CHF292.3 million, outpacing sales growth. Consequently, the profitability margin increased to 13.5%, up from 12.2% in the first half of 2023. The improvement in profitability was mainly driven by efficiency gains and price increases to counter higher raw material costs for cocoa.