With help from the freight forwarding specialist Dachser, Ricola’s renowned, original Swiss herbal cough drops get dependably and safely to consumers worldwide. The forwarding company is a trendsetter in the digitalization of logistics.

The great Swiss brand Ricola is one of the most modern and innovative candy manufacturers in the world. The family run business, founded in 1930, is headquartered in Laufen near Basel and has subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the USA. It currently produces around 60 types of herbal cough drops and instant tea specialties. The herbal specialties are exported to over 50 countries, mainly to the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Singapore and Hong Kong. Both the traditional and new recipes combine convenience, well-being and enjoyment. From the herbs to the finished product, all the production steps are carried out in Switzerland. Over a hundred Swiss mountain farmers supply herbs to the company.

In recent years, Ricola has seen strong growth, mainly due to increased exports. The group net turn-over reached almost CHF 340 m in 2018. For over ten years now, the international logistics specialist, Dachser, has been ensuring that deliveries to overseas customers always run smoothly. “In 2008, we were on the lookout for an experienced, reliable partner that would help us access markets where ideally it already had a presence itself, and that would give us maximum control over processes based on its network and IT capabilities,” explains Jochen Layer, Vice President Corporate Fulfillment at Ricola. “For Ricola, process security is crucial. We felt like we were in good hands, from the word go”.

International logistics for herb confectionary might not sound very exciting at first glance. “Working together with the customer, we have developed an innovative, integrated logistics concept for a fast, reliable and high-quality delivery service”, says Samuel Haller, Country Manager for the Air & Sea Logistics business segment at Dachser Schweiz. “The challenge for us is to constantly improve these logistics solutions. Here, we are operating a balancing act between consumer wishes, benefits to the customer, direct and indirect costs and Ricola’s high standards. Their uncompromising commitment to high standards of quality and process reliability is just as important as supply chain transparency and responsiveness”.

As part of a structured, methodical exchange, Dachser and Ricola are regularly looking into new ideas and innovations that could continue to improve the manufacturer’s logistics balance sheet and reduce costs. According to Samuel Haller, “not just by constantly optimizing what already exists, but by looking beyond our own horizons and interdisciplinary thinking to open up new perspectives and develop new potential”.

Ricola is a flagship for “Swissness” and is one of the leading brands in Switzerland. Due to their ingredients, the herbal sweets are classified as simple medicines. “We have a great responsibility here”, states Samuel Haller. “Ensuring compliance with all relevant quality standards is a given”. Supply chains must conform to the International Featured Standard (IFS) and, in the USA and Canada, to the even stricter Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards for food and what are known as OTC (over the counter) products.

In its target market positioning as a premium provider, Dachser ASL Switzerland operates a comprehensive quality management system (QMS). The requirements and risk assessments according to HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), food defence and IFS logistics are all integrated into this system. Furthermore, the company is also certified as an AEO (Authorized Economic Operator).

“Our local specialists have in-depth knowledge of the markets they cover,” assures Samuel Haller. “They monitor demand trends and regulatory changes. They make sure that Ricola deliveries don’t break down even if traffic is disrupted. Naturally, risk management and proactive handling are also integral to our tasks. The bundled purchasing of transport capacities in our major air and sea freight network also brings quantifi-able economies of scale. Our customer’s customers are also able to benefit from this”.

Both, Ricola and Dachser, are committed to sustainable thinking and action, and both companies are strongly future-oriented. Industry 4.0 and Logistics 4.0 spur on Ricola and Dachser to continue to develop their partnership relationship with increased digitalization and process integration. “There was clearly special cultural fit between Ricola and Dachser from day one,” Jochen Layer and Samuel Haller are agreed.

“Dachser is a trendsetter in the digitalization of logistics,” says Jochen Layer, Vice President of Corporate Fulfillment at Ricola. “But this on its own is not enough. Ricola also shares common values with Dachser, and these are accompanied by trust. At Ricola, Dachser has created a solid foundation for this trust by actively pursuing quality management and IFS certification of its transportation services, along with personal, proactive advice. Mutual trust, openness and a willingness to innovate are the basis for our enduring, long-term cooperation”.

Dachser in profile
Founded in 1930 in Kempten/Germany as a one-man haulage com-pany, Dachser today employs more than 30,000 people at around 400 locations worldwide and generated sales of around EUR 5.6 bn (2018). The company stands for ultramodern, efficient and IT-driven logistics solutions, which are based on the close interlinking of its global transport and warehouse networks, long-term partnerships and consistent digital networking. By successfully linking all distribution channels in the sense of a multichannel strategy, Dachser offers its customers a secure and resilient system for their demanding logistical tasks.