Sugar shaker for salt & pepper
New Board of Directors Seeks Synergies with Foodservice Buyer Horego AG
New board of directors seeks happiness in synergies with the gastro-purchaser Horego AGGastro cheeky badger Daniel E. Eggli would have every reason to turn over in his grave, because his Salz & Pfeffer is now rowing in the same boat with a gastro-purchasing company. Together with the new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Robert Meier Sr., who was officially installed by the Extraordinary General Meeting (AGM) last week, a new strategy is also taking hold in Salz & Pfefferland. The 55-year-old Meier is also Chairman of the Board of the gastro-purchasing cooperative Horego AG. His declared intention is for Eggli's leaves to work together with the company he has built up. "A lot can be achieved by exploiting synergies," says Meier. He expects the greatest benefit to come from the advertising sector. The frequent boycotts of advertisers, which Eggli had been facing, will soon be a thing of the past. Salz & Pfeffer is less susceptible to blackmail with the powerful Horego AG behind it. "Our high purchasing volumes will protect us from repression in the future," says Meier optimistically.
Turning away from the Eggli bite - tamed course is the order of the day
Meier came to the president's chair of Edition Salz & Pfeffer unexpectedly. He had been an old friend of Eggli's since their years of training together. During this difficult time, the Eggli family asked him to take matters into his hands.
However, he fails to provide transparency regarding his financial involvement in Salz &Pfefferland. According to his contract, 53 percent of the votes are transferred to him. He does not say how high the shareholding actually purchased is. Meier also emphasizes that there are no financial or entrepreneurial links between Horego AG and Edition Salz & Pfeffer.
In addition to the market power of Horego AG, the announced new course at Salz & Pfeffer is likely to be of particular importance for the promised better climate with advertisers. A "de-egglification" will be carried out step by step, said publishing director Romeo Brodmann. The departure from Eggli's ideals, however, only elicits shrugs from the other gastro titles. "The decisive factor for success will be how autonomously the editorial team of Salz &Pfefferland will be able to work in the future," says Urs Frischknecht, editor-in-chief of the management magazine H+G Hotel+Gastgewerbe. The raison d'être is threatened if the previous positioning is now abandoned.
After Daniel E. Eggli's death in March 2001, things went haywire in Salt & Pepperland. There was talk of "naked chaos". In September, the dispute between the Eggli family and the old Board of Directors culminated. As a result, in addition to board president Sikander von Bhicknapahari, the veteran members Helmut Koch (delegate) and Richard Altdorfer also took their hats off. Only Eggli's daughter Désirée remained from the old board.
Horego AG is particularly well represented in the new composition, because in addition to Robert Meier Sr., the newly elected member of the Board of Directors Peter Rudolf von Rohr (Sursee) also works for the gastronomy buyer. Also new to the board are Eggli lawyer Jürgen Wagner (Constance) and Christian Schmid (Zurich), who is also a member of the board of BertelsmannSpringer (Switzerland).
The publishing house is basically healthy, but a rough wind is blowing in Salt & Pepperland, too, says Brodmann. At the end of the year, advertising revenues will be 20 percent below budget. Brodmann emphasizes, however, that a capital increase is not necessary. In general, the mood at Pfefferland is upbeat after the successful rescue. "The long-lasting uncertainty as to whether we would still be around tomorrow has now disappeared.
Daniel Schifferle
Turning away from the Eggli bite - tamed course is the order of the day
Meier came to the president's chair of Edition Salz & Pfeffer unexpectedly. He had been an old friend of Eggli's since their years of training together. During this difficult time, the Eggli family asked him to take matters into his hands.
However, he fails to provide transparency regarding his financial involvement in Salz &Pfefferland. According to his contract, 53 percent of the votes are transferred to him. He does not say how high the shareholding actually purchased is. Meier also emphasizes that there are no financial or entrepreneurial links between Horego AG and Edition Salz & Pfeffer.
In addition to the market power of Horego AG, the announced new course at Salz & Pfeffer is likely to be of particular importance for the promised better climate with advertisers. A "de-egglification" will be carried out step by step, said publishing director Romeo Brodmann. The departure from Eggli's ideals, however, only elicits shrugs from the other gastro titles. "The decisive factor for success will be how autonomously the editorial team of Salz &Pfefferland will be able to work in the future," says Urs Frischknecht, editor-in-chief of the management magazine H+G Hotel+Gastgewerbe. The raison d'être is threatened if the previous positioning is now abandoned.
After Daniel E. Eggli's death in March 2001, things went haywire in Salt & Pepperland. There was talk of "naked chaos". In September, the dispute between the Eggli family and the old Board of Directors culminated. As a result, in addition to board president Sikander von Bhicknapahari, the veteran members Helmut Koch (delegate) and Richard Altdorfer also took their hats off. Only Eggli's daughter Désirée remained from the old board.
Horego AG is particularly well represented in the new composition, because in addition to Robert Meier Sr., the newly elected member of the Board of Directors Peter Rudolf von Rohr (Sursee) also works for the gastronomy buyer. Also new to the board are Eggli lawyer Jürgen Wagner (Constance) and Christian Schmid (Zurich), who is also a member of the board of BertelsmannSpringer (Switzerland).
The publishing house is basically healthy, but a rough wind is blowing in Salt & Pepperland, too, says Brodmann. At the end of the year, advertising revenues will be 20 percent below budget. Brodmann emphasizes, however, that a capital increase is not necessary. In general, the mood at Pfefferland is upbeat after the successful rescue. "The long-lasting uncertainty as to whether we would still be around tomorrow has now disappeared.
Daniel Schifferle
