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Lindt & Sprüngli has ousted CEO Adalbert Lechner and appointed former chief Dieter Weisskopf as interim CEO while searching for a permanent successor. The company says new leadership is needed to restore consistent growth; it has cut its 2026 organic sales growth outlook to unchanged to 2%, from an initial 6% to 8% target.
Lindt & Sprüngli, the Swiss owner of Ghirardelli and Lindt, has ousted CEO Adalbert Lechner and appointed former chief Dieter Weisskopf as interim CEO as it seeks to restore growth. The company said its board concluded that new leadership was needed, after it lowered its annual sales-growth outlook amid weak order volumes and rising cocoa costs.
Weisskopf, the company’s vice-chairman and CEO until 2022, will lead the business while Lindt & Sprüngli searches for a permanent successor. The company expects to name that successor in the second quarter of 2027. The announcement does not specify when Lechner’s departure takes effect or give further details about the circumstances of his exit.
The board said it wanted new leadership to “return to consistent, strong growth and to capture opportunities in all its markets globally.” Weisskopf said the company would invest in its brands while working to improve profitability, and described his interim task as handing the next CEO a company with renewed momentum.
Lindt & Sprüngli has also made leadership changes in Germany and Austria, markets where it has faced recent challenges, according to Food Dive. Last month, the company cited lower-than-expected order volumes in Germany, Switzerland and Austria when it cut its full-year forecast. It now expects organic sales growth to be unchanged to up 2%, compared with its initial target of 6% to 8%.
A Lower Growth Target Raises Pressure
The leadership change puts the company’s response to weaker growth under new oversight while it contends with pressure on both demand and costs. Consumers have pulled back on spending, according to Food Dive’s account, while volatile cocoa prices have raised expenses for chocolate makers. Those forces can squeeze profitability even when a company continues to sell its products.
The revised forecast is a substantial retreat from Lindt & Sprüngli’s original expectation: a range of unchanged to 2% organic sales growth, rather than 6% to 8%. That leaves the incoming permanent CEO with a clear near-term task: address the slowdown while deciding how to balance investment in the company’s brands with efforts to improve margins. The company has not disclosed a detailed turnaround plan alongside the leadership announcement.
For shoppers, the change does not by itself signal a product or retail-price decision. It does, however, mark a shift at the top of a company whose brands include Ghirardelli, making the leadership search relevant to employees, retailers and investors tracking its response to higher input costs and softer orders.
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Forecast Cuts Preceded the CEO Change
Lindt & Sprüngli has lowered its outlook twice this year, according to Food Dive. Its latest guidance followed weaker-than-expected orders in three European markets: Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The company’s forecast for organic sales growth was reduced from its original 6% to 8% goal to a range of unchanged to 2%.
The board’s decision comes after a period of strain for the premium chocolate maker. Food Dive reported that consumers have been more cautious with spending and that volatile cocoa prices have added to costs. The report also described recent difficulties in Germany and Austria, where the company has made additional management changes. The available announcement does not quantify how much each factor contributed to the forecast reductions.
Weisskopf previously led the company until 2022 and now returns to the top executive role temporarily. That experience gives him familiarity with the business, but the board’s longer-term plan depends on selecting a permanent CEO. The stated appointment target is in 2027, leaving an interim period in which the company must manage its growth and profitability challenges.
““return to consistent, strong growth and to capture opportunities in all its markets globally.””
— Lindt & Sprüngli board
Lindt & Sprüngli premium chocolates
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Turnaround Plan and Exit Details
The company has not provided a detailed account of why Lechner was removed, the precise timing of his departure, or whether he will have another role. It also has not outlined specific steps, costs or targets for the turnaround beyond Weisskopf’s stated intention to invest in brands and improve profitability.
The causes of the weaker outlook are described in broad terms, but the available material does not quantify the effects of cocoa prices, consumer spending or regional order volumes separately. It is also unclear whether the leadership changes in Germany and Austria are part of a wider restructuring or are limited to those markets. The company’s performance against its reduced forecast and the process for choosing a permanent CEO remain to be seen.
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Interim Leadership Until 2027
Weisskopf will oversee the company while the board searches for a permanent CEO, with Lindt & Sprüngli expecting to name the successor in the second quarter of 2027. Until then, the company’s next public updates on sales, costs and guidance will indicate whether the interim leadership can stabilize performance.
Investors and retail partners will also be watching for more detail on how the company plans to support its brands while improving profitability. No further milestones or specific turnaround measures were included in the supplied report.
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Key Questions
Who is Lindt & Sprüngli’s interim CEO?
Dieter Weisskopf, the company’s vice-chairman and former CEO, has taken the top job on an interim basis.
When does Lindt expect to name a permanent CEO?
The company expects to name a permanent successor in the second quarter of 2027.
Why did the board change CEOs?
The board said new leadership was needed to return to consistent, strong growth and capture opportunities across its global markets. The company has not provided further detail about Lechner’s removal.
How much did Lindt cut its sales-growth forecast?
Lindt & Sprüngli lowered its organic sales growth outlook from an initial 6% to 8% to unchanged to up 2% for the year.
What challenges is the company facing?
Food Dive reported that weaker consumer spending and volatile cocoa prices have weighed on the business. Lindt also cited lower-than-expected orders in Germany, Switzerland and Austria when it reduced its guidance.
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