Lindt & Sprüngli and Vebego: partners for years

The two companies have been working together for years, in Switzerland: Vegebo and Lindt & Sprüngli, a chocolate manufacturer with in total more than 14,000 employees. Beat Menzi, Head of Facility Management: ‘For us, Vebego is much more than a supplier. It really is a partner.’

The headquarters of the chocolate manufacturer, popularly called Lindt, is in Kilchberg, on Lake Zurich. Here, Beat Menzi and his team are responsible for the entire area in Kilchberg. ‘Vebego is a permanent partner for the facility services that my team must provide. Together we look at what is needed and what needs to be done.’

Flexibility

It’s a special collaboration, he says. ‘You notice that by the flexibility in the service provision. Finding solutions is at the heart of our relationship. We exchange knowledge about personnel management or personal development. And don’t confront each other immediately with the contract in hand if there is a little more or less work to do.’

Searching for a solution

Unemployment in Switzerland is very low. Vebego must do all it can to find enough good employees. In the search for a solution, economic and social interests come together well, says Beat. ‘In our collaboration with Vebego, we first look at what someone can do. For example, there are also people who do not work very quickly, but who are very reliable.’

German Success Coach

The relationship with Vebego also has friendly traits. Beat Menzi regularly lunches with Bljerim Aljiti, the manager of the Vebego site in Zurich. They are both fascinated by the German success coach Bodo Schäfer, who emphasises that you can learn a lot from your mistakes. ‘When you look for solutions, you always make mistakes. If you dare to admit them, you can grow further. Bljerim and I share that mindset.’

Kilchberg employs approximately 1,000 Lindt & Sprungli (Schweiz) AG employees and approximately 300 Lindt & Sprungli International employees and there is the Lindt Chocolate Competence Foundation. The company also has its own chocolate museum, which is open 360 days a year and attracts approximately 500,000 visitors annually.