Barbecuing Mangal- style in Russia

Interview with Hans-Jürgen Herr, President of Weber-Stephan EMEA

DIALOG: Weber has its own bran- DIALOG: Before becoming President EMEA you had also been Dch offices in over 40 countries, including nu- responsible for the Central and Eastern Europe region. During that time merous Eastern European states. What ma- you built up the region into the strongest unit alongside the US domestic kes these markets so attractive for Weber and market. How did you manage that and what challenges did you face? what differences are there? HH: All the markets were undeveloped – at least as far as barbecuing HH: In every country it is important to is concerned. It was therefore necessary to find retailers to accom- emphasize the strength of the brand and pany us to train consumers and to establish the brand in terms of in that context the whole history, exper- both content and absolute awareness. For this purpose we devel- tise and quality that Weber provides. oped appropriate concepts tailored to the respective markets that, Since barbecu- together with activities at the POS and ing is of great our Grill Academy, familiarized the importance ev- “In every country it is important consumer with these great brand val- erywhere it is in ues, since it is only when the consumer fact just about to emphasize the strength of recognizes added value that he/she is demonstrating the brand and in that context also prepared to pay the price that a and communica- premium product quite simply costs. A ting the 'Weber the whole history, expertise and consumer who understands Weber Way'. There are quality that Weber provides.” very big local differences con- cerning the starting point in each country since barbecuing has a different focus and tradition everywhere (e.g. mangal barbe- cuing in Russia). The only thing that is the same everywhere you go is the aim.

6 Interview withHans-Jürgen Herr, President ofWeber-Stephan EMEA W ow do you see spending spending see you es? How do E able local-for-local approach- able local-for-local March this year. T this March growth in the long term. With other coun other With term. long the in growth duction sites and what developments and developments what and sites duction creasing through to 2020? to through creasing for further developing and networking exis networking and developing further for our best ambassador. At the end of the of the end At the ambassador. best our is works equipment our how knows and are broadly optimistic. Our performance performance Our optimistic. broadly are and attack for positioned we are ertheless, success. for recipe our is day, satisfaction customer are not always stable and in some cases cases some in and stable always not are conditions, whichof general the political duction, but I would not rule it out for the the for out it rule not Iwould but duction, speaks for itself. speaks such as Croatia, Slovenia and Poland are are Poland and Slovenia Croatia, as such nagement of the E the of nagement power in E in power ting markets and opening up new markets. markets. new up opening and markets ting trends do you see in new markets? new in see you do trends future. It is impossible to judge Eastern judge Eastern to impossible It is future. in practice? W practice? in increasing demand in E in demand increasing Nev- over investment. mark aquestion put Europe as one entity. Stable countries countries Stable entity. one as Europe tries we need to take very close account account close very take to we need tries tance away from local pro away local from tance HH: HH: beginning to be fun and should see good good see should and fun be to beginning uropean countries also en- also countries uropean hat does this type of networking look like like look networking of type this does hat We are still a fair dis afair We still are DIALOG: DIALOG: astern E astern hat does it mean for your pro your for mean it does hat his makes you responsible responsible you makes his urope in urope M Y

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astern astern ou took over the ma the over took ou Does Does A organization in A organization - - -

“Trends innew markets for usmean but serving them and also mean the andalsomeanthe them but serving luxury of rolling them outglobally.” ofrollingthem luxury not negating distinct localfeatures - - - - That is why Germans welcome the Russian Russian the welcome why is Germans That Trends in new markets for us mean not mean us for Trends markets new in (DIY stores) in particular we can offer ma offer we can particular in stores) (DIY

goals of focusing more closely on our core core our on closely more of focusing goals asons for moving closer to large markets. large to closer moving for asons oven and Belgians the Danish ebelskiver ebelskiver Danish the Belgians oven and we that convinced Iam structure. entire with fluctuations? fluctuations? with seasonal. W seasonal. in Palatine and Huntley in sites ductions structure. There are a number of good re of good anumber are There structure. production processes and how do you deal deal you do how and processes production We will certainly expand our existing pro existing our expand We certainly will further good a very report to able be will with it, it it, willwith add definitely to our compet- I see advantages there since if Weber con Weber if since there advantages I see raising all markets to an even higher level. level. even higher an to markets all raising negating inherent distinct local features features local distinct inherent negating pan – just to mention a few examples. afew mention to –just pan mangal barbecue, the British the pizza pizza the British the barbecue, mangal over the synergies finding and markets new up build to specialists using markets, the USA and will at the same time examine time same at the will and USA the tinues to expand its expertise in dealing dealing in expertise its expand to tinues the luxury of also rolling them out globally. globally. out them rolling of also luxury the in have we will succeeded that and time HH: HH: HH: HH: how to develop our global production production global our develop to how but rather serving them and then enjoying enjoying then and them serving rather but itive advantage. In the large-format field field large-format the In advantage. itive 2-3 in years' efficiency our in improvement That is indeed a challenge. However, achallenge. indeed is That With this step we have the step linked this With DIALOG: hat effect does that have on your your on have that does effect hat Y 7 our business is very very is business our - - - -

'deseasonalizing' the product also helps – helps also product the 'deseasonalizing' Weber-Stephen EMEA Hans-Jürgen Herr, President, go-to-market strategy in such away that such in strategy go-to-market also supply the retail trade throughout the the throughout trade retail the supply also and is also of benefit to our customers. A customers. our to of benefit also is and something that more and more people are are people more and more that something we can produce throughout the year and and year the throughout produce we can year. Here our successful strategy of strategy year. successful our Here ment compared with risky own-brand own-brand risky with compared ment than from the frying pan in November, in pan frying the from than business. Furthermore, we have our up set Furthermore, business. barbecued steak still tastes a lot better better alot tastes still steak barbecued jor advantages with our seasonal manage seasonal our with advantages jor year round. year using their barbecues all all barbecues their using recognizing and are thus thus are and recognizing -

ROIDIALOG . Issue 41