Susanne H. has a serious sweet tooth! That’s a huge bonus for her job as team leader of brand management for FRITT and Schogetten in the marketing department at Ludwig Schokolade.
A love for sweets and strategy
Susanne H. has a serious sweet tooth, she particularly loves FRITT Wildberry and the latest “flavor of the year” from Schogetten. Her love of sweets is a huge bonus for her job as team leader of brand management for both brands. And the issues she works on—new product development, communication, and market research, for instance—are just as varied as the products themselves.
How did you come to Ludwig Schokolade and what do you do day to day?
I joined Ludwig Schokolade eight years ago as a product manager for FRITT. I came from the energy industry, and I wanted to work with products you can actually touch—and ideally eat, too! Today, I’m my own best customer, and I’ve been a team lead for FRITT and Schogetten for the last five years.
Can you tell us a bit about your work?
In my team, we do all the marketing for the FRITT and Schogetten brands—everything from A to Z. And we look to the past as well as the future—that is to say, we analyze market research data and determine what worked well and what didn’t, and where we still have untapped potential. At the same time, we investigate the latest confectionary trends for product development. Both FRITT and Schogetten are long-standing brands that are popular around the world. We want it to stay that way, so we hold onto the familiar aspects of the products while still continuously coming up with new ideas. And every country has its own little quirks. We have almost limitless creative freedom, and we work closely with other departments and colleagues, as well as with agencies in other countries. I really love the variety in my job, as well as the international flair. Once a product is ready, we handle all the communication with retailers and consumers. And we’re open to new things in that regard, too: We’re on TikTok and at festivals with FRITT to reach a younger target group, for instance.
“The creative freedom we have with our products, from the initial concept to their placement on supermarket shelves, is incredible.”
What are your personal highlights in your day-to-day work? And when do things get stressful?
One of the best things is, after my team and I have come up with the idea for a product, to finally be able to buy that product in stores. We also run TV ads for Schogetten. Developing those ads, being on set for the filming, and then seeing the spot on television is something special, without a doubt. And there’s another lovely aspect of my job: I get to eat chocolate while I work! At the same time, though, we have to deliver in order for other departments to be able to do their jobs properly. The production division relies on the product information my team provides, for instance. Without that information, they’re stuck. It’s also essential for us to check the information printed on the packaging very carefully, including the declarations and barcodes. My team can’t make any mistakes here, and we have to be able to deal with that responsibility.
What else is important to you?
I’ve been a certified GS1 category manager for a while now. Ludwig Schokolade supported my training financially, and by giving me time off. But the things that matter most to me are the things that probably matter most to everyone: a team where we all value each other, a good working environment, and lots of creative freedom. And that’s exactly what I’ve found at Ludwig Schokolade.
