Leifheit AG: Leifheit AG and Dr. Oetker end their licensing agreement

Leifheit AG and Dr. Oetker end their licensing agreement

- Focus on the brands Leifheit and Soehnle

- Reduction of complex product range

Nassau, 14 November 2012 - Leifheit AG agreed today with Dr. August Oetker Nahrungsmittel KG by mutual agreement to end the long-term licensing agreement for the production and sale of Dr. Oetker Bakeware. The licensing agreement will end on 31 December 2012. With this decision the Leifheit Group is taking a further strategic step towards a greater emphasis on its core business with the two umbrella brands Leifheit and Soehnle. On 1 January 2013 the licensing agreement that has existed between Leifheit and Dr. Oetker since 1988 will be transferred to Zenker Backformen GmbH & Co. KG - a company belonging to the Fackelmann Group. The lead time involved here and the detailed organisational preparations guarantee that the supply of Dr. Oetker Bakeware to customers will not be affected in any way.

In the future Leifheit will concentrate more on the implementation of its umbrella brand strategy for the brands Leifheit and Soehnle in the Brand Business division, in which the brands Leifheit, Soehnle and Dr. Oetker Bakeware were previously united. Sales, marketing and development were joined together for the two brands. The aim of the strategy is to give greater prominence to the Leifheit brand with its categories 'Cleaning', 'Laundry Care' and 'Kitchen' and also to position the Soehnle brand as an attractive, modern wellness brand.

'By dropping the Dr. Oetker Bakeware brand we are streamlining our currently complex product portfolio and in the future we will use our resources to market our two umbrella brands Leifheit and Soehnle', explains Georg Thaller, chairman of the board at Leifheit AG.

With its product part Dr. Oetker Bakeware in the trading year 2011 Leifheit achieved a turnover of
EUR 6.3 million, of which just under 50 per cent in Germany.

Zenker takes over licensing agreement

As a result of the end of the licensing agreement for the Europe-wide sale of Dr. Oetker Bakeware, on 31 December 2012 Leifheit AG will transfer to Zenker all stock intended for sale under the Dr. Oetker brand, together with marketing and sales tools and customer lists and all necessary tools and documents for the production of Dr. Oetker Products.

About Leifheit

Formed in 1959, Leifheit AG is one of the leading European suppliers of branded household items. The Company is a byword for high quality innovative products with high consumer benefit and pioneering design in the core areas of Cleaning, Laundry care, Kitchen and Wellbeing. Leifheit, Dr Oetker Bakeware and Soehnle are among the best-known German brands. Besides its Brand Business segment, Leifheit AG is active in the service-oriented Volume Business segment through its French subsidiaries Birambeau and Herby. With its international branches, the Leifheit Group has around 1,000 employees.

Contact:
Leifheit AG
D-56377 Nassau
ir@leifheit.com
+49 2604 977218