Is Haribo Playing It Too Safe?

You are a consultant hired to advise Haribo's board — use the article and your own instincts to work through their biggest strategic tension.

The Brief

You have 20 minutes with Haribo's CEO. She asks: 'Should we reposition the brand for adult buyers — or protect what we have?' Write her name and your first instinct (one sentence).

Map the forces

Sort these into FOR repositioning and AGAINST: adult purchase data (70%), 40-year tagline equity, new premium snack competitors, family nostalgia, TikTok adult snack trends.

FOR repositioning

AGAINST repositioning

The real risk

Mark where you think Haribo's biggest danger sits on this spectrum — then write one word that names the danger.

Brand dilution

Lost growth

What NOT to say

List two things you would NOT recommend to the CEO, and the reason for each. Look back at step 2 — does anything in your 'FOR' column now belong here?

Your recommendation

Draft your core recommendation in exactly two sentences — one describing the action, one describing the expected outcome. Commit to a position.

Stress-test it

Read your recommendation as if you are a Haribo board member who disagrees. Write the strongest objection they would raise, then write one sentence defending your position against that objection.

Their objection

→

Your defence

The single word

Looking at everything above, write the ONE word that captures what Haribo must protect above everything else — and explain in one line why that word and not another.

Why that word?

Discuss Share your word with a partner — if they chose differently, whose logic holds up better under pressure?

Business01