A. Le Coq chief Jaanus Vihand to leave after four years

ERR reported that Jaanus Vihand, the head of Estonia’s largest beverage producer A. Le Coq, will leave his position at the end of October after four years. The company said he was stepping down at his own request to pursue new professional challenges and had begun searching for a successor.

Speaking on Vikerraadio, a radio channel, Vihand stressed the importance of competition and free markets, saying officials should not dictate them. He also urged policymakers to abandon the idea that investments should be made simply because funding is available from Europe.

Vihand said Estonia lacked meaningful performance indicators that could reduce the burden on businesses, open markets and provide people with better education.

Asked about A. Le Coq’s Limonaad and Kelluke soft drinks, Vihand said consumer preference depended on taste. Sales figures showed that Limpa and traditional Limonaad were the most popular choices. He described Limonaad as Estonia’s best-selling non-cola soft drink.

Vihand said A. Le Coq had kept drinks in the same category and format at broadly similar prices for consumers, rather than using dynamic pricing. He said Limonaad, which recently turned 90, had not been a major export product, although the company could consider developing a new format for export markets.

The recipe for Limonaad remains a trade secret, as do the recipes for Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola, Vihand said. He added that secrecy prevented competitors from gaining an advantage without carrying out their own development work.