Initiative wins account for retailer Tchibo

The company previously held its media account with OMD and spent just £2,443 solely on press in the past 12 months, according to Nielsen Media Research.

It is unclear whether the company, which is expanding rapidly in the UK, is planning to increase its media budget next year. Both Tchibo and Initiative declined to comment. However, the Omnicon-owned agency is understood to hold the account in a number of other European countries.

The German-owned company has 60 shops in the UK and an online shop at www.tchibo.co.uk, where the range changes every week. The company launched in the UK in 1991 as a coffee supplier to hotels, restaurants and offices and opened its first shop and coffee bar in Greater London in 2000. The retailer has expanded beyond coffee into food, travel and consumer goods, including homewares, technology and sports goods.

Britain is one of 12 countries that Tchibo operates in and the company has a heavy presence in Eastern Europe. Tchibo, which is one of the biggest consumer goods companies and the market leader of roasted coffee in Germany, has over 12,500 employees and revenue of EUR4bn per year.

The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tchibo Holding AG, which owns a controlling stake (50.46%) of Beiersdorf AG, the parent company of Nivea.

This article was first published on Media Week