After 30 years of BIRKENSTOCK being represented in Switzerland by Frey Orthopädie-Bedarf AG as its distributor there, the company has now decided to assume direct responsibility for sales within this market as of December 1, 2019, for strategic reasons. This direct market presence will allow the portfolio to be significantly expanded for retail partners and end customers in Switzerland, thus making BIRKENSTOCK even more accessible as a multifaceted, year-round, premium lifestyle brand. At the same time, greater alignment of the product portfolio with the local market needs will result in additional growth opportunities both for the company and its retail partners in Switzerland.

“We would very much like to thank Frey Orthopädie-Bedarf AG for our exceptionally good and successful collaboration over the past decades. Even during hard times, they represented us as a first-class distributor. However, BIRKENSTOCK has decided to start a new chapter by handling its sales directly in order to further intensify our relations with our retail partners at the local level and to further embed the brand’s entire range in Switzerland. At the same time, we intend to give our growth ambitions in the market a boost very soon with our own retail presence there as well as partner-based retail space concepts in the country’s main conurbations,” says Michael Schmitz, Managing Director, Europe, at BIRKENSTOCK.

This will not result in any changes for our retail partners during the current ordering season. Preorders for the spring/summer 2020 season can continue to be placed with Frey Orthopädie-Bedarf AG and will also be delivered by them. BIRKENSTOCK will not assume complete control of preorders and order deliveries until the fall/winter 2020 season.

Resellers can therefore continue to contact Frey Orthopädie-Bedarf AG to clarify any specific issues relating to current orders at:

Frey Orthopädie-Bedarf AG

Panoramaweg 35

5504 Othmarsingen (Switzerland)

Phone: +41-62-887-4500

At BIRKENSTOCK, Swiss resellers can contact Raphael Grimm, Country Manager, Switzerland, from December 1, 2019. Footwear reseller appointments can be arranged using these contact details:

E-mail: raphael.grimm@birkenstock.com

Cell phone: +41-794-052-610