What Is Ricola's Approach to Sustainability and Swiss Alpine Herbs?
Updated
Ricola presents itself as a Swiss herbal drop brand built around a blend of Swiss Alpine herbs, and it treats sustainability as a core part of that identity rather than a side topic. If you care about where ingredients come from and how a company reports its environmental and social commitments, ricola.com gives you two direct entry points — a Sustainability section and an Herbs section — plus news items that document progress, including a B Corp recertification. This article explains what those areas cover and how to use them to judge whether the brand matches your values.
The Swiss Alpine herb positioning
The product line is framed around what the site calls an "iconic Swiss Alpine herbal blend," and the homepage describes the drops as offering "everyday soothing relief." Herb sourcing is not buried in fine print — it is one of the main navigation themes, with a dedicated Herbs page.
What this means in practice:
- The herb blend is the brand's central differentiator, not just a flavor note.
- The site ties the herbs to a specific place (the Swiss Alps), which is the origin story behind the name and the yodel-style chant referenced on the homepage.
- Flavor names reinforce the herbal and natural theme — for example Original Herb, Honey Herb, and Lemon Mint.
If your main question is "are these actually herb-based or just flavored candy," the Herbs section is where the brand makes its case.
Where sustainability lives on the site
Sustainability appears as a top-level "Discover more" link, alongside Herbs, Blog, and About Ricola. That placement matters: it signals the topic is meant to be explored on its own, not skimmed from a footer.
The homepage also surfaces a concrete accountability signal — Ricola B Corp recertification, dated Laufen, 16.06.2026, listed under Latest News. B Corp certification is a third-party framework that assesses a company's social and environmental performance, so a recertification is a checkable data point rather than a self-declared claim.
Other news items on the page include:
| News item | Date | What it signals |
|---|---|---|
| Ricola B Corp recertification | 16.06.2026 | Continued third-party sustainability certification |
| Ricola delivers solid results in 2024 | 14.05.2025 | Business performance reporting |
| Ricola and Swiss-Ski join forces | 23.10.2024 | Swiss sports partnership |
How to evaluate the claims for yourself
The site gives you the entry points, but the depth of detail lives inside the Sustainability and Herbs pages. A practical way to assess the brand:
- Open the Sustainability page and look for specific targets, timelines, or reporting rather than general statements.
- Open the Herbs page to see whether cultivation, sourcing regions, or farming practices are described.
- Cross-check the B Corp recertification news item — B Corp scores are published by the certifying body, so you can verify the claim independently.
- Use the Blog for ongoing updates if you want to track changes over time.
A note on what the homepage does not tell you
The homepage excerpt does not include pricing, ingredient percentages, or certification scores. Those details, if published, would sit on the individual product or sustainability pages. Treat the homepage as a map, not the full evidence.
Who this approach suits
This positioning tends to fit you if:
- You prefer products with a named, place-specific ingredient origin.
- You value third-party sustainability certification over self-reported claims.
- You want a brand that publishes news and updates rather than staying silent.
It may matter less if you are choosing purely on flavor, price, or throat-care strength — in that case, the flavor and product-line comparison is the more useful starting point.
FAQ
Does Ricola use real Swiss Alpine herbs?
The site describes its drops as made with a "Swiss Alpine herbal blend" and maintains a dedicated Herbs section. For specifics on which herbs and how they are sourced, go to that page.
Is Ricola certified for sustainability?
Yes — the site lists a B Corp recertification dated 16.06.2026 under its latest news.
Where should I start if sustainability is my priority?
Start with the Sustainability page, then check the B Corp recertification news item to verify the certification independently.