German pretzel specialist Ditsch has acquired frozen bakery supplier WorldBake and created a new company, Ditsch UK.
The move to purchase the Kettering-based firm for an undisclosed fee is aimed at strengthening Ditsch’s presence in the British and Irish markets. All staff at WorldBake are to remain employed, with Peter Hedges continuing as managing director of the newly formed business.
WorldBake and Ditsch have a near two-decade-long partnership with the UK company distributing the global brand’s bakery range to its retail and foodservice wholesale customers.
The majority of these are pretzel products, from the traditional salted knots to rolls, subs, and baguettes. Last year, WorldBake supplied pretzel football rolls to M&S Foodhalls as carriers for its limited edition ‘Perfect Match’ chicken and slaw roll made in partnership with the English Football Association.
WorldBake’s operations out of its head office at Timsons Business Centre on Kettering’s Bath Road are to transfer seamlessly to Ditsch UK. Most recent results filed to Companies House for the year ended 31 December 2024 had average number of employees at nine, up from six in 2023.
The new company is to act as a stand-alone business while retaining all established processes and customer relationships.
“I’m truly excited about the innovation and opportunities this deal brings,” commented Hedges. “Combining the strength of Ditsch with the experience of our UK team will allow us to introduce new ideas, new products and even better service for our customers.”
Products, packaging, logistics, service, and commercial agreements are to remain in place, with orders being handled by Ditsch UK Ltd instead of WorldBake from 1 November 2025.
Ditsch was founded in 1919 and, according to its website, currently has 169 branded retail stores across Germany with bakery sites in Mainz and Oranienbaum. It also operates production sites in Emmenbrücke, Switzerland, as well as in Cincinnati to serve the US market. two more factories in the US with products sold in more than 30 countries and a total workforce of 1,200 employees worldwide.
Since 2012 it has been part of the Valora Group, a Swiss-based holding company which also owns several foodservice brands trading in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
“We’re excited to take this next step in the UK,” said Seb Gooding, CEO of B2B Division of the Valora Group. “Combining our expertise and local knowledge allows us to bring even more pretzel innovation to British and Irish customers.”
A dedicated sales and marketing team for Ditsch UK is launching this autumn. This would support the brand in showcasing its full range and position pretzels as a versatile, on-trend snack for today’s market, it said.
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