Swiss-based baker Aryzta has unveiled two acquisitions that it hopes will strengthen its market position in Europe and the US.

The firm, which produces bread and pastries under brands including Cuisine de France and Delice de France, now owns Fresh Start Bakeries, a global supplier of speciality bakery products, and Great Kitchens, a supplier of pizzas and appetisers with a focus on the deli segment in North America.

It follows the announcement that a decline in Aryzta’s like-for-like sales was decelerating in the third quarter; revenues fell by 4.6% to E822.9m (£679.7m) compared to a fall of 8.6% for the nine-month period to April 2010.Aryzta said this decline in revenue was still most evident in Ireland and the UK.

The company added that the support provided to customers within c-stores, to reposition their foodservice value proposition through freshly and consistently prepared convenience offerings, was helping to drive footfall. CEO Owen Killian added: "From a business perspective, we will operate with a greater geographic footprint and with much better channel access to consumers. These acquisitions double our manufactured volumes, with an additional 30 production locations in nine countries."