{"id":4048,"date":"2020-02-19T06:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T05:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stories.valora.com\/?p=4048"},"modified":"2020-02-19T14:25:06","modified_gmt":"2020-02-19T13:25:06","slug":"ditsch-stands-for-pretzels-thats-it-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.valora.com\/en\/ditsch-stands-for-pretzels-thats-it-2\/","title":{"rendered":"“Ditsch stands for pretzels. That\u2019s it.”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ditsch pretzel bakery and its rich tradition have enabled Valora to develop into a leading global pretzel producer. Ditsch boss Seb Gooding shares his thoughts on the company\u2019s 100th anniversary, the growing B2B market and the future of the pretzel business.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Seb Gooding, Managing Director Ditsch<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When did you first taste a pretzel? <\/strong>

I can\u2019t remember my first pretzel but I do remember my first pretzel roll when I was a young lad at Cologne Carnival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have been responsible for over 750 Ditsch employees since January 2019, and they are responsible for the production and sale of over 700 million products. How did you find your feet in this company with its wealth of tradition?<\/strong>

I enjoy the work very much. We laugh and argue and get a lot done together. That suits me. I\u2019m impressed by how proud the employees are of the company\u2019s long history. At the same time, they are forward looking. They understand Ditsch\u2019s market position very well and they do their utmost to keep improving it. There is no other company I would rather work for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How has Ditsch developed during its first 100 years?<\/strong>

The company has an eventful history spanning several generations. The Mainz bakery was partly destroyed in the Second World War and the employees had to restore it themselves. Ditsch later became a patisserie, selling bread, cakes and other baked goods besides pretzels. The company then focused solely on pretzels and pretzel-based products from the 1960s\/70s. This specialisation was better for the business margin as there were too many small bakeries in Mainz at the time. The first pretzel stand at Mainz main station in 1972 was another milestone. It was set up in the morning, taken down in the evening and supplied refreshment to commuters on the move. The first pretzel oven made it possible to bake the deep-frozen bread loaves on site from the1980s. However, Ditsch pretzel bakery has retained one constant throughout the 100 years: the employees\u2019 pleasure in working together to produce and sell good pretzels. The entry in the City of Mainz commercial register, as early as 1919, said: \u201cB\u00e4ckerei f\u00fcr Brezel und Laugengeb\u00e4ck\u201d (bakery for pretzels and pretzel-based products). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And what does Ditsch stand for today?<\/strong>

As in 1919: Ditsch stands for pretzels. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Success Story<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
  • \"\"
    1919 \u2013 1929
    IT ALL STARTED WITH WILHELM DITSCH<\/strong>
    He started the 100-year Ditsch tradition: in 1919, Wilhelm Ditsch registers his \u201cB\u00e4ckerei f\u00fcr Brezel und Laugengeb\u00e4ck\u201d (bakery for pretzels and pretzel-based products) in the Mainz commercial register.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1929 \u2013 1939
    FROM THE OVEN TO THE FAIR<\/strong>
    The acquisition of a bakery without a retail space in Mainz is followed by the first official approval to bake pretzels on two Sundays and deliver them to fairs and festivals.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1939 \u2013 1949
    NEW BAKERY, NEW PRETZELS<\/strong>
    On their return from a prisoner-of-war camp, Wilhelm and his son Heinz roll their sleeves up and restore the bakery on Kapuzinerstra\u00dfe in Mainz.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1949 \u2013 1959
    HEINZ DITSCH AND THE PRETZEL MEN<\/strong>
    Wilhelm Ditsch leaves the bakery to his son Heinz in 1952. He starts the \u201cPretzel men\u201d tradition, the name given to the people who sell fresh pretzels from baskets in Mainz restaurants and at public festivals.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1959 \u2013 1969
    COMPANY GROWTH THROUGH BAGGED PRODUCE<\/strong>
    The family company expands under Heinz Ditsch and specialises in long-lasting soft pretzels and pretzel sticks in cellophane bags. It proves a complete success with caterers and at festivals.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1969 \u2013 1979
    FOR THE LOVE OF PRETZELS: PETER DITSCH<\/strong>
    Peter Ditsch joins his parents\u2019 company as an employee in 1975 and soon takes over the sales side of the operation. He starts the first mobile stands, which were taken away at the end of the day.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1979 \u2013 1989
    DITSCH PRETZEL OVEN \u2013 BURNING INNOVATION<\/strong>
    When Peter Ditsch sees this oven at a trade fair, he immediately knows it could provide a constant supply of fresh, warm pretzels at any time and any place. The first stationary pretzel stall. Innovation has always been a key factor in success at Ditsch.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1989 \u2013 1999
    THE BAKERY TRADITION CONTINUES AT A NEW ADDRESS<\/strong>
    A move within Mainz-Hechtsheim: the new site has a production area and two separate production lines, an administration building, a deep-frozen, high-rise storage facility and a dispatch area.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    1999 \u2013 2009
    BRIGHT PROSPECTS IN ORANIENBAUM<\/strong>
    Opening of the new Ditsch site with 7,700 m\u00b2 of production space in Oranienbaum as a second production facility. In 2012, Ditsch acquires the Swiss-founded Brezelk\u00f6nig AG and develops its Swiss sales retail outlets from five to 30 shops in the following three years.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
  • \"\"
    2009 – 2019
    CRAZY FOR “PRETZELS”<\/strong>
    In 2012, the pretzel baker Ditsch becomes part of the international Swiss-based Valora Group, retaining its strong brand, with Peter Ditsch as an anchor shareholder. In 2017, Valora acquires Pretzel Baron, a pretzel producer based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pretzel Baron becomes Ditsch USA. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    How do you explain the constant demand for pretzels?<\/strong>

    They simply occupy a niche with a 0.5 percent share in the global baked goods market. However, pretzels have not only grown into a popular alternative to pastries in the German market, but also in the EU and US. The pretzel is simply a very tasty product and more substantial than a snack-on-the-go when combined with a sausage or cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What role does Ditsch play in the Valora Group, which has owned the pretzel bakery since 2012?<\/strong>

    Ditsch is a perfect fit for Valora. The growing mobility of the population and associated trend for consumption and snacking on the move define our business too, we also target highly frequented sites. As I always say: Ditsch plays the bass in the Valora band: calm, strong and reliable. Other brands may be more varied in their product development. With us, you know what you\u2019re getting, both in the B2C and the B2B market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Besides the 200 sales outlets at German stations, B2B production has developed into a really important strategic pillar for Valora.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Indeed. Besides the B2C market, our German subsidiaries supply the Valora food service formats Brezelk\u00f6nig and BackWerk and the retail formats ServiceStore DB, U Store and avec. In addition to this integrated value chain, we have been supplying major consumers since 1998, such as bakeries and hotels in Germany. We also export our produce to 30 countries \u2013 throughout Europe and overseas \u2013 for example to Japan, China, Israel, Canada and Australia. We\u2019ve been in Cincinnati in the US with production since 2017 with Pretzel Baron, now known as Ditsch USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The demand for pretzels is so strong that the production lines in Mainz, Oranienbaum (Germany), Emmenbr\u00fccke (Switzerland) and Cincinnati (USA) no longer suffice.<\/strong>

    We see additional attractive growth opportunities in the EU and US. We have also invested in the region of EUR 50 million in expanding our production facilities. Oranienbaum and Cincinnati gained a production line each by the end of 2019. An extra line will also be added to the Oranienbaum site in the first quarter of 2020, meaning we will have 16 production lines. We are also planning further investments worth about EUR 80 million in the period between 2021 and 2025 to meet the expected future market demand. That is a clear statement of intent by Ditsch to establish itself as a leading global pretzel producer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • \"\"
      Ditsch production.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
    • \"\"
      Ditsch production.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
    • \"\"
      Ditsch production.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      The prospect of added capacity through having new lines is also a challenge for employees, however.<\/strong>

      Such a strong increase in production capacity does not happen every day and demands a lot of the staff, no matter how enthusiastic they may be, particularly in regard to logistics and sales. We haven\u2019t just turned on a few new machines, we have purposely placed ourselves in the fast lane. We had to prepare for that and train our staff accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Did it work?<\/strong>

      We still have some way to go, but we are on the right path. We have a great team that achieved a lot over the past six months, supported by our current facilities. We are very happy with the performance, quality and progress. However, we can\u2019t overdo it in spite of our new premises and larger size and lose our focus on the pillars of \u201ccustomer orientation\u201d, \u201cquality\u201d, \u201craw materials\u201d and \u201cenvironment\u201d. They\u2019ve mattered for the past 100 years and they will matter even more in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How do you see the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Ditsch has always been synonymous with pretzels and it will remain so. \u201cHave a pretzel, make it Ditsch\u201d, is our slogan. We want to be a healthy and stable company in our sector, one that a partner would definitely want to work with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • \"\"
        100 years Ditsch celebration.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
      • \"\"
        100 years Ditsch celebration.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
      • \"\"
        100 years Ditsch celebration.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
      • \"\"
        100 years Ditsch celebration.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>
      • \"\"
        100 years Ditsch celebration.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        World record – “We are pretzel!”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        On the 100th anniversary, Ditsch makes an entry in the Guinness Book of Records:
        424 employees successfully reproduce the famous pretzel in Oranienbaum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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