Switzerland’s Valora separates foodservice leadership to grow B2C and B2B sales

Valora’s food brands include pretzel chain Ditsch (pictured) and coffee shop Caffè Spettacolo | Photo credit: Valora Group

Swiss foodservice operator Valora has introduced a new leadership structure to separately manage its fast-casual chain and B2B wholesale businesses.
 

Muttenz-based Valora currently operates five B2C food and beverage chains across Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – the 31-store coffee shop chain Caffè Spettacolo, 400-site bakery-cafè BackWerk, fast-casual concept Frittenwerk, which currently has 44 outlets in Germany, and the pretzel chains Brezelkönig and Ditsch. 

Valora’s B2B business supplies Ditsch pretzels to wholesale customers in over 30 markets globally from production sites in Germany and the US. 

Thomas Eisele, who has led both operations as CEO of Valora’s Food Service division since 2014, is stepping away from the business at the end of June 2024.  

The new leadership structure see Sebastian Kayser transition from Managing Director at Valora Food Service Germany to CEO of Food Service B2C, effective 1 July 2024. Sebastian Gooding, previously Managing Director for Ditsch Production/B2B, will take on the role of CEO of Food Service B2B on the same date. 

“I'm delighted by the fact that two experienced internal managers, Sebastian Kayser and Sebastian Gooding, will be joining the Leadership Team; this will ensure both stability and continuity,” said Michael Mueller, CEO, Valora Group. 

Valora Group achieved 8.5% year-on-year sales growth in 2023 to CHF 2.8bn ($3bn), driven by 20% sales growth in its wholesale pretzel business.