Dr. Oetker to acquire baking brand Wilton

21 Sep 2018

German-based food conglomerate Dr. Oetker is set to purchase Wilton Brands, a US baking, cake decorating and candy making brand. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the year.

©Julianna Funk via 123RF

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, has been agreed with the seller, an affiliate of TowerBrook Capital Partners.

Dr. Oetker is a privately held, multibillion-dollar umbrella organisation of numerous production and sales companies within the Oetker Group, which is active in 39 countries on six continents. Both Dr. Oetker and Wilton Brands were family-founded and share a long heritage in baking.

“The acquisition of Wilton means the expansion of our position in the large and interesting U.S. market for baking and decorating,” said Albert Christmann, chairman of the Board of Management of Dr. Oetker.

“For American consumers, the Wilton brand has been synonymous with home baking and the creative decorating of cakes, pies and baked goods for almost 90 years. With its product portfolio and strong brand, Wilton fits well with Dr. Oetker. Wilton also is very progressively positioned in terms of the use of digital brand management. Dr. Oetker’s entire organisation will benefit from this expertise.”

In addition to the Dr. Oetker brand, the company owns multiple well-established baking and dessert brands in more than 35 countries across the globe.

“Wilton is passionate about bringing the love of baking and decorating to everyone, everywhere, every day through quality products that make baking and decorating fun and easy,” said Wilton Brands CEO Sue Buchta. “I could not imagine a better owner for Wilton Brands. The opportunity to draw on both companies’ strengths, combined knowledge and commitment to the category will position us to innovate and grow more quickly, benefitting our customers, our retail partners and our employees.”

Wilton Brands was acquired by investment funds managed by TowerBrook Capital Partners L.P. in 2009, and under Buchta’s leadership has re-focused the business on its baking and food core while divesting non-core businesses. Wilton and its employees will remain headquartered in Naperville, Illinois and will be run as a division within the broad portfolio of companies owned by Dr. Oetker. Buchta will remain in her role as CEO.