FAQ

In 1919, Wilhelm Ditsch founded a small pretzel bakery near the train station in Mainz. With great passion and true craftsmanship, he laid the foundation for a brand that would soon become known far beyond the city limits. Ditsch quickly recognized the potential of mobile sales and opened a stand directly on the station platform – the first step in an impressive success story.

Today, we stand for quality, variety, and strong values. Our employees and agency partners work every day to delight our customers with freshly baked pretzel products – from classic pretzels to innovative snack creations. The fact that Ditsch has been around for more than a century is proof of the strength of our concept and the continued demand for authentic, traditional taste.

Even today, the spirit of founders Wilhelm and Heinz Ditsch can still be felt – strong, approachable, and genuine.

Every Ditsch shop offers more than just delicious pretzel products – it represents decades of tradition, dedicated craftsmanship, and continuous development. Today, Ditsch operates more than 170 shops and is one of Germany’s leading providers of pretzels, pizzas, and savory snacks.

What truly sets us apart is our close connection to our customers. Our teams are passionate about delivering fresh quality every day – from classic pretzel favorites to exciting new trend products. In our shops, we don’t just bake; we continuously invest in modern technology, sustainability, and the future growth of our company. Each Ditsch shop is a place where quality and responsibility go hand in hand.

Founded in 1919 by Wilhelm Ditsch in Mainz and later developed by his son Heinz, Ditsch has been baking crispy pretzels with passion for over 100 years – today also under the Brezelkönig brand in Switzerland. At Ditsch, we don’t just bake; we live responsibility – for people, the environment, and enjoyment with integrity. Because for us, a positive future begins in the oven.

Of course, Ditsch also offers a great selection of delicious vegan and vegetarian products – perfect for a quick snack or a hearty breakfast. Whether it’s our Schlemmerzunge, the Spinach & Mushroom Pizza, or a classic pretzel roll, our vegetarian baked goods stand out for their taste and quality. At our busy shop locations, clear labeling on price tags makes vegetarian options easy to spot – transparent, simple, and customer-friendly.

Many of our independent agency partners proudly offer our vegetarian range as well. The growing demand speaks for itself: variety matters. From our salted classics and crispy filled pretzel sandwiches to pizza snacks, sweet pretzels, and croissants – enjoyment at Ditsch comes in many forms. With innovative product development that identifies trends and transforms them into high-quality, fresh products, we continuously evolve our assortment.

Do you have a promotional voucher and want to redeem it at Ditsch? No problem! In many of our shops across Germany, you can use your voucher for savory snacks or hot drinks – quickly and easily. Please note that redemption depends on availability and participating locations. In some shops, certain products, such as hot drinks, may be excluded from the promotion.

Promotional vouchers also cannot be combined with other discounts. If you’re unsure whether your voucher can be redeemed at a specific shop, simply ask our team on site – we’re happy to help and want you to enjoy your visit with a great snack and a smile.

Sustainability plays a key role in our Ditsch shops – from using regional ingredients to introducing modern reusable systems. We actively take responsibility for the environment and the future. In many of our shops, you can already use the Vytal reusable system or bring your own cup – and we reward that with a discount on hot drinks.

Whether pretzels, pretzel sticks, or other baked goods, our products are made with care and passion – from our own production straight to our shops. As pretzel specialists, we stand for quality, craftsmanship, and conscious action. Our independent agency partners also help ensure that our sustainability standards are upheld, guaranteeing consistently high quality across all locations.

For us, sustainability means energy-efficient processes, recyclable packaging, and environmentally friendly delivery routes – step by step toward a more responsible future.

Want to share feedback about a Ditsch shop? Whether it’s a suggestion, praise, criticism, or a complaint – we appreciate every message. If you experienced an issue or had an especially positive visit, please contact us via our online form.

To help us respond quickly, please include the shop location, as well as the date and time of your visit. We’re also happy to help with questions or general feedback. Your message will be forwarded to the responsible agency partner so we can continually improve our service at shop level.

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience – it really helps us make Ditsch even better.

At Ditsch, enjoying your snack is not only quick but also convenient. Whether you’re craving a freshly baked pretzel or a coffee to go, you can pay contactless and securely in all of our shops.

The following payment methods are accepted:

• Apple Pay

• Google Pay

• Maestro

• Visa

• V Pay

• Diners Club

• Mastercard

No cash needed – simply tap your smartphone or card and you’re good to go. We continuously improve our services to make your visit as smooth as possible. With our expanded payment options, you can enjoy the same convenient experience at every Ditsch location, big or small.

The Ditsch Agency Partner System offers a unique combination of entrepreneurial freedom and the security of an established baked goods specialist. Unlike many traditional franchise systems, you don’t need to invest your own capital. However, depending on the shop size, a deposit is required. You take over a fully equipped shop, build your own revenue, and benefit from the strong reputation of our brand – Ditsch, the traditional pretzel bakery.

You’ll have a strong network in purchasing, marketing, product development, field service, and construction supporting you from day one. We handle logistics, promotional materials, and technical support so you can focus entirely on your guests. You receive a commission based on your sales, meaning your performance is directly rewarded. In short: you get all the benefits of a franchise-like system while maintaining maximum flexibility – perfect for achieving your goal of running your own shop. You’ll also receive regular training to ensure your service and product quality are always top-notch.

Anyone with a passion for food-service can become an agency partner – whether you’ve worked part-time, as a temp, or as a store manager. What matters most are your ability to inspire people, lead a team, and understand basic business principles. We often see applicants from diverse backgrounds – from system catering and retail to creative food start-ups – successfully grow into the role of an agency partner.

Whether you’ve baked pizzas in your free time, organized events, or gained sales experience - anything that strengthens your entrepreneurial spirit is welcome. You should be open to feedback, enjoy fresh products, and be willing to take responsibility for staff, product quality, and hygiene. A formal qualification is helpful but not required; what matters most is your willingness to learn and deliver excellent service and top-quality products to continuously grow your revenue. If team culture is important to you and you’re ready to take your career to the next level, you’re a perfect fit for Ditsch.

The path to your own Ditsch shop is clearly structured and usually takes just a few months – from the first introductory meeting to the shop opening.

• Fill out the online application form and answer all questions so we can better understand your motivation.
• Our team will review your documents; you don’t need a university degree, but we want to see that you’ve gained experience in sales or gastronomy and are well-organized.
• In a personal meeting, you’ll meet an experienced sales representative and find out whether the Ditsch agency system is right for you. We firmly believe that entrepreneurial spirit is more important than formal titles.
• Together, we’ll select a suitable location from our list of available sites, and you’ll begin the mandatory training phase. Here, you’ll learn how to efficiently run a shop, lead a team, and offer great service and excellent baked goods.
• After opening, our experienced field team will support you on-site with all questions related to staff management, product quality, and performance metrics.

Yes, you can either open a new location or take over an existing shop – maybe even the one where you’ve been enjoying our delicious pretzels for years. When a shop becomes available, we list it on our website. This gives you the chance to start without a construction phase and with an existing customer base. After a thorough handover, you’ll learn how to improve product quality, ensure availability of our goods, and deliver excellent service.

Our field service team will provide extra support during this phase to help you successfully achieve your goal of running a shop through the agency model.

Your journey as a self-employed agency partner begins online: you fill out the application form, application form, asking only for essential personal details and check whether you’re a good fit for our proven business model and the role. A regional manager will then guide you through seven clearly defined steps – from site proposal to shop opening. You don’t need to make any major investments for our agency model, just a deposit of between €5,000 and 10,000 depending on shop size, which keeps you financially flexible.

Throughout the entire process, you’ll have access to comprehensive training on our products, POS systems, and team leadership. In parallel, Valora Food Service – the parent company behind Ditsch – handles all contracts and supports you in launching your self-employment. Instead of long lead times and high entry fees, Ditsch focuses on a partnership-oriented path to self-employment within a proven system that has been successful for decades.

Ditsch, the pretzel bakery, is much more than just a simple bakery counter: over 170 shops in Germany and Austria operate in train stations, shopping centers, and pedestrian zones – locations where customers look for fresh snacks every day.

Ditsch is currently looking for new agency partners in cities like Berlin, Hamburg, and Wiesbaden, and also offers additional shop formats in high-traffic food court areas.

All available locations, including opportunities to take over existing shops, are listed in our online portal – allowing you to choose a shop with an already established sales record. You’ll be part of a strong partnership with Valora, the international retail and food service group. In short: whether in city centers or transport hubs, Ditsch offers you diverse growth opportunities within a well-established network that has established the brand as a leading pretzel bakery since 1919.

Your income is based on a monthly commission, calculated as a percentage of your shop’s revenue – the more pretzels, snacks, coffee, etc. you sell, the higher your earnings.

As a self-employed agency partner, you are responsible for the daily operations of your shop: leading the team, overseeing service, managing orders and baking, and ensuring efficient operations. You are also responsible for supporting your employees development and fostering a motivated workplace. Employee salaries follow market standards and comply with the legal minimum wage - without fixed company-wide guidelines

You recruit your employees and assign them tasks based on their roles in the shop. As an employer, you are a role model, point of contact, and organizer. Your commitment helps create a sustainable high quality workplace– similar to restaurant standards.

Your compensation is commission-based and linked directly to revenue, so your entrepreneurial efforts directly pay off. Of course, your income also depends on key factors such as location traffic, team performance, and product offerings. You work within a proven business concept and benefit from the strong support of our field team, who help you run and manage the shop efficiently – whether opening a new location or taking over an existing shop.

Traditional franchise models often require high entry costs and long-term contractual commitments. The innovative agency partner system at Ditsch, however, allows you to run a shop as an indenpendent and successful agency partner – without needing large amounts of capital. Depending on shop size and expected revenue, you only need to provide a deposit. You take full responsibility for your business on-site, operate independently, and benefit from the experience and structure of an established company.

As part of the international Valora Group, Ditsch provides you with a fully functional shop covering shop construction, product supply, POS systems, and IT infrastructure. You are responsible for daily operations, your team, and the sale of fresh, high-quality baked goods. In close coordination with our expericend sales consultants and field staff, work together to select product ranges and promotional campaigns that drive sales. The agency partner system combines the security of an established network with the freedom of running your own business, offering a customer-focused business model designed for the future of snacking.