Dr Schar

Dr. Schär team: (l to r) UK MD Bradley Grimshaw, corporate business development head Sabrina Mutschlechner, GDR MD Ronnie Stebbings and chief operations officer Peter Hintner

Gluten-free manufacturer Dr. Schär UK has acquired Glasgow-based allergen-free bread maker GDR Food Technology for an undisclosed sum.

The deal gives Dr. Schär its first UK production plant and represents its first step in the fresh bread sector in the country, where it is already one of leading gluten-free brands.

UK MD Bradley Grimshaw said the move was set to significantly boost its presence in the UK and extend its expertise.

“This deal is the first of its kind for us,” he added. “It presents an exciting opportunity to get into the fresh bread market and fuels our vision of being recognised by all customers and consumers as the number-one brand in gluten-free.

“We can now facilitate the launch of fresh bakery products to complement the current assortment and support us in our strategic objective of bakery leadership.

“We know that more and more consumers are seeking products free-from allergens to meet their dietary and lifestyle needs. Our partnership with GDR will enable us to further tap into this growing demand.”

GDR will continue to be led by managing director Ronnie Stebbings.

“This is incredible news for us, and we are tremendously excited to be part of the Dr. Schär group,” he said.

“The company has led the way in the gluten-free sector, delighting shoppers with their high-quality, delicious, safe and guaranteed products for years, and we can’t wait to be a part of the future success journey.”

Founded in South Tyrol in 1922, family-owned Dr. Schär has 16 sites in 11 countries, employing more than 1,500 staff and offering its range of gluten-free products and food for special medical purposes to customers in more than 100 countries.