Danish biscuit giant Bisca acquires Ireland’s East Coast Bakehouse in US$15M deal
Under the deal, East Coast Bakehouse will become a standalone subsidiary of Bisca’s international business.
IRELAND – Ireland’s East Coast Bakehouse has been snapped up by Danish cakes and biscuit manufacturer Bisca, in a strategic move aimed at strengthening both companies’ positions in the competitive European bakery market.
The acquisition marks a pivotal moment for the Drogheda-based company as it emerges from a period of financial difficulty and steps into a new chapter of international growth.
East Coast Bakehouse successfully exited its examinership after an investment of €13 million (US$15.24M) by Bisca, securing the 78 jobs at the company’s manufacturing facility in Drogheda.
Restructuring expert Kieran Wallace of Interpath had been appointed by Judge Michael Quinn in January to act as examiner over the business, which was co-founded and run by former Enterprise Ireland chair Michael Carey.
The Co Louth firm had entered examinership under financial pressure arising from high ingredient cost inflation, general increases in the cost of doing business, and phased repayment arrangements for tax liabilities.
East Coast Bakehouse, founded in 2016, produces its own brands, The Bakehouse and The Home of Irish Biscuits, and a private-label range for major retailers in the UK and Ireland, such as Tesco, Asda, and the discounter Lidl.
Exporting to 15 markets, it also operates as a co-manufacturer from its single factory in Drogheda, near Dublin.
Bisca CEO Kristian Walsøe said East Coast Bakehouse’s products are “an excellent fit” with its portfolio, noting the Irish firm’s strong presence in Ireland and the UK complements Bisca’s solid position in the Nordics and Northern Europe, “creating a strong combined geographic footprint.”
Bisca, a 125-year-old Danish biscuit maker with annual sales of €65 million (US$76.18M), produces 200 different types of cakes and biscuits. It was acquired by Danish private-equity group Erhvervsinvest Management in 2024 from Norwegian food group Scandza.
Its brands include Karen Volf, Karen’s Bakery, and Møn, and it claims to be a market leader in Denmark, supplying markets in the Nordics, Northern Europe, and North America.
East Coast Bakehouse co-founder Michael Carey welcomed the outcome, stating it “secures the future of the business in Drogheda and the 78 jobs at the facility,” adding that Bisca brings “the scale, experience and strategic fit needed to support the next phase” of the company’s development.
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