Thanks to Renew Adelaide, the iconic South Australian business is welcomed back with open arms, celebrated for more than a century of local flavour and tradition.
Ditters’ owner, Matt Johnson, sees the return to Shop 22 as a deeply symbolic way to reconnect with both long-time fans and a new generation of customers.
“Opening a store in the Adelaide CBD is the next step towards rebuilding the Ditters business,” says Matt. “We’re passionate about ensuring that these unique and delicious products are not lost but instead enjoyed by future generations.”
Ditters last had a CBD store in 2012 on Gawler Place, operating since 2019 from its Melrose Park factory door while continuing sales online and through national outlets like David Jones.
The city store revival was sparked by a visit from Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith, who a year ago toured Ditters’ production site. She encouraged Matt and co-owner wife Esther to return to the CBD, connecting them with Renew Adelaide for support.
Ditters’ long-standing association with the Adelaide CBD stretches back to the 1920s, when they had a shop in Pirie Street, across the road from the Adelaide Town Hall, so it’s a real treat to have their distinctive aroma and products return to our city.
Founded in 1918 by Otto Ditter, the business became renowned for roasted nuts, dried and glazed fruits, and its famed Ditters Gourmet Cake. Adapted by Dawn Ditter from an American recipe, the cake uses just a thin layer of batter to hold a rich mix of dried and glacé fruit and nuts – a recipe still cherished and baked in thousands each year.
All of Ditters’ signature treats are now available at the Adelaide Arcade store, managed by Esther, a graphic designer who has illustrated the story of Ditters on its new gift boxes.
Shoppers will also be greeted by a commissioned portrait of Otto Ditter by local artist Marisha Matthews, unveiled at an official launch on Thursday, 11 September. The store will feature other nods to Ditters’ rich history, including a quote by Sol Simeon in the Sunday Mail, 11 July 1982, describing Ditters as a “treasure of South Australia”.
Ditters is now open in Shop 22, Adelaide Arcade.
