In 1992, Pete and Susan Van Wyhe opened the doors of Dutchland Frozen Foods for the first time. Their first product? A hand-braided Danish pastry — carefully, skillfully, and patiently prepared with the kind of time and the right mentality that you only find in a small-town kitchen.

With the help and guidance of Pete’s parents, Wayne and Jennie, and a lot of faith, the Van Wyhes got to work in a renovated bank building on Main Street in Lester, Iowa. It was not pretty, but it had heart — and soon enough, the pastries spoke for themselves. The rich, buttery flavor and from-scratch quality every braid contained was unlike any other, and word got around. Customers loved it.

Success Based on Core Values

As news spread and sales flourished, Dutchland’s production capacity went along with it. In 2003, the Dutchland team expanded the facility by adding an additional 9,000 square feet — just a representation of the incredibly rapid growth of the company and the plan for the future. The growth in quantity also meant an ability to scale production, but their commitment to product quality never changed. From well-sourced ingredients to small batch testing, quality has always taken precedence. Dutchland ventured into fundraising in 2006 with the now beloved Pastry Puffins — light, flaky puff pastries stuffed with fruit or cheese topped with sugar crystals. In 2017, they launched ButterHearts, a new fundraising staple made with delicate layers of artisan puff pastry. Each product embodies their core values: baking with care, serving with purpose, and treating everyone like family.

Innovation with Tradition

Dutchland has grown into a nationally respected supplier of clean-label frozen pastries, hundreds of products in total and over 80 unique creations offered including the Pastry Puffin and ButterHeart, to thousands of foodservice operators, retailers, and private label clients across the country, in the decades since their humble beginnings.

The facility has evolved significantly to what you see today. There are multiple production lines, large volume blast freezers, a spiral proofer, and a full R&D department and still in Lester. Dutchland has received a BRC AA rating for food safety, launched private label partnerships, and in 2022 acquired Pappy’s Pie Dough to strengthen their grocery offerings.

How unique is that, considering the continued expansion are still grounded in the fact that it’s a family-run business. Now in the fourth generation, the Van Wyhe family continues to propel the company into new challenges with the same grit, faith, and family-first spirit that started it all.

A Pastry with A Story

Dutchland’s success has never been about the product alone — it is who and what comes with the product. It’s about the people involved: the employees who roll out the dough and the customers who receive the products and bake them fresh. Every part of the company reflects the legacy of Dutchland — tradition, trust, and taste.

Every pastry that ships out of the Dutchland facility, reflects a tiny piece of that legacy:

✅ Small-town craftsmanship

✅ Family-led principles

✅ Clean label

✅ Not sacrificing quality

Because Dutchland doesn’t make frozen pastries. They make food that feeds families, raises funds, builds communities, and brings people together.

Would you like to learn more about the products we offer or simply start a conversation to work together?

Let’s have a conversation; the next chapter of our story could start with you.