Van de Leur and Royal Smilde Merge Businesses in Order to Boost Bakery Sales

07 Jan 2016 –-- The new combination of the two family businesses aspires a leading role in the Dutch market for industrial bakery products and ready to fill pastry products. Robert van de Leur, Managing Director of Van de Leur Banketspecialiteiten believes the change will have a positive impact for customers and sales alike: “The acquisition fits very well with our objectives to achieve sustainable growth. Our product categories are fully complementary. We will be able to offer our customers a comprehensive range of ready to fill pastry products and finished products, in either yeast dough and puff pastry.”

Alex Kruiter, Managing Director of Smilde Bakery, told FoodIngredientsFirst that customers are the main reason for the growth the business: “There are a lot of small scale bakeries in Europe, our customers will benefit with a larger assortment of products. The main factory in Edam will focus on the technology of puff pastry dough, Bolsward on yeast dough and we have a dominant market share in all kinds of pastry shells.”

Kruiter highlights the importance of the Smilde name: “Family owned companies' main goal is company continuity and we have already been around for 153 years and we want to sustain this goal.”

Ronald Prince, CEO of Royal Smilde explains the new development: “We are quite happy about the acquisition. Van de Leur activities fit perfectly with our strategy to create a unique, customer-oriented bakery company, with an international scope and a strong focus on innovation. The production site in Bolsward is particularly well-suited for baking all types of pie crusts, with or without filling, and for upscaling new concepts.”

Kruiter will lead the management in Bolsward with the support of Technical Director Arend Smilde. Having stepped down as Managing Director since the start of the year, Robert van de Leur will also be present in Bolsward during the changeover transition.

The acquisition is expected to have a neutral effect on employment in Bolsward. There might be some overlap in functions, however these are expected to be compensated overtime by growth in the number of production-related employees. There are currently 75 Van de Leur employees and 240 Smilde Bakery Employees.

Kruiter confirms the growth in the factories will be positive: “We are aiming at real sustainable growth so in the long term the factory will only expand.”

by Elizabeth Kenward