COMPANY HISTORY

The company’s origins date back to 1918 when Jac’s grandfather Louis started a potato trade together with his father and two brothers. They did this until the second world war. As a result of evacuation, the three brothers then each started working for themselves. Louis mainly does this in Vught and the surrounding area. He starts there with the sale of fruit and vegetables from a van and on the market.

In 1968 Jac takes over the company and continues in the same vein. At the beginning of the 1970s, a fruit and vegetable store was added in Vught. In 1975 he started the current potato wholesale. At the time, this was aimed at sales to fruit and vegetable stores and cafeterias, specialised in French fries. In 1988 Jac decides to invest in a new computer-controlled weighing and packaging machine and to focus on sales to the fresh produce wholesaler.

In 1990, Léon, Jac’s son, starts his own company: he takes over the sale of potatoes to fruit and vegetable stores and cafeterias. From 1993, Léon has added transport for third parties to its activities. In 1994 Jac’s other son, Jeroen, comes to work in the business. In that year it was decided to merge the two companies and the current company was created on 1 January 1995. From that moment on, the company starts to grow steadily, and soon and soon has too little room to grow. The company then was located in the center of Ammerzoden. At that time, the municipality wanted to realize a new shopping center at this location and starts negotiations about relocating the company. After several years of negotiation, both parties agree.

The relocation of the company to the Uilecotenweg in Ammerzoden was realized in November 1999. At this new location near the Uilecoten industrial estate, a new production and distribution center has been built on a site of over 9,000 m2. Here, all kinds of potatoes are washed with the most modern machines and produced in every conceivable packaging and prepared for shipment to the wholesaler or distribution center.

The growth of the activities will continue strongly in the following years. In 2002, the Natubalans brand, which had been included in the range since the early 1990s, was bought from C. Meijer B.V. From this moment on, the cultivation and sale will take place under our own guidance. In the spring of 2003, a new brand and packaging was introduced for export, Castle Potatoes (international variant of Kasteel potatoes). In the spring of 2004 this will have a little brother: Castle Grillers. Under this brand, grill potatoes, sorted by weight, are marketed in boxes and belt bales. At the end of 2006, the department for export products was expanded with a robotised packaging line, stacker and wrapper. All kinds of export packaging are being produced and palletised with this line.

2007 is the year in which the organization was expanded with sister company Aardappelteeltbedrijf Ammerzoden BV. This company is located in the ultramodern potato storage and cooling facility, which has been realized on a purchased plot behind the existing company. The specialty of this company is managing the potato cultivation, grading and storage. For this purpose, the building has 13 mechanically cooled and ventilated rooms, in which potatoes can be optimally conditioned and stored.

At the beginning of 2008, the range will be expanded with a line of exclusive French potatoes under the name Chateau Pommes de Terre. From that moment on, the potatoes are offered in a luxury 12.5 kg box and 1 kg net bags (clip nets). The company is thus taking further steps towards specialization and niche markets.

A new production line is being built with which both stand-up bags (also called “Vert bags” or “Carry Fresh”) and trays can be packaged in flowpack. The ‘Chateau Pommes de Terre’ line is being expanded with this packaging, making it a fully-fledged range.

A new part was built behind the existing cooling facility. It has a special construction, because the extension has overhead doors all around. When all these doors are opened, you have a canopy under which the wind has free rein and that is exactly the idea behind this part of the company. Jac called it the ‘windy shed’: batches of potatoes that come from the land and that are unloaded here in crates can be left here to dry for some time. By opening doors opposite each other, there is a draft and this natural ventilation ensures that the excess moisture from the adhering soil of these potatoes evaporates, without forcing that moisture is extracted from the potatoes. A nice side effect is that no energy is needed for this!

A second washing line has also been realized in this part of the company. A compact, flexible line where batch changes can be done quickly and where potatoes can be polished: the skin of our potatoes can be washed spotlessly clean here.

Jeroen decides to go his own way; the company thanks him and says goodbye. Jac and his son Léon continue the company together.

As of 2014, work will be carried out on a new Corporate Identity: the heading of the company, the way of working and the products we supply no longer match the identity that has been used until then. That is why we have opted for a look that underlines what Jac van den Oord Potatoes stands for: a customer-oriented specialist, a professional who stands for his product and who goes very far to fulfill the customer’s wishes.

This package with a new logo, payoff and corporate identity was presented in the spring of 2016 and is received very positively.

Jac van den Oord Potatoes – LOVING POTATOES

The new robot line for filling boxes is taken into use in 2016. From automated setting up, filling, labeling and closing of boxes, to the robotic stacking of various types of boxes on different types of pallets: in short, a flexible, fast line that will help us to grow within this product group.

Jac dies after a short illness. Léon continues the business.

2018 was all about the 100th anniversary that was celebrated in the autumn of that year. Various activities were organized throughout the year to celebrate this special anniversary.

The Potato Girls Britt and Lynn produced no fewer than 100 vlogs on various themes: from insights into the cultivation and production process of our product to potato facts and cooking competitions between the witty grannies of the potato girls.

A well-attended open day was also held in the spring: this day was organized during the local ‘Farm experience’, together with several other companies in the area and attracted thousands of visitors.

In the autumn a big party was organized for family, staff and business relations. This day was also used to present a book about 100 years of Jac van den Oord Potatoes: “Welcome to our world of potatoes”. This book was written by Janneke Hobo, in collaboration with Henk de Koning who researched the history of the Van den Oord family and the company. With this, the history of the company is definitely on paper!

In the spring of 2018, an existing line was expanded and a vertical flow packer was commissioned, with which quadroseal block bottom packaging is produced. Within the Natubalans product line, two 1.5KG block-bottom packs are introduced with firm-boiling and floury-boiling potatoes.