For Mikey van der Zalm (23) and his wife Nassima (22), 2025 is already an unforgettable year now. Since 1 February they are the proud owners of Bram Ladage Zoetermeeraround that time they moved to an apartment nearby and their son Zayn was born at the end of March. “We go right from zero to one hundred.”
Tip: on Thursday 1 May, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., you score Bram Ladage Zoetermeer A bram (bag of fries) for only 1 euro, including sauce of your choice (fritess sauce, curry or ketchup).
Bram Ladage runs like a common thread through the life of Mikey. As a child, he already looked at his uncle and aunt with great admiration who ran a branch and knew: I want that later too. What he did not know at the time was that he would even meet the love of his life there. And that – thanks to the strong support of his parents, he emphasizes – he would make that dream come true at a young age. Together with her.
The first meeting
“At the age of seventeen I went to work at Bram Ladage Gouda, at my uncle. One day Nassima came to order fries for herself and her colleagues. She immediately noticed me. When she came back later because she had forgotten the receipt, I mentioned the order by heart.” He always remembers the orders, “my uncle said.”
Always cheating
Nassima worked in the store diagonally opposite Bram Ladage, he knew through the logo on her clothing, and since that day he always peaked in. “At one point she knew exactly what time I would walk by. Then we always laughed at each other. I thought: she is so beautiful, she has a friend anyway. Yet I walked inside with my brother to ask her song.” He really has to hear me, “she told him. It turned out that she also had an eye on me.”
Work hard together
Appen did Mikey, and so their love story started about three years ago. In the meantime, Mikey Bram Ladage Gouda exchanged for the branch in the Rotterdam market hall, where his aunt is manager, and not much later Nassima also made the switch. In the end they worked together for a year and a half.
“You see each other a lot. I think some relationships should never start, but we did it top. I picked her up at eight o’clock a week. Then we drove through the traffic jam to Rotterdam and we worked until half past eight in the evening.”
The perfect picture
Mikey had a dream to pursue: his own location. After a marriage ‘with all the trimmings’ on October 20, 2024, the director of Bram Ladage soon came to the brand new couple. “They were looking for a new franchisee for the Zoetermeer location and wanted to offer us the opportunity to grow. He thought Nassima and I support each other very well and that we form the complete picture: she is an atmosphere maker, very customer -friendly, and I make sure that everything is arranged to the dots.”
A move, own business and baby
Since 1 February the two are at the helm of the branch in Stadshart and around that time they moved within a new -build apartment within walking distance. Less than two months later, their son Zayn was born. Spicy, but they are fully enjoying.
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Positive reviews
Mikey enjoys the interaction with customers and working with beautiful, fresh products. “If there are problems, I like to solve them. We even enjoy cleaning – ensuring that the store looks great – and the afternoon pits. That kick, the adrenaline that I get from getting rid of those rows by all popping. I can do that every day.”
“According to the staff, I always radiate peace, also during bustle and chaos. They really like that. And if you read all those positive reviews online, you really go to bed with a good feeling.”
Proud of Nassima
Bram Ladage Zoetermeer There is open seven days a week in Stadshart. Mikey works four full days, Nassima three. Usually alternately, but at the weekend they always stand together for one day. Then Mikey still looks at his wife with admiration.
He proudly says: “The director immediately saw that Nassima has talent with creation. It takes a lot of time to get the fingers in most people and get really fast, but after that first week she could already work alone in the Markthal. She is now the fastest author and people within the company really look at her. It all seems like it should have been like that.”
Fries for a euro
Mikey and Nassima would like to celebrate the acquisition of ‘their Bram’ with you. That is why you score a bram here on Thursday 1 May between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – a bag of fries – for only 1 euro!