Meesterbakker Robèrt van Beckhoven from Oisterwijk has again a hassle with people who want to have money from him. Earlier it became clear that money lenders who invested in one of his companies in 2019 lost their money (partly). Now, after research by Omroep Brabant, it appears that money has already been raised in 2017. Local entrepreneurs would have invested 500,000 euros together at the time, but at least one of them can whistle to 50,000 euros, according to documents and old e-mails.
Earlier, Omroep Brabant wrote about the crowdfunding campaign that Van Beckhoven started in 2019 for his new company Kafé van Leer. That company no longer exists and some investors have lost (part of) their money. Lawyers question the behavior of Van Beckhoven, the crowdfunding platform still investigates the case.
Also read: Experts said this about the state of affairs regarding the crowdfunding campaign
Relatives
Now it appears that it was not the first time that Van Beckhoven asked others to get in his pouch for his baking company. Already in 2017, two years before the crowdfunding campaign for Kafé van Leer, De Bakker also raised money for the same company at least one, but reportedly several Oisterwijk entrepreneurs.
Omroep Brabant spoke with the son -in -law of one of the entrepreneurs who deposited money in 2017. What makes the case extra painful is that his father -in -law died in 2020 and the relatives had to contact the Van Beckhoven company to get the money back.
Not wide shared
According to them, there were around ten Oisterwijk entrepreneurs who each invested 50,000 euros, together it would be half a million euros. They would receive that amount, plus several thousand euros interest, in parts repaid. Unlike the crowdfunding campaign, this investment round was not widely shared with the outside world.
Van Beckhoven cannot be confirmed whether there are indeed, in addition to the relatives who spoke to Omroep Brabant. Because of the privacy, he does not want to make statements about how much and which investors have contributed to the project at the time.
Three weeks quiet
Omroep Brabant saw several documents and what is certain is that an interest of 1500 euros was paid several times according to agreement. But this did not happen in 2021 and 2022. The family contacted the Van Beckhoven company via a notary with the request to refund the remaining part of the investment (according to agreement).
The e -mail exchange that Omroep Brabant seized shows that Van Beckhoven did not intend to cross the bridge. Three weeks after the first message, someone from the Finance department replies: “Unfortunately, we do not have the financial resources to meet the payment obligation.” According to the relatives, a request for further explanation will not be heard.
Who is Robèrt van Beckhoven?
Gerard Robèrt van Beckhoven is a baker, pastry chef and presenter. He won several (international) prizes and was a supplier of Efteling with his company.
In 2012, Van Beckhoven gained national fame with the children’s program CupcakeCup and since 2013 he has been a jury member in the well-watched TV program Heel Holland Bakt.
Van Beckhoven is the only Dutchman who can use both the title Master Patissier and Master Boulanger.
‘Faster than a bank’
The state of affairs raises questions, also with a view to the crowdfunding campaign from two years later. Annual figures show that Kafé van Leer will have substantial debts at that time in 2019. What is the money that happened two years earlier? Van Beckhoven also wants to say nothing about this after asking Omroep Brabant.
When asked why the master baker always turns to (local) investors and not a bank, Robèrt van Beckhoven and his (business) partner Pirjo de Winkel say: “It appeals to us that crowdfunding ensures direct involvement of investors, who often Customers or ambassadors also have extensive procedures and long lead times before a loan is provided. Crowdfunding is the procedure faster and smoother. “
In conversation
The investors who participated in the crowdfunding campaign of 2019 informed Van Beckhoven in the short term about the handling of the case. They are assisted by a lawyer.
Whether the investors from 2017 still get their money back remains unclear. After questions from Omroep Brabant about the case of the relatives, Van Beckhoven only says he cannot respond to individual files.