Dick Aerts was sure that he wanted something with food. After two unfinished studies, the only question was: what exactly? “My girlfriend told me to do something that makes me happy.” Suddenly he had it. Dick started making port syrup. That is a unique product that is not made on this scale by anyone else in the Netherlands. Immediately business credit of Qredits and good courage, his idea became a huge success.
Ernesto port syrup
Dick has always worked in the hospitality industry and has a passion for the food sector. His dream was to do something with product development at Unilever. This was impossible without a diploma. “That’s why I created my own dream job,” he says. He started experimenting from his rented house. “I once made port syrup when I worked in the hospitality industry and I think it is a very special product.” It is not produced on a large scale anywhere in the Netherlands. He started experimenting from his rented house.
Dick soon outgrew his rented house. Within three months he needed pallets full of glass to store all the port syrup. “It was impossible: my girlfriend went crazy. Everything stuck.” He decided to rent a kitchen. Shortly after, an industry distributor picked up his product. “That’s when we really started to run volumes.” Ernesto port syrup is now sold in various supermarkets, wholesalers and more. Dick’s company – EMV Food – has grown into a food development company.
From a valley to a peak
Then the lockdowns started. “It actually went very well for a while, but we have a lot of catering customers. That all came to a halt,” says Dick. That is why Dick turned to Qredits for a bridging loan. “Nobody was really eager to help during that period, but it was different here. My situation was listened to. At a bank or other financial institution you have to fall into a certain model and if that is not the case, you will not qualify for anything. I told my advisor Marnix the whole story: my figures, the process, why my product is so unique and why it deserves a chance.”
customization
Fortunately, Marnix agreed with Dick. He got a bridging loan, but together the two looked even further at what it takes to make the port syrup a success. “After the first lockdown, things suddenly went very fast. Delicatessen stores were filling up and we benefited from that.” Marnix recommended an extra piece of financing to keep up with this explosive growth. “I am not a number to him, but an entrepreneur with a unique story. You don’t see that customization and personal aspect much anymore.”
More than port syrup
Dick now does more than just make syrup. He also develops sauces and gravies, for example. “The goal is to be ahead of the trends. That is why I want to develop new products and discover new product groups more and more often,” he says. “For example, we see that a lot is done with vegan sauces, but I still see a gap when it comes to the experience of the dish. A vegan version of stew with smoked sausage that really tastes like that, for example. With a vegan, deep, rich gravy on the side.”
Although EVM Foods is growing, Dick prefers to keep his feet in the clay. He prefers to hire people for the practicalities. “Others are much better at that. I may be the boss, but more of a Willy Wonka type. Let me make tasty things all day long!”
About Qredits
Coaching, training and credit. That is Credits. A springboard for starters, a buddy for beginners and a flywheel for stayers. In other words; Qredits is for starting entrepreneurs and existing entrepreneurs. In all industries. Whether you start your own bakery, are self-employed in construction, or want to expand your shop; it starts with entrepreneurship. And entrepreneurship starts with Qredits.