Life’s work Waalwijk snack bar owner disappears due to high energy prices

In many years that Rene runs the snack bar with his wife Miranda, they have experienced price increases before. The potatoes have become more expensive and the energy price has also risen more often. Rene used to pass that on to the customers. “But that was a small difference. Now that is no longer the case. French fries would then be at least twice as expensive,” Rene explains.

He doesn’t want his customers to pay for a normal fries with mayonnaise for almost six euros. “You just can’t do that,” he says firmly. “Moreover, customers will probably also say: ‘Hold on, we’ll bake them at home’.”

Rene started baking chips as a young boy. “I started in a neighborhood cafeteria when I was fifteen. I really liked that and that’s how I got into it.” And with success, because his snack bar in Waalwijk is popular among the local residents. “On Saturday we announced via Facebook that we are going to stop and we received a lot of reactions,” says Rene. He continues with a small tremor in his voice: “People are very sympathetic, it is overwhelming. It brings tears to my eyes,” he says.

Frans van Rooij of the trade association ProFri previously stated that potentially 70 percent of the Dutch chip shop sector is in need. Rene knows that many colleagues are trying to reduce costs by adjusting opening hours. He has also tried that himself, but because energy prices are not falling, it does not help. In January, another 1,800 euros will be added to that, he says frustrated. “I am very sorry, but staying open no longer yields anything; we work for Eneco.”

Now the chip maker from Waalwijk has made the difficult decision to give up. A decision he wouldn’t have had to make had it not been for the crisis. “I really like being in the chip shop, but the fun is gone. We see no other solution.” Still, Rene and Miranda keep the door ajar to reopen in the future if energy prices ever fall again. .