Remco and son Sem Natzijl can now call their business ‘Best snack bar in North Holland’. Their daily freshly cut fries, hospitality and the ambiance were the deciding factors in winning. Remco thinks that this prize will contribute to the continued existence of their snack palace now that the costs for purchasing and energy are increasing: “It is certainly a helping hand.”
Thanks to votes from society, Frederik Ambachtelijke Friet can now call itself the best snack bar in our province for a year. With an average rating of 9.7, the business of Sem and Remco Natzijl took first place in the catering prices.nl competition.
A beautiful new business, provincial price in the pocket and many satisfied customers. However, not everything goes smoothly.
When the entrepreneurial duo initiated the move to a larger, more central building last summer, they did not think they would have to pay much more for some products. “Everything has increased by about 35 percent on average,” says Remco.
Watch the report with Remco and Sem here:
Sem and Remco feel supported thanks to the prize for the best snack bar in North Holland – NH News
The product of which the price has risen most drastically is the oil in which the fries are fried. “Half a year ago we paid 17 euros for a package, now it’s 32 euros. So that’s almost double.” For Remco it is not an option to use the oil longer now that the prices are so high. “I don’t want to make any concessions in that,” says the owner.
Sem tells us what purchasing looks like now. “There isn’t a single product that hasn’t gone up. Everything has become more expensive. I think purchasing is the hardest part.”
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According to Frans van Rooij of the Association of Professional Deep-Fryers, there is a real crisis in the sector. “We see that there are already companies that have closed their doors. Business will also close in the coming weeks.”
Raising the prices of fries or a snack is also not always possible, Remco and Sem say. They want to prevent a visit to the snack bar from becoming a real luxury. According to van Rooij, this is also the case with other snack bar owners. “We notice that many entrepreneurs are cautious about raising prices. For entrepreneurs, this means that they have to sacrifice their own income.”
Businesses will collapse
Frans van Rooij says that the price increases will now have real consequences for entrepreneurs who work with deep fryers. “As a trade association, we have done research and asked our supporters to fill in a questionnaire. I expect that several hundred companies will have to stop. There are 5,700 cafeterias and snack shops in the Netherlands and it is possible that 300 to 500 companies will collapse.”
Sem remains positive and is convinced that his and his father’s business will last. “Certainly, 100 percent. And in an even better condition than what we’re in now.”