Our group has been active in the food sector since the ’50s. Founder Jan Zandbergen opened his first butcher shop in Leiden in 1955, gradually expanding to a total of 18 establishments. Zandbergen also opened a cutting plant and started to work as a purchasing agent for third parties. The latter activities would eventually develop into the firm’s core business. In 1992, the company moved its headquarters to Veenendaal in the heart of the Dutch Food Valley. With his engaging personality, commitment and business acumen, Jan Zandbergen continued to build the organisation, laying the groundwork for its development into the global player it is today.

In 1995, Jan Zandbergen handed over the reins to the next generation. The organisation increasingly shifted its focus from trading activities to business partnerships. In recent years, the company has managed to successfully capitalise on changes in the market – working to create added value via extra services, an expanded product range that includes hybrid and plant-based products, new product and marketing concepts, product development and tailored solutions for its partners.

In 2015, Jan Zandbergen added Diviande to its roster, a company that specialises in the portioning and packaging of meat products. In 2019, it established the Future Food Group, which focuses on the development and production of plant-based products. Together, these three companies form the Jan Zandbergen Group, Innovation that Matters.