Verkade bakery factory celebrates its 125th anniversary

ZAANSTAD – The Verkade brand of bakery products and chocolates has a long history. This year marks 125 years since founder Ericus Gerhardus Verkade started baking bread and rusk at the site of the grain windmill De Ruyter, which lives on in Verkade’s horse and rider logo. Verkade’s industrialized production followed the 1885 packaging innovation of the koekjestrommel, the biscuit tin. Verkade soon focused on the more profitable rusk and cookies line and was very adept at creating a positive company image, which later included the affectionate slogan of ‘the meisjes van Verkade’, the Verkade girls in advertising. It should surprise no one that Verkade’s anniversary would reach back in time by recognizing the oldest former Verkade girl, 91-year-old Willy Blokland at a special ceremony at which she received the first copy of the anniversary tin edition.