On November 5, Jurgen and Rob Banken, the second generation of the family-owned company Banken Champignons, received the Family Business Legacy Award 2025. The award was presented by TV presenter Renze Klamer and Marieke Kopinsky, Partner Tax and Leader Family Businesses at EY Netherlands.
The Family Business Legacy Award is part of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 program, which also includes the Emerging Entrepreneur Of The Year Award, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Award, and the Social Impact Award. EY grants the award to family businesses that have demonstrated continuity, responsible ownership, and long-term vision across generations. Banken Champignons had previously been a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in 2015.
© Banken Champignons
Banken Champignons was founded in 1956 by Henk and Stien Banken, among the early pioneers of mushroom cultivation in the Netherlands. At that time, mushrooms were still a relatively unknown product in the Dutch market. Henk handled sales while Stien managed harvesting operations at home.
Over the decades, the company has evolved from a small local producer into one of Europe's larger suppliers of fresh mushrooms to the food retail and food service sectors. Under the leadership of Jurgen and Rob Banken, the business expanded to more than ten sites across Europe, including production, packaging, and distribution facilities. The company remains family-owned, continuing its focus on the cultivation and processing of mushrooms.
The Family Business Legacy Award recognizes the long-term development of the business and its contribution to the Dutch horticultural and food production sectors. According to EY Netherlands, the award aims to acknowledge family businesses that demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and intergenerational stewardship.
During the award ceremony, EY representatives noted that family businesses play an important role in regional economies through job creation, innovation, and sustainable business models.
In a statement, EY Netherlands said that the award "acknowledges entrepreneurs who have shaped their businesses over generations and created lasting value through their commitment to responsible ownership."
The Banken family's 70-year involvement in mushroom cultivation highlights a continuous focus on modernizing production while maintaining family governance. The recognition reflects nearly seven decades of agricultural and operational development since the company's founding.
Banken Champignons' history and growth are seen as representative of broader trends in Dutch horticulture, where family enterprises remain central to the sector's structure and innovation capacity.
© Banken ChampignonsFor more information:
Barend Derks
Banken Champignons
Tel: (+31) 24 3667454
Email: [email protected]
www.bankenchampignons.com
