The nut market is currently under pressure. While nut prices fluctuate due to poor harvests in countries such as Turkey and rising transport costs, Noix Notenatelier aims to continue supplying high-quality products to specialty shops, catering, and retail. "Demand for freshly roasted nuts continues to grow, especially as consumers increasingly value quality and craftsmanship," says Jasper van Dijk of the nut company.
© Noix Notenatelier
The origins of Noix Notenatelier lie in Zeist, where Jasper worked in his younger years at the award-winning Notenwinkel van Zeist. "During my time there, I saw the shop grow from 50 square meters to eventually 300 square meters," he continues. "When I finished my studies, Edwin, the owner of the shop, and I came up with the idea of bringing the nuts we sold to the hospitality industry. It was 2020, and we set up a limited company, bought a van, and entered the catering business. That went well until the coronavirus broke out. Then all the catering businesses had to close their doors, and we lost a large number of customers."
However, the saying 'when one door closes, another opens' soon proved true for the entrepreneurs. "What we noticed then was that specialty shops were actually doing well. Farm shops, greengrocers, cheese shops, and small supermarkets were allowed to stay open, and people were spending money there that they would normally spend in restaurants. This gave us the idea to start supplying these specialty shops. We developed a new concept, created new packaging, and began delivering our products to shops throughout the Netherlands."
© Noix Notenatelier
Fresh and artisanal roasting
Growth followed quickly. "It progressed smoothly. First with one van, then two and three, and soon we rented premises to expand production and storage. But by 2022, it had already become too small, so we moved to larger premises in De Meern, near Utrecht. In 2023, we decided to separate from the shop in Zeist and continue under the Noix Notenatelier brand. With this brand, we supply top-quality fresh nuts to specialist shops, the hospitality industry, catering wholesalers, food service, and Christmas package packers."
The foundation of Noix Notenatelier's success lies in the quality of its products. "The roasting method has a significant influence on the final flavor. We roast the nuts fresh in oil, by hand, in small batches of about 3 kilos. This ensures an artisanal and even roast," Jasper explains. This is a key difference compared to many competitors who roast by machine. "With machine roasting, the nuts can be unevenly roasted, resulting in a burnt or undercooked taste."
© Noix Notenatelier
Hand-roasted for retail
Noix Notenatelier soon identified opportunities to further differentiate itself in retail. "After the corona period, we received increasing requests from supermarkets, particularly independent ones. However, we did not want to offer the same product we supply to specialty shops." As a result, Handgebrand was established. "It is a brand with the same high-quality product, but with a smaller range and a different focus, specifically aimed at retail."
Handgebrand nuts have been available on Jumbo shelves nationwide since January 2025, and the response has been promising. "The brand is performing well, particularly in the drinks segment. We have noticed that consumers increasingly value high-quality products."
© Noix Notenatelier
Expansion to Belgium
Noix Notenatelier also sees opportunities beyond the Netherlands, particularly in Belgium. "We are already present on a number of shelves at Jumbo Belgium with our Handgebrand nuts and have also achieved success with our Noix Notenatelier brand at Colruyt Group specialty shops," says Jasper. However, he notes that Belgian consumers are not yet accustomed to their roasting method. "In Belgium, it is not yet common to roast nuts fresh in oil as we do."
Does this make them hesitant to adapt their process for the Belgian market? "No, certainly not. We produce our nuts in the way we believe is best and do not simply adjust our production process to consumer preferences. We have experimented with other methods, such as dry roasting, but have not yet found a method that matches the taste of our oil-roasted nuts. If we do, we may adopt it, but for now our fresh-roasting method remains the best choice. Quality comes first, and we do not want to compromise on that."
© Noix Notenatelier
"Moreover, you can see that nuts are marketed differently. In the Netherlands, entire walls are dedicated to different types of nuts, while in Belgium they are still mostly placed within a combined drinks shelf," he explains. Nevertheless, he remains confident in the potential. "We are determined to continue promoting our freshly roasted nuts. We believe we will eventually convince Belgian consumers of the quality we offer. At the recent Tavola in Kortrijk, we already received very positive feedback."
Price pressure and market dynamics
Market dynamics also play an important role. "Prices often fluctuate due to poor harvests in countries such as Turkey, geopolitical developments, and rising container and transport costs. Fortunately, we are not yet facing major issues, but we do see prices increasing, particularly for lighter products such as salads. We continue to manage these fluctuations creatively and aim to pass them on to our customers as effectively as possible. So far, they understand and are willing to cooperate."
© Noix Notenatelier
In recent months, rebranding has been a key focus for Noix Notenatelier. "We are currently working on a new, more colourful brand identity that better reflects current trends and consumer preferences," he says. Packaging is also being reviewed. "For example, we are exploring square packaging, which is more practical for transport and more sustainable. There is still much to be done, but we are certainly optimistic about the future."
For more information:
Jasper van Dijk 
Noix Notelatelier
Tel: +31 (0) 85 4009669
[email protected]
www.noix.nl
