On 18 March 2026, the Leeuwarden District Court declared the company Frysk-Witlof bankrupt, appointing Mr. NHM Poort as receiver. Frysk-Witlof produces Belgian endive year-round on a very large scale. The company from Sexbierum cultivated over 300 hectares of Belgian endive from roots of Dutch and German origin, making it the largest Belgian endive producer in the Netherlands.
Commenting, Dennis Blankendaal said the company had run into financial difficulties due to a combination of unfavorable market conditions and disappointing results. "At the same time, raw material and labor costs have risen sharply in recent years, which has put considerable pressure on margins. In addition, significant investments were required due to overdue maintenance, which further worsened the liquidity position. This combination of factors ultimately led to the current situation."
"The intention of the bank, trustee, and The Greenery is now to continue operations until the season ends in order to meet creditors' claims as much as possible. It is also possible that a takeover candidate may emerge in the meantime, as significant investments have been made in recent years. After all, it is not a run-down operation. All in all, it is very unfortunate that we have to go through this. Worst of all, we have to lay off employees who have given more than an above-average commitment to this company. We therefore hope that they will be able to get back on their feet," Blankendaal said.
