"Our customers appreciate – in addition to the products – the personal contact, our reliability, and our handshake quality," says Erik van den Brink, Managing Director and Sales Director of DKB. The company places great importance on a business relationship characterized by mutual respect and trust.

"A close connection and genuine partnership with our customers is extremely important to us – this creates a solid foundation," emphasizes the Managing Director. "While the competition often offers a standard assortment, we are very flexible and cater to the needs of our customers. If possible and desired, we also deliver just-in-time. We respond to every customer inquiry and then see what is possible. With us, almost everything is tailormade."

The fact that customer demand is so high is certainly also due to our own research and development department. It constantly responds to market requirements and even takes into account the machines used by customers when developing new formulations.

ECS Breadcrumbs and MasterMix

With a variety of delicious recipes for a wide range of products, the solo operating company MasterMix in Terschuur under the umbrella of DKB convinces its numerous customers. Whether for meat, poultry, or fish as well as snacks, potatoes, or vegetarian products - the Dutch specialists always find the right solution.

The spectrum of products includes spice mixes, rubs, and dry marinades, sauces, and coating solutions such as pre-flouring, breader, wet batters, clearcoats, and tempura batter. The portfolio is rounded off by breadcrumb mixes and functional blends.

The second sole proprietorship, ECS Breadcrumb Industry located in Barneveld, is the perfect complement to MasterMix. Here, around 25,000 tons of breadcrumbs are produced annually. ECS Breadcrumbs is thus also an important supplier for MasterMix within the company.

Genuine Family Business

Jan van Veen founded the company in 1955, collected bread from local bakeries, and subsequently processed it into breadcrumbs. Since 1993, the company has been baking its own bread, which is then turned into breadcrumbs. MasterMix was founded in 1996, and in 2016 a new, highly modern, and largely fully automated bread factory was opened in Barneveld.

The majority of the owners are the Dokter family along with CCO/CFO Erik van den Brink. The company's management, which has around 120 employees, is made up of John Dokter as CEO, his son Bjorn Dokter, and Erik van den Brink. DKB supplies the food industry with high-quality products through ECS Breadcrumbs and MasterMix, which are then used to produce enjoyable foods for retail.

Customers worldwide

In addition to the core markets of the Benelux and Germany, DKB now serves customers all over the world. "Each customer is taken care of by an Account Manager," explains Export Manager Gunnar Sieg. "Just in the Benelux region alone, four employees are dedicated to sales. We are constantly in contact with our customers and where we are strongest, there is also the greatest proximity."

Customer engagement also includes marketing activities. "We see and recognize the most important trends," says the Export Manager. "That’s why our inspiration magazine, which contains new ideas and suggestions for our customers, is published three to four times a year. Additionally, we regularly appear at trade fairs all over the world. A highlight is the upcoming Food Ingredients in Frankfurt where we will have our own beautiful booth (28 to 30 November, 4.1C160).

Employees at the Center

The largely fully automated bread factory in Barneveld is naturally controlled electronically and other processes are organized digitally where possible. Sustainability, another central theme of our time, also receives great attention from DKB. "Here we are very active," assures Erik van den Brink. "So, we are constantly looking for ways to save energy." But for the managing director, sustainability is not limited to the environment, he also focuses on the well-being of the employees: "We treat our employees with a lot of love and care."

This appreciation is also reflected in the corporate culture, which is characterized by flat hierarchies and short paths. "The doors are always open," observes Gunnar Sieg, the export manager from Germany. "It's a real family business where mindfulness is highly valued and employees are always the forefront. Such a company does not exist in Germany."

Growth is Fun

The signals are clearly set for growth in the future of the empathetic, family-run company as well. Erik van den Brink: "We want to significantly expand our capacities in the coming years and let the systems behind it grow along with us. We are aiming for substantial growth. Growth is fun." This enjoyment runs through the entire history of the family company founded over 65 years ago. Having been in the market in its current form for almost 30 years, DKB wants to continue positioning itself as a reliable and quality-conscious partner to its customers.