Verkade

In the Zaan-area, more precise in Wormer and Jisp, already in the 17th century biscuit was produced as food for crew on the many ships that sailed from Holland. By baking the product twice, all water is distracted from it. As a result of it, the product stays eadible over a long period of time. The widely spread production in these villages was eliminated by regulations from Amsterdam that created new work for the own bakers in the city.

Because of the expanding population in the cities at the end of the 19th century the established bakers in Amsterdam could not provide enough food by themselves. In a wide range around Amsterdam breadfactories were build. The bakeries produced braed during the day. At night, when the ovens were tempered, biscuit was baked using wasteheat. It was E.G. Verkade that established a bread and biscuitfactory in Zaandam. Verkade sold his biscuits in tin barrels. To stimulate sellings Verkade attched illustrations with the product that could be used to fil albums with. This became a major success.

The Verkade factory is one of the best examples of a complex that has been developing over a longer period of time. The buildings carry important architectural and social-historic values because of the different buildingstyles an buildingtypes. Verkade complex is not accessible for the public at this moment. The complex is to be redeveloped for housing, offices and a museum. The surroundings of Verkade are in the public area, the complex kan be viewed from outside.

Verkade
Westzijde 103
1506 EJ Zaandam
Zaanstad
Noord-Holland
Netherlands
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