Our story

De Smaakspecialist develops, produces and distributes durable nutrition. We honestly believe in the power of organic food and it’s positive influence on the health of man and the world. With utmost care for humans, animals and nature we create the most beautiful organic products for in the supermarkets, mostly under our own brands like Smaakt, Biotoday and RAW Organic Food. Of course we do all of this with a reason.

Our dream

‘Het Markdal’ in Breda. A beautiful stretch of nature just near the village called Ulvenhout. That’s where it once all started. About ten years ago six enthusiastic supermarket entrepreneurs took a chance.  At the office at home they were working their fingers to the bones to conquer the supermarket with their beautiful products; which they felt were sometimes lacking. As Teamzes they started and what started as a hobby quickly developed into a serious business. And that is when you have to decide, do you go left or right? With the growth of the company, ambition grew as well. Together they decided that Pieter Dirven would, from now on, run the company. And he does so with a clear vision in mind.

Organic Food for everyone

According to Pieter the supermarkets didn’t just lack beautiful products, but also products that are made with care for the world. Responsible, healthy food available for everybody made with love and attention for humans, nature and the environment; that was the dream birthed from the conviction that we ourselves are responsible for caring about our environment. That is how in 2011 ‘de Smaakspecialist’ was born. And with that a journey started, out into the world of organic farming, pure ingredients and eco-friendly packaging.

A journey that has, by now, delivered us a broad catalogue, from tenable to fresh nutrition, partially under our own brands like Smaakt, Raw Organic Food, Biotoday and Goodbugs. Our organic products have conquered their own place in the supermarket. And hopefully they’ll be able to reach customers from that shelf and make them aware of organic nutrition. Above all we want to make the purchase of organic products as simple as possible, to keep beloved places like ‘het Markdal’ in existence with honour.

Pieter Dirven

B CORP CERTIFICATION

Using business as a force for good

At the end of 2018, De Smaakspecialist obtained its B Corp sustainability certification. With this, De Smaakspecialist thus meets strict requirements in the field of social and environmental performance, transparency and liability. As a certified company, De Smaakspecialist works with a long-term vision, constantly improving in the value chain, optimizing business impact and creating good working facilities. As a B Corp company, we demonstrate that impact leads to scalability, profitability and positive change.

 

Why a B Corp certification?

“The certification was not a goal in itself, but it is a nice confirmation of the existing daily practice that De Smaakspecialist contributes to a better world on all fronts,” says founder Pieter Dirven. “It is nice to see that elements that form the basis of our organisation, such as sustainable purchasing and fair pricing, have now also been tested on the basis of the very strict assessment.”

 

For Maarten de Leng (Director Commercial & Sustainability), the circle is complete. “The certification makes transparent that the business model and the mission of the organization are fully connected. It is precisely then that the continuity of the organization is guaranteed and the added value and impact can be increased.”