HEALTH AND NUTRITION
Stories from the field
Responsible Frying
The 'Responsible Frying' campaign (Verantwoord Frituren in Dutch) has been running for some time, but it is far from a paper exercise. That was evident again in 2025, when MVO visited four restaurants across the Netherlands on behalf of the campaign. Each entrepreneur has a distinct story — from family-run businesses and new ventures to themes of health, innovation and, at times, adversity. What they share is a conscious commitment to responsible frying using liquid frying fats or oils. MVO has documented their experiences. Through these testimonials, Responsible Frying demonstrates what the campaign truly represents: not just guidelines and criteria, but real people making informed choices every day behind the fryer. These are stories of craftsmanship, deliberate decisions and engaged entrepreneurship — for their customers, their businesses and the future of the sector.
What is Verantwoord Frituren?
Responsible Frying is an initiative of MVO – the Dutch oils and fats supply chain organisation – and Koninklijke Horeca Nederland. The campaign promotes the use of liquid frying fats and oils within the hospitality sector. Liquid frying fats and oils contain higher levels of unsaturated fats and are in line with the Dutch Nutrition Centre’s dietary guidelines. Food establishments participating in the campaign meet clear criteria — referred to as the campaign’s guidelines — and demonstrate that good taste and responsible health choices can go hand in hand. The campaign goes well beyond guidelines and product selection alone. Responsible Frying is about craftsmanship and conscious decision-making in day-to-day business operations. The entrepreneurs’ stories show how these principles are put into practice. You will find shortened versions of their stories in this article; the full interviews are available on 'Ondernemers aan het woord'.
Route 88 – Rhenoy
Quality as a guiding principle, even in difficult times
For Daphne de Bruin, the past year has been demanding. Due to health issues, she was forced to put her snack bar, Route 88 in Rhenoy, up for sale. “I simply couldn’t manage it physically any more,” she says. Still, she looks back with pride on the six years she ran the business. “What I loved most was the contact with customers. You get to know their stories, their regular orders. I’ll really miss that.” One thing she was always strict about was the quality of the food. “Good oil is incredibly important to me. It’s healthier. That’s what you want for your customers.” That became especially clear at the start of the war in Ukraine, when a temporary switch had to be made to a different type of oil. “The smell and the taste were different. We won’t be doing that again.” Daphne also makes conscious choices in her personal life. “At home, we only eat from the snack bar on Fridays. It should stay something special.”
Van Empelen – Amersfoort
A family business where quality has been central for generations
Ed and Martha van Empelen know what it means to run a business. Their snack bar in Amersfoort-Noord has now been operating for 50 years. The milestone was celebrated last June with a bold promotion: 50 per cent off all products for an entire week. “The queues were unbelievable,” Ed recalls. “I had to go to the wholesaler three times a day.” Martha adds with a smile: “We can laugh about it now, but we’ve never worked that hard.”
Van Empelen is a true family business. Ed’s mother, now 83, still helps out for a few hours each week, and their daughter is preparing to take over in the future. Ed and Martha even met here. “She started working on a Tuesday, and by Saturday we were together. That was 42 years ago.” Quality has always been their priority. “We were among the first in the Netherlands to adopt Responsible Frying,” Ed says. “We want to offer our customers the best possible option. And the taste of liquid oil is simply better. For us, the choice was obvious — we’ve never gone back.”
’t Markkantje – Terheijden
A fresh start and conscious choices from day one
Remco van Gool made a striking career change. When, as a lorry driver, he was required to replace his truck with a far more expensive electric model, he decided it was time for a new direction. In his village of Terheijden, the local snack bar, ’t Markkantje, became available at just the right moment. “Nothing had been done to it for 26 years, but I could see its potential,” Remco explains. Banks were hesitant, but through crowdfunding he raised the necessary funds for both the business and the house behind it within a matter of hours. With the help of family and friends, the premises were completely renovated. The snack bar opened on 1 January 2025, just in time for the carnival season. As for the trade itself, Remco admits he still had much to learn, so he spent several weeks training with the previous owners. “I didn’t think the fries tasted that good at first, so I immediately switched to responsible, healthier oil. The difference is clear — it’s much better now.”
FrieteRia – Dronten
Innovation, care and an eye on the future
Ria Dekker is bringing her working life to a close with an impressive record to her name. Named Businesswoman of the Year in Flevoland and winner of the Innovation Award at Horecava, she is now preparing to hand over the business to her son Daniël and daughter-in-law Kim. FrieteRia is located on an industrial estate — but that has never been a disadvantage. “Everyone can park right outside,” Ria says. At the heart of the business is care: for customers, for staff and for one another. Innovation plays a key role in that approach. The Dekker family developed their own infrared fryers, reducing energy consumption by 35 per cent. “We’ve used good-quality oil from the very beginning,” Ria explains. “Our products must be both healthy and sustainable. We also think about the future of our grandchildren.”
And soon, she will have more time to spend with them.
