Evert Mooijer, the man who made Klaas Puul one of Europe''s largest seafood processing companies, has passed away.
Mr Mooijer grew Klaas Puul from a small business run from a garage in Volendam, northeast of Amsterdam, into a seafood empire with locations in seven countries, a turnover of about €200m and around 3,500 employees.
Current CEO Sander van den Berg said that there have been “defining moments in which Evert dared to take steps that others didn't. Evert didn't spend much time studying extensive prognoses and cost-benefit analyses. He made them on the back of a beer mat and, after that, he mostly followed his instincts. And they seldom let them down. He was a unique entrepreneur in many ways, and a remarkable person.”
1960s onwards
Mr Mooijer’s career began in the mid-1960s when Klaas Puul started out as a fishmonger in Amsterdam with the aim of building his name in prawns and shrimps. When, in 1989, the home peeling of shrimps was prohibited by law, he took the bold step of building of a new peeling plant in Tangier, Morocco. “It was a huge investment, which was not without risks,” commented Mr van den Berg.
Five years ago, Mr Mooijer handed over the day-to-day management of the company, in which investment company H2 Equity Partners now owns just over 50% of the shares. However, the 70-year-old remained involved and seven months ago laid the first stone of the new office headquarters in Volendam, together with wife Gaartje and their grandchildren.
A new fresh products plant of 5,500 sqm will also be built by the company. In the neighbouring town of Edam, the current frozen products plant will be expanded by 3,500 sqm. “With these new plants, we are definitely ready for the next 25 years,” stated Van den Berg. 'The company is in excellent shape. We will absolutely miss his bold entrepreneurship and passion, but Evert will always be part of Klaas Puul.”
