History
De Ruiter’s Bakkerij has been located in Ooltgensplaat since 1950. The most distinctive speculaas cookies in the Netherlands are baked there almost every day, allowing people to enjoy a unique speculaas moment anywhere in the world.
17th century
Where it all began
Many claim that speculaas originated in the 17th century, when many herbs and spices were stored in Amsterdam. A unique combination of these fragrant spices became the basis for speculaas.
Mid 1950
Molendijk in Ooltgensplaat
You smelled it as soon as you walked past it. The tastiest products were baked for the first time on Molendijk in Ooltgensplaat.
1967
Opening of the bakery on Pieter Biggestraat
In January 1967, the new Bakkerij de Ruiter bakery on Pieter Biggestraat was opened. Little Hansje was only two years old when he handed the bakery key to Mayor v.d. Harst.
The seventies
From pastry bakery to speculaas specialist
During the bleak winter months, the wind blew past the houses, people hid their faces inside the collar of their winter coats and the employees at De Ruiter worked overtime. The speculaas season was in full swing and that meant that plenty of speculaas was baked between September and December.
1970 > 1986
Major speculaas production on Pieter Biggestraat
1985
1st pile of the new factory on Dorpsweg
Always around December
Sinterklaas
Speculaas has long been a popular seasonal product and an important part of the Dutch Sinterklaas celebration. The ovens started firing months in advance to meet the demand at the end of the year.
Around 1990
Product range expansion
De Ruiter’s Bakkerij kept innovating. We not only baked traditional speculaas in our bakery, but also other products, such as coffee cookies. Speculaas chunks and speculaas winter cookies would eventually be added to the product range.
May 12, 2009
Fire in the bakery
On the fateful day of May 12, 2009, a fire broke out in the bakery. The entire bakery burned down within a few hours and only a single wall was left standing. Fortunately, no one was injured.
2010
Brand new bakery
The bakery was completely reconstructed in 2010.
