Royal Smilde Timeline

1863
Arend Egberts Smilde opens a butcher's shop on the Herenwal in Heerenveen.
1890
The company begins to export meat, to England specifically.

1898
Brothers Sybren, Jan and Roelof Smilde establish VOF Gebr. Smilde, with locations in Heerenveen and Harlingen.
1902
The brand name 'Natura' for packaged pure beef fat is recorded in the trade register.

1914 – 1949
Gebr. Smilde continues to operate throughout the First and Second World Wars, despite crisis and convention.

1955 – 1975
Smilde increases its number of fat melting facilities in the Netherlands. Start of fat melting in Germany. In 1974, around 700 employees achieve annual turnover of 170 million Dutch Guilders. By the spring of 1975, Smilde Holding BV has 11 production operations, six warehouses and three sales offices abroad.
1963
In 1963, it's time to raise the flag: Smilde celebrates its 100th anniversary.
1973
Smilde acquires 'Benninga's Friesche Margarinefabrieken' in Leeuwarden, and thus becomes active in the margarine, oils and fats market. These form the basis of Smilfood and Romi Smilfood.

1979
Takeover of 'Fano' in Oosterwolde and 'Finefood' in Emmen. Smilde moves into the 'chilled fresh products' market.
1981
Smilde acquires 'Pruvé' in Edam, and so enters the bakery sector.
1988
To mark its 125th anniversary, the company is granted the honorary title 'Royal'.

2007
The Animal Fats business unit is sold off. Three years later Koelvers and MOV merge to form Smilde Foods, a company focused on salads, sauces, margarines, oils and fats. Operations for margarine, oils and fats are concentrated in Heerenveen, and for chilled fresh in Oosterwolde.
2010
The change in business units seems the perfect time to design a new logo for the whole company.
2011
History repeats itself. Over a century after brothers Sybren, Jan and Roelof came up with the brand name Natura in 1902, Natura started a new life in 2011. And just as 1902, it is a completely new and innovative concept.

2012
The management decides to concentrate Smilde Bakery production in the factory in Edam.
2013
Royal Smilde celebrates its 150th anniversary. In addition to an anniversary party, there is an exhibition of the company's history in the Willem van Haren museum in Heerenveen.
2014
Royal Smilde acquires the well-known consumer brand HomeMade. Adding these trendy baking mixes to the shelf proves to be a perfect addition to Smilde Bakery.
2016
Smilde Foods acquires the salad activities of United Food Family. This comprises salad production by De Kroon Salades in Oudenbosch and by Van Oers in Boxtel. In this same year, Van de Leur Banketspecialiteiten of Bolsward is welcomed to the Royal Smilde family. This acquisition enables Smilde Bakery to treat its customers to a complete range of semi-manufactured pastry products in both yeast-leavened dough and puff pastry dough.

2016
On Friday 18 March 2016, CEO Ronald Prince and Mayor of Heerenveen Tjeerd van der Zwan firmly drive the first pile of the new factory in Heerenveen. It marks the start of Master Plan 1: the construction of a completely new series of storage tanks for Smilde Foods.
2017
Acquisition of Fred & Ed. The leading brand for children's products is the latest addition to the family.
2018
Construction of the new head office in Heerenveen. Arend Smilde has the honour of driving the first pile. The start of a new chapter in the family company's history.
2019
19 September sees the official opening of the new  head office by the Smilde family and the mayor of Heerenveen,
mr. Tjeerd van der Zwan.