Beginning in 1975
Roots and tradition
When HANOS first opened its doors, the Dutch culinary scene was still small. Every village had a church, a pub and a Chinese restaurant, that was about it. However, this is where the tradition of the diverse range of culinary dishes and products began: the Chinese-Indonesian kitchen was the first to introduce Dutch people to foreign flavours like curries, chilli sauce and rice. The acceptance of unusual ingredients, which characterises the Dutch culinary world, originates from this time. Very different from for example French and Italian kitchens, Dutch food preferences usually aren't limited by their cultural gastronomic heritage. French bistro style restaurants became popular in the Netherlands during the seventies and many Dutch people tried snails and frogs' legs for the first time. Speaking of ingredients acceptance!
During this period, the key words for HANOS's service were reliability, a quick response to specific requests and a focus on the highest quality, especially for the catering industry. The quality of HANOS products as well as their advice and service had to exceed the quality of supermarket products at all times.
The eighties...
Nouvelle cuisine
During this period, HANOS rapidly developed further thanks to the nouvelle cuisine trend. Several famous chefs laid the foundations for a new Dutch gastronomic tradition. Professionals like Cas Spijkers, Robert Kranenborg and Cees Helder differentiated themselves from the simpler bistros through their focus on top quality and high level preparation methods.
All of a sudden, chefs were turning to Rungis Market for the latest food trends and best ingredients. HANOS followed suit with a stronger focus on purchasing. Quite a challenge. In those days, chefs tended to simply tell the supplier what they needed, which they subsequently came to pick up at HANOS or ordered through us. HANOS was the supplier of products which a chef thought he needed in his kitchen. Those products had to be on the shelves and if they weren't, we would be requested to go and find them on specialised markets. In those days, it wasn't unusual to have culinary advisers visit the famous Rungis Market in Paris, looking for new food trends and exotic products for their clients.
The world was a lot smaller before the arrival of internet. Product information came from gastronomic reference books and trends, developments and new products were found through specialised suppliers. It's the time when the Netherlands started to develop a more mature gastronomic tradition, initiated by a few eccentric pioneers.
The nineties...
Tapas, sharing en fusion
The time of global food around the corner. The arrival of the internet and lower flight prices meant that customers had seen and tasted more of the world. Chefs also became more well-travelled and could exchange product information with professionals in other countries more easily. This was also the time of TV cooking shows. In the Netherlands, Joop Braakhekke and Cas Spijkers were the first TV-chefs.
One of the culinary phenomenons that really changed the playing field was the tapas restaurant. Plates with small bites of food that were meant to be shared with everyone around the table, became a big hit. 'Food sharing' started with tapas. Chefs also discovered ingredients from all over the world. The Japanese kitchen, Chinese, Moroccan, Thai - inspiration was found on all continents and combined with the French tradition into a trend called Fusion. Despite the broad acceptance in those days, the real fusion restaurants of the nineties weren't all equally successful.
For HANOS, it was a time of pioneering and developing. The demand for interesting and exotic products increased and our assortment quickly expanded. It also became more and more important that we had specific knowledge about how to use those products and to interest and inspire professionals.
From the noughties until now...
Opposite movements
This period is characterised by abundance and unlimited culinary possibilities. Internet and social media mean that people from all over the world are constantly connected. It leads to the most wonderful combinations. Trends that start in Tokyo and New York, make their way to London before they reach the Netherlands and Belgium. Initially in the larger cities, but internet and social media mean that it doesn't take long for them to reach places outside the cities either. Sushi, dim sum, burgers, food trucks... all these trends arrived in record time and were embraced by both entrepreneurs and customers.
But there's also an opposite movement. Away from international ingredients and fast food, wanting to reduce food miles and celebrating local products. The concept of Slow Food has reached the Netherlands too and local producers are the new heroes. A dynamic time, which requires two totally different things from HANOS. On one hand, we must be familiar with and be able to supply all the relevant, international flavours, products and trends and on the other hand, the demand for exclusive ingredients from small-scale, local producers, is increasing. HANOS responded by expanding its team of culinary advisers. Every HANOS wholesale store has a regional specialist, who focuses on the suppliers and catering companies in that particular region.
At the moment
Concept is king
No successful catering organisation without a good concept. Your concept translates into a story and this means that you and your employees, e.g. chefs and service staff, have to be able to communicate this story to the guests. However, a good concept stands or falls on issues as company clothing, your menu card and last but not least on the atmosphere of your establishment.
Our role as catering wholesaler has also evolved. Of course, we continue to be your supplier, but we also want to introduce you to new techniques, concepts and trends. The specialists in our wholesale operations are available to assist you with this each day. We don't do this single-handedly. In cooperation with our partners as Studio Senses, Kaja and Van Gestel, we are able to take the burden off your shoulders and think along with you through every step. This allows us to offer added value in each segment. From quick service restaurant to boutique hotel, from 3-star establishment to eatery and also from design to assortment.
