The story of

A look at our past, now and the future

A LOOK INTO OUR HISTORY

A LOOK INTO THE PAST AND INTO THE FUTURE
Founded in 1948, SMITS has grown from a family business into an international leader in the food market. With over seventy years of experience and specialization, SMITS keeps expanding and evolving. Together with our farmers, and a small – but big – office and factory team.

SMITS' laid its foundation for cleaned and sliced onions in 1975, on request of a loyal customer. We had one condition: we will offer a pure product, without any artificial additives. Our promise still stands, and SMITS' Dutch onions still have the same impeccable quality they had fifty years ago. With a minimum shelf life eleven days.

With our current team, we daily run large productions with a quick delivering time. Our employees closely work together, with each other and with our customers. Everyone keeps up to date about mutual expectations, both internally and externally. This way, SMITS' personal approach and tailor-made advice remains intact.

VISION

At SMITS we realize that we work with a special crop. The onion has a prominent place in many traditional recipes around the globe. Our goal is to fully meet our customer’s wishes, by providing a pure and versatile product, that enriches any recipe or meal. Our ​​onion rings and cubes are exactly that. Nowadays, SMITS has become an integral part of the ready-made food market. A role that inevitably comes with responsibilities, out of respect for our product, the environment, and our employees. Humans and machines are inextricably linked in our production process. This means we aim to provide excellent working conditions, have respect for animals and the environment, and focus on targeted manufacturing. In the center of SMITS, the knife cuts three ways: job satisfaction, a 100% zero waste/circular principle, and a ready-made and versatile ingredient. These core themes form the umbrella for the company we are today, and lead SMITS into a sustainable future.

SMITS’ TEAM

SMITS started as a family business in 1948. We honor its tradition: our team consists of forty people who know each other well on and beyond the work floor. By having a great team dynamic, we can maintain the quality of our products while really working together: at SMITS, job satisfaction comes first.

Rapid, technological changes make regular team meetings the foundation of engagement in the workplace. Every week we discuss a variety of topics concerning SMITS as a company. Think of questions like 'what are our pillars', what’s our main focus for the coming months' and more. And, above all: why are we making these new decisions?

SMITS’ agile way of working leaves room for innovative solutions: “The onion is a tangible, vulnerable produce. We require our products to meet the highest achievable quality, which demands a sharp eye for constant adjustment and a short-term perspective," SMITS' director Johan Otto explains.
The best way to go about this way of working, is with a relatively small team; people who understand each other. “We run sprints of up to three months, to maintain momentum and flexibility. By doing so, we achieve our goals while having the flexibility to make necessary adjustments along the way.”

Production manager Wahid’s career started 22 years ago, and according to him, no day at SMITS is the same. “I began my career at SMITS as a junior factory employee. Over time, I started assisting the production manager with tasks like machine operation and staff management. Now, I took over his role and lead our team. The positive vibe on the work floor

reflects our team’s spirit: everyone has their own tasks fitting their personal strengths. Staff are given the opportunity to explore different skills or focus on one expertise. There’s a reason why I've happily been working here for twenty years. We see a great future, in which we can learn more”, says Wahid.

SMITS' HISTORY IN IMAGES

QUALITY

Enriching

SMITS onions are practical and professional to use. Our careful cutting process eases the kitchen’s workload and adds sophistication to every recipe. However small or large your needs.
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Production

Humans and machines are inextricably linked in SMITS' production process. This includes excellent working conditions, respect for animals and the environment, and targeted manufacturing.
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Raw & Pure

Onions grow best with care and attention: we take care of our farmers, while our farmers take care of their land. Together, and with mutual trust and solidarity, we produce a beautiful product.
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ZERO WASTE

Through continuous innovation, providing our ambitious employees training and workshops, and communication in the workplace, we stay connected with the zeitgeist. Self-development has a central role: we work together with Werkgeverservicepunt to offer people with a distance to the job market a good workplace. By looking at our employees’ needs, we can offer tailor-made and personal career guidance during working hours, if desired. This is how we involve our team in SMITS as a company. And it’s how we increase overall job satisfaction within our diverse team. “Our employees’ well-being matters to us. We want our people to enjoy working here,” Johan concludes.
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Elbe 33-37
2491 BT Den Haag
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