Douwe Egberts facts for kids
Douwe Egberts building in Utrecht, Netherlands in 2002
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| Type | Beverages |
|---|---|
| Owner | JDE Peet's |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Introduced | 1753 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Tagline | "No ordinary jar. No ordinary coffee." |
Douwe Egberts is a famous Dutch brand that makes coffee. It is mostly owned by a company called JDE Peet's. The brand started way back in 1753 in a town called Joure, Netherlands. A man named Egbert Douwes opened a small shop there. He called his shop "De Witte Os," which means "The White Ox."
His shop sold groceries, but later it focused on coffee, tea, and tobacco. By 1925, the company was named Douwe Egberts. This name came from Egbert's son, Douwe. They also got their well-known red seal logo with "D.E." on it.
They used to have a tobacco brand called White Ox. This name was a nod to the first shop. Douwe Egberts sold this brand in 1998. In May 2017, Douwe Egberts started selling coffee in special aluminum capsules for coffee machines.
At the end of 2019, Douwe Egberts joined with another company called Peet's Coffee. Together, they formed a new company named JDE Peet's. In May 2020, this new company was listed on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. JDE Peet's earns about €7 billion each year.
How Douwe Egberts Began
The story of Douwe Egberts started in Joure, a town in West Frisia. This is where Egbert Douwes opened his grocery shop in 1752. He named it "De Witte Os," or "The White Ox."
In 1780, his oldest son, Douwe Egberts, took over the business. The company then took on his name, which is still used today.
Fair Trade Coffee Case
In 2007, Douwe Egberts was involved in a court case. This happened with the Dutch Province of Groningen. The province wanted its coffee machine suppliers to use coffee that met certain standards. These standards included the EKO organic standard and fairtrade rules.
Fair trade means paying a fair price for coffee. It also means giving extra money to help coffee farmers and their communities. Douwe Egberts sold some coffee brands with their own ethical rules. They argued that Groningen's rules were unfair to them.
After several months of talks and legal challenges, the province of Groningen won the case. This was seen as a big win for fair trade. Coen de Ruiter, who led the Max Havelaar fair trade group, said it was an important moment. He explained that it allows government groups to choose coffee that helps fight poverty. This means your daily cup of coffee can make a real difference.
See also
In Spanish: Douwe Egberts para niños
