Business Ideas Part 2
These ideas are mainly food related - because I'm a real foodie and it occupies my thoughts much of the time.
Some are specific for the U.S. market and others are ideas that I think would work really well in the Dutch market.
1. In the Netherlands, there are a number of very successful farm-restaurants. That's the best translation I can come up with. Basically, they are large restaurants that are out in the country side that people stop at while they are on a bike ride and other people drive to them specifically. Why they are popular is because they have a great atmosphere. Some of them are located in old, beautiful farm houses. Some of these farm houses still have animals nearby. And that is a nice thing, too because it gives you something extra to do with the kids. Look at animals. Like a petting farm. A lot of them use ingredients in the cooking from the land that they farm. Because of the amount of land surrounding the farm-restaurants - they often have very big play areas for the children. I love it. How many times we've been able to go out with the children and actually have grown up conversations depends on if the restaurant has a lot of room for the kids to run around. They hardly eat anything anyway. Most of these restaurants that I have been to have a lot of traditional type meals. For breakfast and lunch - it's french fries and egg omelet type meals. Dinner menus include more fancy fare. There is almost always Dutch pancakes on the menu.
So, I think this type of restaurant would work really well and be very popular in the U.S. I was thinking of a place like Cache Valley, Utah. There is a big farming community there and people in the U.S. eat out a lot anyway. And I would include the Dutch theme in the restaurant. Definitely include Dutch pancakes on the menu. And give the restaurant-ranch a catchy Dutch name like Kinderdijk or Little Holland.
Here is an example of one such Farm-restaurant: De Brandevoortsehoeve. It's just outside Eindhoven - in an area being developed but still has lots of land around. They also have a little country grocery store with fruits and vegetables grown on their land. And also jams and jellies and stuff like that. They have some of the best french fries I've ever had. And super good bread and super yummy turkey sausages. I love the uitsmijters as well which is kind of like - Diner food. It's toast with a fried egg and usually bacon or ham and it's super yummy. Here is a photo:
2. Stroopwafels. They are being imported a lot into America. My brother said he found some at Costco. The problem with that is they can get stale. The idea is to set up a kiosk in any mall and make them fresh. At almost every outdoor farmers market in the Netherlands there is a one-person stand making and selling fresh stroopwafels. So, this is something you could do anywhere. My brother had the idea to sell them up at the ski resorts with hot chocolate. Or you could go a little larger scale and get a contract to have them fresh baked in local gas stations and hotel/motels. Both great ideas.
Now, the main thing I would like to do - if I were to do a stroopwafel business in the U.S. is to dip them in chocolate - because then they are amazing. You could also sell them at your local farmer's market and state fairs. It really is a state fair type food!
3. This is for the Dutch market. Most restaurants and cafe's are in the downtown of any city. I live in Eindhoven. And most restaurants - at least the good ones are all in one central place. There are a few other ones here and there but the thing that stands out to me most is that there is no where to eat in Veldhoven by the hospital. So there is this stretch of road (Kempenbaan) between the freeway and ASML. ASML is a super huge building - a super huge network of buildings that employs a lot of people. Next to ASML is the hospital. Near there are many, many other businesses because it's a business park area - industrial park area (De Run). And there is no where to eat. There is a gas station. And that's it. So, the thing that I think someone should do - who has a lot of business capitol - is to put in a nice restaurant/diner/cafe along that stretch of road somewhere. There will be plenty of people flocking there to eat. But I think it should be a 50's diner type restaurant that is open late and that serves diner food. Because let's face it - diner food is the best. There is something for everyone at a diner. Or they should put in a mini food court type place - like you see at gas stations sometimes - because there isn't even a McDonald's or Burger King or anything quick to eat there. Mark used to work in the area and he said that if they wanted to go out for lunch they had to go closer to Veldhoven downtown or into Eindhoven... or there was a friettent (french fry shack) nearby but that was it.
Now I know a lot of those businesses have catering and cafeterias - but it doesn't hurt to have some options! I used to work at a company that had a cafeteria - but still, my co-workers and I went out for lunch almost every day. Mark says it's an American thing to eat out - but let me tell ya - ASML employs a lot of Americans and other internationals - and I bet they would like to eat out!
Related Posts:
Business Ideas
Double Dipped Stroopwafels
Some are specific for the U.S. market and others are ideas that I think would work really well in the Dutch market.
1. In the Netherlands, there are a number of very successful farm-restaurants. That's the best translation I can come up with. Basically, they are large restaurants that are out in the country side that people stop at while they are on a bike ride and other people drive to them specifically. Why they are popular is because they have a great atmosphere. Some of them are located in old, beautiful farm houses. Some of these farm houses still have animals nearby. And that is a nice thing, too because it gives you something extra to do with the kids. Look at animals. Like a petting farm. A lot of them use ingredients in the cooking from the land that they farm. Because of the amount of land surrounding the farm-restaurants - they often have very big play areas for the children. I love it. How many times we've been able to go out with the children and actually have grown up conversations depends on if the restaurant has a lot of room for the kids to run around. They hardly eat anything anyway. Most of these restaurants that I have been to have a lot of traditional type meals. For breakfast and lunch - it's french fries and egg omelet type meals. Dinner menus include more fancy fare. There is almost always Dutch pancakes on the menu.
 |
| Dutch pancakes with bacon - yum! |
So, I think this type of restaurant would work really well and be very popular in the U.S. I was thinking of a place like Cache Valley, Utah. There is a big farming community there and people in the U.S. eat out a lot anyway. And I would include the Dutch theme in the restaurant. Definitely include Dutch pancakes on the menu. And give the restaurant-ranch a catchy Dutch name like Kinderdijk or Little Holland.
Here is an example of one such Farm-restaurant: De Brandevoortsehoeve. It's just outside Eindhoven - in an area being developed but still has lots of land around. They also have a little country grocery store with fruits and vegetables grown on their land. And also jams and jellies and stuff like that. They have some of the best french fries I've ever had. And super good bread and super yummy turkey sausages. I love the uitsmijters as well which is kind of like - Diner food. It's toast with a fried egg and usually bacon or ham and it's super yummy. Here is a photo:
 |
| From the Menu at Brasserie bij Slik |
2. Stroopwafels. They are being imported a lot into America. My brother said he found some at Costco. The problem with that is they can get stale. The idea is to set up a kiosk in any mall and make them fresh. At almost every outdoor farmers market in the Netherlands there is a one-person stand making and selling fresh stroopwafels. So, this is something you could do anywhere. My brother had the idea to sell them up at the ski resorts with hot chocolate. Or you could go a little larger scale and get a contract to have them fresh baked in local gas stations and hotel/motels. Both great ideas.
Now, the main thing I would like to do - if I were to do a stroopwafel business in the U.S. is to dip them in chocolate - because then they are amazing. You could also sell them at your local farmer's market and state fairs. It really is a state fair type food!
 |
| The most delicious stroopwafel I ever ate! See link below. |
3. This is for the Dutch market. Most restaurants and cafe's are in the downtown of any city. I live in Eindhoven. And most restaurants - at least the good ones are all in one central place. There are a few other ones here and there but the thing that stands out to me most is that there is no where to eat in Veldhoven by the hospital. So there is this stretch of road (Kempenbaan) between the freeway and ASML. ASML is a super huge building - a super huge network of buildings that employs a lot of people. Next to ASML is the hospital. Near there are many, many other businesses because it's a business park area - industrial park area (De Run). And there is no where to eat. There is a gas station. And that's it. So, the thing that I think someone should do - who has a lot of business capitol - is to put in a nice restaurant/diner/cafe along that stretch of road somewhere. There will be plenty of people flocking there to eat. But I think it should be a 50's diner type restaurant that is open late and that serves diner food. Because let's face it - diner food is the best. There is something for everyone at a diner. Or they should put in a mini food court type place - like you see at gas stations sometimes - because there isn't even a McDonald's or Burger King or anything quick to eat there. Mark used to work in the area and he said that if they wanted to go out for lunch they had to go closer to Veldhoven downtown or into Eindhoven... or there was a friettent (french fry shack) nearby but that was it.
Now I know a lot of those businesses have catering and cafeterias - but it doesn't hurt to have some options! I used to work at a company that had a cafeteria - but still, my co-workers and I went out for lunch almost every day. Mark says it's an American thing to eat out - but let me tell ya - ASML employs a lot of Americans and other internationals - and I bet they would like to eat out!
Related Posts:
Business Ideas
Double Dipped Stroopwafels
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