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The De Gruyter Factory
- ± 1.5 hours
The stories behind 'The candy of the week'
Food giant De Gruyter was once the largest employer in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Perhaps you’ve heard of ‘The candy of the week’? This small gift for children was intended to build customer loyalty. At its peak, nearly 7,500 employees worked at over 500 stores. De Gruyter only sold its own brand products. In the Gruyter Factory on Veemarktkade, coffee was roasted, jam was made, and biscuits were baked in abundance.
A new purpose for the factory
When the modern supermarket emerged, the curtain fell for this grocer in the 1970s. After standing empty for a while, the former factory was thoroughly restored in 2010. This gave it a new purpose: a wide range of creative and innovative entrepreneurs and artists moved in. Today, the Gruyter Factory is the creative hotspot of Den Bosch, where ± 200 entrepreneurs are active.
Industrial heritage Den Bosch
During the tour, guides from Kring Vrienden van ‘s-Hertogenbosch take you back to the heyday of this piece of industrial heritage. They tell you about the rise, the business philosophy, and the eventual decline of the company during a walk through the enormous building. You’ll hear anecdotes from former Gruyter Factory employees, view beautiful photos from the past, and see how the former factory halls have been given a new function.
Guided tour of the Gruyter Factory
The Gruyter Factory is owned by the BIM, which has successfully given this industrial heritage a new purpose in a modern way. Good to know: there are quite a few stairs to climb during this tour.
For group packages, you can fill out the online request form or contact the Kring Vrienden van ‘s-Hertogenbosch booking office via 073 – 613 50 98 or by email reserveringen@kringvrienden.nl.
More information about the Gruyter Factory: Heritage ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Free City Tour
Complete your day: hop on the Blue Angels, the free city bus that shows you the city in half an hour. Click here for the route.
Prefer to book by phone?
Up to 2 weeks in advance by phone 073 – 613 50 98 or via the desk at Parade 12.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Closed on Mondays.
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We celebrate the love for our city every day!
With boat tours, city walks, or guided tours in unique monuments and Museum Kruithuis, we bring the stories of ‘s-Hertogenbosch to life. At the same time, we are committed to preserving and protecting the city’s historical heritage. This way, we actively share the history of ‘s-Hertogenbosch with residents and visitors of today and tomorrow.