Roosendaal, Oudenbosch, Stampersgat

In Roosendaal, the sugar processing industry is still very much alive. Sweet products like Winegums by Red Band, icing sugar by Van Gilse, Duo Penotti chocolate spread and Lonka fudge come from this town. The history of the sugar industry in West Brabant goes way back.

In 1858, the first beet sugar factory in the Netherlands was opened in Zevenbergen. Just 15 years later, 20 of the 33 sugar factories established in the Netherlands were in West Brabant. In a very short time, tall chimneys and huge factories had risen in the flat landscape. The sugar factories were built in existing (peat) harbours of places like Roosendaal, Oudenbosch and Bergen op Zoom. But also in outlying areas on navigable water in municipalities such as Oud Gastel, Dinteloord and Etten-Leur.

Extracting sugar from sugar beet was a complicated process requiring expensive machinery. Capital to realise sugar factories came from Amsterdam industrial circles, from some Belgian sugar factory owners, but mostly from local capital owners without any experience in the sugar industry. Above all, it was the predicted profitability that enticed them to invest.

The sea clay soil in this region was very suitable for growing sugar beet. The navigable water ensured that the harvested beet could be easily brought in from all around the area (especially from Zeeland) via ships. The proximity of railway lines also played an important role.

Despite the huge investments, the factories only operated for part of the year. This was because sugar beet had to be processed in the sugar factories immediately after harvesting, otherwise the sugar content declined. Sugar beet harvesting lasted three to four months and started from around September. This processing period was called the sugar beet campaign. Almost all residents of the surrounding villages were engaged in the sugar beet campaign at that time. Beets were transported by carts, ships and even over a local narrow-gauge railway built for that purpose.

The west of Brabant still has the largest number of sugar beet farmers in the Netherlands, together with Zeeland. Because Dinteloord, near Stampersgat, is home to 1 of the 2 last remaining sugar factories in the Netherlands, the sugar beet campaign still takes place every year. Virtually all sugar beet in a line below Rotterdam and Nijmegen is brought to Dinteloord's modern sugar factory and processed.

This cycle route takes you to important sugar villages, (old) sugar factories and houses of sugar manufacturers. Treat yourself to an ice cream or other sweets along the way.


This premium route was compiled by our editor: Elwin Croeze