Duyvis
A Dutch snack brand specializing in peanuts, nuts, savory snacks, and dip sauces.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Duyvis is a Dutch food brand associated primarily with peanuts, nuts, savory snacks, cocktail nuts, and dip sauces. Its history is rooted in the oil-milling and agricultural-processing traditions of the Zaanstreek in the Netherlands. The Duyvis name has been associated with the region since at least the sixteenth century, while the family enterprise that developed into the modern business was established around the windmill De Ooijevaar near Oostzaandam. In the nineteenth century, the Duyvis family expanded from oil milling into a larger industrial operation producing cattle feed and vegetable-oil products. The company’s early business was not primarily a snack business. In 1806, Teewis Duyvis inherited De Ooijevaar, an oil windmill built in 1670. The mill processed oil-bearing materials, with linseed oil produced as a by-product of cattle-feed manufacture. Under later generations of the family, the enterprise expanded to several mills, at one stage owning seven windmills, mainly around Koog aan de Zaan. In 1880, Ericus Gerardus Duyvis built a steam-powered oil factory, creating the industrial foundation for later growth. The company began exporting linseed oil in 1908 and refining oil in 1920, becoming one of the Netherlands’ largest oil exporters during the following decade. Economic disruption in the 1930s reduced turnover and encouraged a shift toward consumer products, including salad oil. During the Second World War, restricted access to imported raw materials constrained oil production. Duyvis responded by producing other vegetable-oil products and increasing its focus on branded consumer goods. This transition helped establish the commercial capabilities that later supported its move into nuts and salty snacks. The business received the designation of a Royal company in 1958, retaining that status until its acquisition by Akzo in 1961. It subsequently changed ownership again when Douwe Egberts acquired it in 1987. A new factory was built in 1991 on the historic site associated with the company’s origins, and Duyvis developed into the largest peanut and nut brand in the Netherlands. In 2006, Sara Lee subsidiary Douwe Egberts sold Duyvis to PepsiCo, bringing the brand into one of the world’s largest snack and beverage groups. The same year marked the company’s celebration of two centuries of history, counting from the 1806 inheritance of the original mill. Today, Duyvis is positioned as a mainstream Dutch and European snack brand. Its range includes plain, roasted, marinated, seasoned, and mixed nuts, as well as coated cocktail nuts known in the Netherlands as borrelnootjes. The brand also sells savory snacks and dip sauces. Its identity combines Dutch heritage with the convenience and sociability of snack foods commonly served with drinks or shared on informal occasions. PepsiCo ownership provides corporate scale, while Duyvis retains a distinct local brand identity in the Dutch market.
History
Duyvis traces its regional identity to the Zaanstreek, where the family name was recorded from the sixteenth century onward. The commercial history of the enterprise is particularly associated with Teewis Duyvis, who in 1806 inherited the windmill De Ooijevaar near Oostzaandam. Built in 1670 and still operational, the mill was used in the production of cattle feed, with linseed oil generated as a by-product. The business remained within the family and expanded under a later Teewis Duyvis, who took control in 1850. It acquired or operated several additional oil mills and at one point controlled seven windmills, principally in the Koog aan de Zaan area. In 1880, Ericus Gerardus Duyvis, a descendant of the family, built a steam-powered oil factory. This marked a transition from a principally windmill-based enterprise to industrial production. The company exported linseed oil from 1908 and began refining oil in 1920. Between 1920 and 1930, it became one of the Netherlands’ major oil-exporting companies. The economic crisis then weakened demand and turnover, prompting the company to broaden its consumer offering with salad oil and other vegetable-oil products. The Second World War created additional supply problems because imported raw materials became difficult to obtain. Duyvis adapted by manufacturing alternative vegetable-oil products and giving greater attention to branded consumer goods. This period helped move the company closer to the packaged-food sector, although its later reputation would be built especially around peanuts, nuts, and salty snacks. Duyvis received Royal designation in 1958. The designation lasted until 1961, when Akzo acquired the company. In 1987, ownership passed to Douwe Egberts. A replacement factory opened in 1991 at the same broad location where the Duyvis enterprise had begun in 1806. During this period the company consolidated its position as the Netherlands’ leading peanut and nut brand. In 2006, Douwe Egberts, then part of Sara Lee, sold Duyvis to PepsiCo. The acquisition placed Duyvis within a multinational food and beverage group while preserving its role as a recognizable Dutch snack label. Duyvis also marked the occasion of its two-hundredth anniversary in 2006, using the 1806 inheritance of De Ooijevaar as the reference point for that anniversary. The current brand range centers on peanuts, mixed and flavored nuts, coated cocktail nuts, salty snacks, and dip sauces.
- 2006
PepsiCo acquisition and bicentennial
[1]Douwe Egberts sold Duyvis to PepsiCo. The brand also celebrated two hundred years of history based on the 1806 inheritance of De Ooijevaar.
- 1991
New factory opens
[1]A new factory was built at the historic location associated with the company’s origins, supporting Duyvis’s development as a leading Dutch peanut and nut brand.
- 1987
Acquired by Douwe Egberts
[1]Douwe Egberts acquired Duyvis, bringing the brand into the coffee and packaged-food group later associated with Sara Lee.
- 1961
Acquired by Akzo
[1]Duyvis changed ownership when Akzo acquired the company.
- 1958
Receives Royal designation
[1]The company received Royal designation, which it retained until the business was acquired by Akzo in 1961.
- 1920
Oil refining begins
[1]Duyvis began refining oil, supporting its expansion in the international oil trade during the following decade.
- 1908
Linseed-oil exports begin
[1]The company started exporting linseed oil as part of its growing oil-processing business.
- 1880
Steam oil factory is established
[1]Ericus Gerardus Duyvis built a steam-powered oil factory, beginning the company’s industrial transition beyond windmill-based production.
- 1850
Family enterprise expands under a later Teewis Duyvis
[1]A later Teewis Duyvis took over the enterprise and expanded its oil-milling activities, eventually building a network of several mills.
- 1806
Teewis Duyvis inherits De Ooijevaar
[1]Teewis Duyvis inherited the De Ooijevaar windmill near Oostzaandam, establishing the historical starting point used for the later Duyvis business timeline.
Products and positioning
A familiar Dutch snack brand focused on nuts, cocktail snacks, and informal sharing occasions, combining regional heritage with broad consumer availability.
Nuts and seeds
Peanuts
Duyvis sells peanuts in multiple formats, including plain, roasted, marinated, and herb-seasoned varieties. The range reflects the brand’s central position in the Dutch packaged-nut market and includes products intended for casual snacking and serving with drinks.
Coated savory snacks
Borrelnootjes
Borrelnootjes are cocktail nuts covered with a crunchy dough coating. Duyvis offers these snacks in different flavor styles, making them particularly associated with Dutch aperitif and social-sharing occasions.
Nuts and seeds
Mixed and flavored nuts
The brand’s mixed-nut and flavored-nut products combine peanuts, cashews, other nuts, seeds, and savory seasonings. Formats vary from straightforward salted mixes to more strongly seasoned or coated snack combinations.
Sauces and condiments
Dip sauces
Dip sauces are sold under the Duyvis name as an accompaniment to savory snacks. They extend the brand beyond nuts into products designed for sharing and informal snack occasions.
Brand decisions
2006
Duyvis joins PepsiCoM&ABackground
Douwe Egberts, a Sara Lee subsidiary and the brand’s owner at the time, decided to sell Duyvis to PepsiCo.
Action taken
PepsiCo acquired the Duyvis brand and incorporated it into its broader snack portfolio.
Aftermath
Duyvis continued as a Dutch nut and savory-snack brand under PepsiCo ownership.
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