Factory General Manager

Koninklijke Verkade is part of United Biscuits Northern Europe, but remains an independent company with its own Supervisory Board and Executive Directors with statutory status. Founded in 1886, Verkade has grown into a family-owned producer of branded biscuits, wafers, confectionery, and chocolate products. United Biscuits acquired Verkade in 1990, integrating it into a leading European snacks and confectionery company.

United Biscuits, established in Scotland in 1948 through a merger of two family businesses, expanded its market presence by acquiring several strong brands across biscuits, confectionery, and snacks. It became a private limited company in 2000 after being bought by Finalrealm and was later sold in 2006 to private equity firms Blackstone & PAI.

The company emphasizes profitable growth through investment in key brands and markets, boasting a portfolio of leading biscuit and snack brands, including McVitie’s and GoAhead in the UK, and Verkade, Sultana, BN, and Delacre in continental Europe.

The Northern Europe division employs around 1500 staff across plants in Nieppe and Vertou (France), Lambermont (Belgium), and Zaandam (The Netherlands). The Zaandam site produces over 45% of the 60-65K tonnes annual output, with approximately 450 employees.

Verkade produces biscuits, including the fruit biscuit Sultana, and wafers. About 60% of its products are sold domestically in the Netherlands, with 40% exported. Over the past eight years, the Zaandam plant has transformed from a loss-making operation to a top-performing site through infrastructure investments, cost reduction initiatives, and cultural change programs.

The site is committed to continuous improvement under the slogan “Simply the best,” with annual investments of €2-4 million in various improvement projects, fostering a dynamic environment with highly skilled staff.

The relocation of headquarters to Zaandam enhances collaboration among marketing, sales, development, production, and logistics teams.

United Biscuits operates within an international functional structure, reporting to the Northern European Supply Chain Director, Mr. E. Kamp. The Factory General Manager reports to the NL Management Team led by Mr. B. Merkus, and as Verkade holds royal status, the General Manager is also a statutory director reporting to an independent Supervisory Board.

Koetsier Executive Search has been engaged by the Verkade Executive Board to recruit the Factory General Manager Zaandam.

Factory General Manager Zaandam

The Factory General Manager reports to the Northern European Supply Chain Director.

The Factory General Manager oversees all manufacturing activities at Zaandam. Key responsibilities include:

• Enhancing factory performance in GMP, efficiency, quality, waste management, safety, and environmental compliance;
• Driving excellent customer service levels across markets;
• Leading teambuilding and people management in a multicultural environment (36 nationalities), fostering a high-quality, customer-oriented culture;
• Implementing continuous improvements through self-steering teams;
• Enhancing employee skills and knowledge for future employability;
• Reducing manufacturing costs via investments, efficiency gains, and continuous improvement projects;
• Maintaining respectful relations with social partners and managing business decisions sensitively;
• Developing a long-term vision for production and logistics aligned with United Biscuits strategy;
• Participating actively in company initiatives and projects;
• Building strong relationships within the United Biscuits network and with local authorities and the Zaandam community;
• Serving as a member of the Dutch Management Team and Verkade Board, reporting to the Supervisory Board.

The General Manager is part of the Dutch Management and Northern European Operations Teams, overseeing departments such as Operations, Production Planning, and Engineering, with 450 FTEs.

Age: 35 – 45 years

Education: MSc./BSc. Or higher, with experience in an international organization

Languages: Fluency in Dutch and English required; German preferred

Experience: Over 10 years in international plant management, preferably in food, chemicals, consumer goods, or pharmaceuticals, with expertise in quality, safety, maintenance, engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, information systems, HR, and finance

Must be a charismatic leader capable of motivating teams and implementing change management and financial strategies. Exposure to manufacturing systems like MRP, S/4HANA, SMED, Kanban, Kaizen, 5S, and Six Sigma is advantageous.

Characteristics: Leadership and maturity within a matrix structure are essential.