Joey Muskens
Truck driver
Meet some team members
A FAMILY BUSINESS
At Van Leeuwen Kipspecialiteiten, we take pride in our satisfied employees and customers. Offering constant high product quality as well as high flexibility, we meet our customers’ needs.
What our employees say…
Expertise & Pride
Joey Muskens
Truck driver
“I am driven by passion. It feels great to deliver our products to our customers and to think along with them. My truck is always clean and tidy. To me, that’s important and it makes me proud.”
Ilona
General
“Certified products, high quality, flexibility, and a passionate team. It makes me proud.”
Anne-Lotte
Commercial employee
“Handling our exports requires accuracy. Only with the right production labels and export certificates, our products are bound to reach England and Ireland, smoothly and in time.”
Bilal
Production supervisor
“A proper allocation of duties ensures happy people, as well as fast and efficient production.”
Karima
Quality employee and assistant to production supervisor
“Our quality controls always pass audits with flying colors.”
Sam
General
“Certified products, high quality, flexibility, and a passionate team. It makes me proud.”
About us
Our history
At Van Leeuwen Kipspecialiteiten, we take pride in our satisfied employees and customers. Offering constant high product quality as well as high flexibility, we meet our customers’ needs.
Hatchlings
It all started in 1957, when Thomas van Leeuwen began fattening hatchlings. Activities expanded to the sale of slaughtered hatchlings and frozen packages. When production and sale of fresh chicken products increased as well, in 1975, Van Leeuwen focused completely on processing fresh chicken products, leading to a full range for delivery to own shops, various butches, and supermarkets.
Chicken fillets
In 1993, the company was taken over by Thomas’ son and current managing director, Cees van Leeuwen. Specialising the company in processing chicken fillets, daily, a small team processed the products at a cutting table. Customers included large Dutch retail organisations. In addition, exports to Germany, Belgium, Denmark, England, and Ireland started.
New business premises
The company outgrew its premises and moved to new business premises on the Broekweg business park in Wijk bij Duurstede in 2009. In 2018, a new building was opened for outgoing goods.
Innovation and optimalisation
To optimise efficiency, investments have been made in acquiring a new order processing system. This allows products to be accurately sorted and packed per portion, depending on the customer’s requirements. In the coming years, we will focus on further process digitisation. To continue innovation, we constantly invest in research and training.
Sustainable
Our CO2 transcritical cooling installation guarantees environmentally friendly cooling. In addition, with our solar panels generating about 60% of our consumption, we consciously contribute to sustainability.
Striving to be the best
It’s not about being the biggest, it’s about being the best. By offering high-quality products, specialisation, flexibility, and service, Van Leeuwen Kipspecialiteiten adds value to the products. Satisfied customers as well as employees, providing high quality and striving for continuous development. That’s what we stand for.
Cees van Leeuwen
owner and managing director
“At the age of 15, I helped my father in our backyard. Products sold well, due to high quality. Nowadays, we produce 300,000 kg fillet products per week. However, quality and craftsmanship are still top priorities.”
Joey Muskens
Truck driver
Nothing gives Joey more joy than driving his truck. His truck, which is always looking tiptop. In his eyes, it’s only natural to help colleagues and to think along with customers.
In short: a real company man.
Already cleaning cars at Van Leeuwen Kipspecialiteiten at the age of 13, now, Joey has made quite a few truck rides, nationally and internationally. “Bringing our high-quality products to our customers makes me proud.”
Business card
Being a truck driver, it’s important to make a good impression, he says. “After all, I am a sort of ‘business card’ of the company. That’s why I always make sure that my truck is clean and tidy.” He has an excellent relationship with the customers, who appreciate his service level: “I think it’s only natural to help each other and to think along. I always try to determine in which cold storage room a specific customer would want which products and what would be a convenient way for them to unload.”
Opportunities
Joey appreciates the opportunities the company is giving him. To enable him combining his school education with practical training, managing director Cees van Leeuwen even applied for certification as a recognized training company.
“It makes me want to help wherever I can, if needed cleaning the truck in the weekend. After all, it’s teamwork.”
Martijn
Sales manager
Satisfied customers. It’s his ultimate goal. Sales manager Martijn enjoys the diversity and complexity of his profession.
“Fresh products need to be purchased, processed and delivered at a rapid pace. A nice challenge, every single day.”
Maintaining close contact with both supplier and customer, Martijn knows how to bring together supply and demand. In addition, he sets clear goals, and is closely involved in management.
Everything is possible
As customers are very diverse, so are their specific needs and requirements. Van Leeuwen Kipspecialiteiten is happy to meet those needs. Chicken breast fillets, calibrated on the production line, wings, drumsticks, and bolts, in 10 kg bulk, 4 x 2 kg en 2 x 20 Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), it is all part of the product range.
Apart from the extended product range, there is room for even more flexibility. “Everything is possible. We like to help. For instance, if an order arrives too late, when everything has already been purchased and planned, and the routes are fixed, we will still do our utmost to deliver the order in time. Which almost always succeeds!”
Helping out
Also, nothing is too much for Martijn personally. Having this powerful drive, he happily helps out wherever he can. To prepare the freight, as a truck driver, or with the administration. “No problem at all. It’s a team effort!”
Anne-Lotte
Our logistics and export specialist
Dedicated to make sure shipments run smoothly, our logistics and export specialist, Anne-Lotte, always puts accuracy first. Handling logistics and exports to perfection, she is a particularly good fit for our company.
Export
Arranging export certificates and consignment notes for shipments to England and Ireland, she works closely together with the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). “Quality and accuracy are crucial”, she says. “One mistake could mean a truck being detained at the border and delayed by a day. Obviously, I am determined to avoid this from happening. Check, check, double-check.”
Communication
Naturally, she constantly keeps in touch with customers, transporters, and authorities. Always customer-friendly, transparent, and going the extra mile.
Quality
Currently, Anne-Lotte is also gaining more knowledge in the field of quality. With her expertise of food safety and quality control, she already supports our QA manager.
Just like family
Being part of a team that feels like family, is inspiring and motivating, Anne-Lotte says. “Everyone feels welcome, and is passionate about offering a great product. Combined with a great atmosphere and the ever-present willingness to help each other, it is needless to say I love my job.”
Bilal
Production supervisor
“A proper allocation of duties ensures happy people, as well as fast and efficient production.”
Bilal does not just inform management how many people are needed, he also knows exactly which job fits a specific person. “I analyze people. Skills, education, age, specific needs, all of it is important for a good match. Both for the employees and for the company.”
Polyglot
Once new employees have been positioned, Bilal is responsible for their onboarding and training. Apart from knowing all the tasks inside out, he also speaks numerous languages, like Dutch, Polish, Arabic, and English. It enables him to make a chat and explain the tasks in the employee’s native language.
Working together
He likes it here, at Van Leeuwen. “I really enjoy working here, as well as the people I work with. We work hard, but sometimes we even sing and dance! A fantastic atmosphere. Just as great is everyone’s willingness to help each other and work together. As managing director, Cees sets a good example: always willing to help and assist. Respect!”
Karima
Quality employee and assistant to the Production supervisor
“It is important to continuously monitor quality. This way we can respond directly to imperfections and guarantee the best product to our customers.”
She once started as a packer, but has had the opportunity to grow. It makes her proud, she says. “I now see Cees van Leeuwen as my second father, the company as my second home. Honestly. I like the job, I get opportunities, and Cees is a good employer. He helps, asks, listens, understands. Nothing is too much. He is always sweet, always friendly. That makes me extra motivated. And my colleagues? All of them very nice!”
During audits, Karima confidently shows the carefully recorded quality measurements. After all, she performs gas measurements, metal detection, and temperature measurements three times a day.
Ilona
General
Figures have no secrets for Ilona. She analyzes income and expenses, examens statistics, and reports KPIs. Being a business expert, she explicitly gives advice on innovation as well as optimalization of business and production processes. On top of it, she is always there to help others, nothing is too much for her.
Ilona, daughter of owner and managing director Cees van Leeuwen, was brought up on being enterprising and is very committed to further improvements and automation. Still, at the end of each day, you will find her at the outgoing expedition department, helping loading the trucks.
“We have long-term relationships with all customers, who are satisfied with our quality, flexibility, and personal contacts. From A to Z, our team delivers!”
A satisfied customer starts with a satisfied employee
“A satisfied customer starts with a satisfied employee. Our team consists of enthusiastic, passionate people, who go for it. Together. We all help each other. And work on odd hours, if needed. On top of it, we have a lot of fun. We are growing together, step by step. It really brings me so much energy.”
Contact
Have any questions, comments or want to get in touch with us?
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
