History

The love for making sweet treats has been in the Koenen family for generations. Jan Koenen Sr. started as a pastry chef, but when World War II broke out, everything changed. Ingredients for pastries became scarce and strictly regulated. While the production of pastries was heavily restricted, the regulations on chocolate were slightly less strict. This led Jan to discover that he enjoyed making chocolate much more than baking, and he decided to devote himself entirely to chocolate. He never returned to the pastry trade.

During this same period, Jan Sr became a father, including of the two brothers Jan and Louis Koenen, the founders of Cerisette. Jan and Louis chose to pursue a chocolatier training in Belgium and, together with his brothers, started a small business. They worked out of their garage: during the week, they produced chocolate, and on weekends, Jan delivered the treats by bicycle. One of the most challenging chocolates Jan created was the Cerisette bonbon, a delicate confection with a cherry on the stem. This refined creation became the inspiration for the company’s name, Cerisette, derived from the French word for ‘cherry.’

Slowly but surely, the business grew. While Jan ambitiously dreamed of international expansion and further growth, his brother Louis valued tradition and a more small-scale approach to business. This difference in vision led to a split in their paths in 1974, but they always continued to collaborate in another form.

In 1974, Jan and his wife Toos moved to the center of Oisterwijk, where they opened their first store with the production in the back. The Cerisette bonbons quickly became a household name in Oisterwijk. In 1988, Cerisette expanded to a larger facility on Industrielaan in Oisterwijk, where the factory was upgraded and further optimized. This location remains the company’s home to this day. Cerisette grew into an exporter, supplying customers in the Netherlands and various other countries.