Our past, present and future

1970

Seeing the opportunity

Jules Joosten, born in a farming family in Weert, the Netherlands, was the first in his family to recognise the trading potential in condensed milk. Using his entrepreneurial skills and  collaborating with his friend Jan Beelen led to the establishment of Interfood.

1970-1980

Opening up the European market

During this period Interfood specialised in exporting condensed milk to Greece and high-nutrient milk to Italy. It was a challenging decade but, within a span of five years, Interfood had broadened its product range to include milk and whey powder, and successfully entered the European market. This expansion required logistical expertise, skills offered by our current CEO, Frank van Stipdonk.

1980-1990

Scaling up

By 1990, Interfood had expanded its team to 15 members overseeing a product portfolio that consisted of condensed milk, high-nutrient milk, milk, and whey powder. Our reach extended beyond European borders, as we began trading in Egypt and Cyprus, and we started to collaborate with local agents in Uruguay and Oceania.

1990-2000

Frank van Stipdonk steps in and transitions Interfood into a global player

In the early 1990s, Interfood faced the profound loss of our founder and source of inspiration, Jules Joosten, who was not just a colleague but an integral part of our team. 

Frank van Stipdonk took on the role of CEO and, within less than a decade, transformed Interfood into a global player, and one adding value to the entire dairy supply chain. Jules Joosten would be proud. 

In 1992, we marked a significant milestone with our first successful bids on milk powder tenders from Algeria and Brazil.

Subsequently, we ventured into Eastern Europe, establishing an office in Ukraine, and the expansion continued into Poland, America, and New Zealand, each time in close collaboration with local partners. In 1995, we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a grand event in Orlando.

2000-2010

Becoming more than a trader

In the early 21st century, our expansion continued at a rapid pace, leading to the establishment of new offices in Australia, Miami, and Singapore. Recognising the need to evolve beyond a traditional trading model, we diversified our services portfolio to include supply chain, financial, and dairy risk management services. Additionally, we initiated our own research and development programme, and launched the Interfood Academy to facilitate the onboarding period for new employees.

2010-2022

Partner of choice

In 2015, Interfood embarked on a major restructuring of the Group to increase global collaboration. Our strategy enhanced the focus on market insights, risk management, supply chain solutions, and technical services. We acknowledged our position related to sustainability within the dairy sector. The year 2020 marked a significant milestone as Interfood reached its 50th anniversary.

In 2021, we refined our mission and embraced a new set of corporate values: teamwork, commitment, professionalism, continuous improvement, and responsible leadership. In 2022, we continued to implement our new set of values, which are now an integral part of Interfood’s identity.