The Spirit of Canada
That spirit of Canada is precisely what captured Anita and Rob many years ago. This time, however, I'm not talking about spirits as an alcoholic beverage, but about the essence of the country and its people. When the couple first visited the country, they immediately fell in love. Not long after their first trip, Anita decided to study there. She had always planned to study abroad for six months, but after their trip, she knew she wanted to continue her education there, in the heart of Alberta: Calgary.
Fate Strikes
During that six months studying abroad, her love for Canada only grew. It was even stronger when she and Rob decided to move there permanently. They arranged everything and got all the paperwork in order. But then disaster struck. Rob's father became ill, and they discovered he wouldn't be able to travel much from then on. So they decided to stay in the Netherlands to care for him and so he could stay in touch with his grandchildren. But that meant giving up their dream.
But their connection to Canada remained deep. And as often happens, things that are meant to be have a way of returning to your life. In Anita and Rob's case, that didn't mean they went to Canada, but Canada came to them.
A New Adventure
Due to various incidents at work, Rob became very unhappy with his job. This ultimately led him to leave the company and start his own business. He built and ran an online gadget store, but soon realized that wasn't really his thing either. So they called a gathering of friends and family and asked for their help in a brainstorming session about what the company should be about. And of course, Canada was the first thing that came up. Everyone knew how passionate the couple was about the country, so why not do something with that?
Maple and More
They quickly clicked with Anita and Rob, who felt that bringing a piece of Canada to the Netherlands would be the perfect business for them. After all, they had always taught their children to do what they loved, and if they were to apply the same rules to themselves, they knew it had to be something with a strong connection to Canada. So, not long after that meeting, they decided to start Esdoorn en meer (Esdoorn and more). They started by importing and selling Canadian coffee, before moving on to all kinds of maple syrup and maple-flavored treats. They became brand ambassadors for Canoe Trading, and Rob joined the board of the Netherlands-Canada Chamber of Commerce.
Liquor & Whisky
Looking ahead to the present, we can conclude that they made the right choice. Their product range has steadily grown, and they even started importing and distributing the Canadian liqueur "Sortilège." To bring the drink to the attention of liquor stores, they began setting up their booth at various whisky festivals. And while some might have expected a liqueur to struggle at such a festival, it turned out to be a huge success!
| Alcohol: | 43% |
| Volume: | 70cl |
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