Real Delicious since 1886

In ‘Real Delicious since 1886’, HOBBY director Magnus Renfors takes a look inside an iconic Dutch Verkade factory, where they have been making biscuits and chocolate without fuss for over a century.

The freshly-baked creative from TBWA/NEBOKO’s Jasper Diks & Billy Witbraad presents the beloved Dutch biscuit brand as a refreshingly down-to-earth operation. There are no Willy Wonka style theatrics inside this chocolate factory, just a hard-working team producing great biscuits without making a song and dance about it.

Renfors and the HOBBY team were made to feel very welcome at the 137 year old Verkade factory in Zaandam, Holland. “The client were so generous with their time and support,” says HOBBY Executive Producer Remco den Hartog. “They even held internal castings to find real staff members to feature in the film.”

“The child inside all of us knows that a cookie factory must be a magical place,” says Renfors. “The fact we were actually IN the real factory with real employees set a lot of the tone. Because it isn’t actually magic; it’s not a fairytale. It’s craftsmanship and hard work - that was the fun of the idea.”

Shot in one (long) day, the production was given extraordinary access to the historic building, allowing them to capture the reality of biscuit making with total authenticity. “Normally you cheat to create scenes like this, but we were able to keep it totally real, unlike your standard food commercials”, says Renfors. “There is something enchanting about these enormous baking machines and the people running them. A 19th century cookie factory still making biscuits conjures a sense of childhood wonder for me. That is magical enough!”

To hit home the contrast between fairytale and reality, Renfors encouraged the cast to embrace their wonderfully dry Dutch sense of humour. “The cast really captured that down-to-earth, unimpressed view of this supposed fairytale setting”.

The film premiered at the factory itself with a special screening for the employees. Renfors recorded a film to thank them for making the experience so magical. He says, “they were the pros and we were the happy visitors, humbled by the humongous physical baking machinery, all of us with childhood smiles on our faces. And beard nets!”