There are currently 38% more oliebollen stalls in the Netherlands than in 2013

The number of companies operating oliebollen stalls in the Netherlands has grown considerably in recent years. There were 307 registered companies with oliebollen stalls in 2013, while there are now 425. This has been shown from data by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK).

Chairman Atze Lubach-Koers of the Nationale Bond van Kermisbedrijfhouders (BOVAK), who represent most of the oliebollen stall owners, has also noticed the increase in stalls. He thinks that the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to this.

Lubach-Koers thinks that there is around 1,200 oliebollen stalls. “That number has increased during the years, partly because of corona. "As a fairground sector, we were at a standstill at the time, but we were given the opportunity by municipalities to operate oliebollen stalls. Counter sales were permitted," he explained. "For many operators, that ensured that the oliebollen generated income."

Most oliebollen entrepreneurs have been in Gelderland for years, according to the KVK data. There were 80 companies that sold oliebollen with stalls along streets and on squares in the province in the fourth quarter of 2013. That number rose over the years to 105 in the last months of this year.

Neither the relatively high number nor the increase surprised Lubach-Koers. "Fairground operators often live in Apeldoorn, a place that is central and from where you don't have to travel as far."

In addition to Apeldoorn, a lot of fairground owners also live in Noord-Brabant, said the BOVAK chairman. Kvk’s data supports this claim. After Gelderland, the most oliebollen companies this winter are registered in Noord-Brabant, 80 in total. Here too, the number of companies has increased, from 65 in the last quarter of 2013.

The KvK gathered the data based on SBI codes, which indicate the main activities of a company, in combination with the word “oliebol” in the company description. The Chamber of Commerce noted that the actual number of oliebollen companies may be higher.

According to Lubach-Koers, these figures give a somewhat distorted picture because many entrepreneurs are registered as operators of fairground attractions. "Corona has taught us that we should not let ourselves be limited when it comes to SBI codes. One year, entrepreneurs can run a oliebollen stall, but the next year they can just as easily run an attraction."