Venco

If you are looking for the beginnings of Venco, you have to dig deep. The groundwork was laid in 1878 when Gerrit van Voornveld opened a shop in Amsterdam, selling cough medicine comprised of liquorice root, gum arabic, spices and sugar. The concoction was a hit, especially since the Netherlands, and Amsterdam in particular, was struck by a flu epidemic. Long lines formed at Van Voornveld’s shop and before long the medicinal aspects of his liquorice and peppermint were eschewed, making way to sell the products as confectionary. The company was sold to the Dieperink brothers, who christened the brand ‘Venco’ (a combination of ‘Voornveld’ and ‘co.’).