About Us
Frens Haringhandel, a true family business
Chris Frens had been in the herring business since 1972. After working for several years with his family in the herring cart near the Munttoren, Chris decided to start his own business in 1976. Since 1986, Frens Haringhandel has been on Koningsplein in Amsterdam. Discover the entire history of this family business.
Since 1986
A dream: the freshest herring in Amsterdam
Chris Frens had a big dream: to offer the freshest herring in Amsterdam. Frens Haringhandel has been located on Koningsplein since 1986.
So, within just 10 years, Frens Haringhandel was named the “best herring in the Netherlands” by the AD. To stamp this, the cart’s shutters were painted by artist Fabrice Hรผnd.
Chris and his wife Liesel’s enthusiasm was contagious. Their son Jasper joined the family business in 2010, and good family friend Ruben van de Ven in 2016.
1972: Beginning of Chris Frens' career.
Chris Frens began his career in the herring industry. At the time, he joined his family in the herring cart at the foot of Amsterdam's Munttoren. This is right around the corner from the current location.
1976: Frens Haringhandel was born
Chris decided to start for himself. With his limited resources, he purchased a second-hand herring cart and set out to sell the freshest herring at the Gaasperplas in Amsterdam.
1983: Purchase current herring cart
He invested his hard-earned money in a completely new herring cart. To this day, we work in that same herring cart, of course, with the necessary replacements and modernizations. This is also the year his great love, Liesel, came to work in the cart. Together they have made the herring cart a wonderful family business.
1986: Branch office on Koningsplein in Amsterdam
Chris and Liesel returned near where Chris had once started, in downtown Amsterdam on Koningsplein.
1996: Voted the best herring in the Netherlands
Business in the center of Amsterdam continues to improve. In this year, Haringhandel Frens was named the best herring in the Netherlands. Also in this year, an artist painted the shutters of the herring cart. This artwork can still be found on many postcards to this day.
2000: Redevelopment of area Koningsplein
The shopping area around Koningsplein is becoming increasingly attractive for tourism. As a result, the City of Amsterdam decides to redesign the square. This led to the beautiful clear square as we know it today.
2010: Son Jasper starts within family business
At age 65, Chris Frens decides to step down and is honored that son Jasper wants to help continue the tradition.
2014: Significant renovation of the herring cart
After 4 years, son Jasper and his parents decided that the cart needed to be renovated to today's standards. With a significant investment, they are again ready for the future.
2016: Chris passes the baton to Liesel, Jasper and Ruben
After years of hard work, Chris Frens completely hands over the baton to his wife, son, and Ruben van de Ven, a close acquaintance of the family and also Jasper's best friend.
Together, Ruben, Jasper, and Liesel strive to continue the Dutch tradition!
HISTORY OF HERRING IN THE NETHERLANDS
The different interpretations on herring by the Netherlands
In the book Haring, the fish that changed the Netherlands, Huib Stam informatively explains why Amsterdammers eat their herring in pieces.
The ideal Hollandse Nieuwe is not the same everywhere. The regional flavor front doors that can still be discovered by lovers of Hollandse Nieuwe with a little good will are striking. They have a simple historical background. In (the vicinity of) the former herring ports, such as Rotterdam, Vlaardingen and Scheveningen, people prefer to eat the herring as green as possible. That is, short aged, lightly salted and firm in texture. The explanation for this is simple: this is how people are used to it. Close to the landing port, you could buy green herring, which was tastier than the pickled herring.
The heavy salted herring was transported to customers further afield and abroad. The longer the travel time, the more salt had to be used. Therefore, in the east of the country and in Germany, people want the herring saltier than on the coast. But even in places with a fishing past other than the herring trade, the herring must be salty and matured, as it used to be. Often the pegs in poorer cities and rural areas are smaller and cheaper. In Amsterdam, on the other hand, a herring must be large. Not because Amsterdammers could afford expensive, large herring, but because the one large herring was cut to pieces for an entire family. Pieces to the cart were also sold loose for a few cents. Anyone who now asks elsewhere in the country for a herring cut into pieces, topped with onion and pickles, betrays himself as an Amsterdammer.
Text from: Stam, H. (2015). Herring, The fish that changed the Netherlands. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Carrera. (pp. 194-195)