The Lufo Family Business celebrates generations of entrepreneurship and cultural pride!
You might not expect it, hidden among the pastures, just off the A2 from Amsterdam and before entering Utrecht: Lufo. A pioneering family business and cultural bearer that made history. The first company to bring homemade salted meat (cured beef) to the Dutch market. Not because the Dutch market was demanding it, but because it lay at the heart of what was being cooked in Surinamese kitchens—and I too grew up with Lufo.
Founded by Kenneth Fong Hing and Henry Sjauw Mook, childhood friends from Suriname with a shared background in music and craftsmanship. In their younger years in Paramaribo, they played together in a band, and Kenneth was already curing fish back then—as if the seed for their future had already been planted.
Kenneth married Lucia, a vital force in all his business ventures—not just as his life partner, but also as a co-entrepreneur.
When political unrest in Suriname increased and the future became uncertain, Kenneth and Lucia—who had previously studied in the Netherlands—decided to return to “Holland.” There, their paths crossed once again with Henry, Kenneth’s old friend, who was just about to return to Suriname. Somehow, Kenneth persuaded him otherwise, and Henry said, “Whatever you do, I’ll support you in everything.”
Shortly thereafter, Lufo was born. Established in 1983 and located at the Veemarkt in Amsterdam. “We came from Suriname with the will to build something. We saw a clear gap in the market: traditional Surinamese products, made to our own standards, accessible to the community here,” said Lucia.
Henry added, “We started small, with fa-chong and pig tails—products that were easy to source because Dutch butchers saw them as waste.” Soon, we moved into importing salted meat, but that presented a problem. Many Surinamese were used to the simple method: imported meat tossed into a bucket and chopped up with an axe on the spot. We thought, why not do this ourselves, and do it better and more hygienically? We already knew how to cure meat, but we wanted to offer it in a cleaner, better way. So we vacuum-packed it and sold it in sealed packaging.”
Lucia: “Like the Philips slogan says, ‘there’s always a way to make things better,’ and we learned a lot by observing others, so that drive to do better became our compass.”
But the legislation wasn’t easy. The Netherlands has all sorts of rules around food safety, distribution, HACCP, etc., and even the language sometimes felt like a barrier.
So I read all the Teleac booklets like “How to start a business.” Lucia wrote everything down, marked relevant questions with a red pen, and was always well-prepared when inspectors came. This precision paid off. Lufo’s products found their way into toko’s (ethnic grocery stores), a terrain in which Henry excelled. He built the distribution channels, and with persistence, managed to get the entire Lufo assortment on the shelves. His wife Jolanda also became an indispensable part of the company early on, and soon Lufo was competing at the same level as others in the industry.
Lucia realized she could even implement a pension plan in the company—before it was required. The business was doing well, so she wanted to take care of her employees properly and taught herself how the system worked. She studied various insurance policies and adapted them to the needs of the company. “Thanks to that effort, many now enjoy a good pension and have returned to Suriname,” she says proudly.
Lufo’s product range expanded rapidly. From its foundation of cured meat, the company developed a versatile line, with the Lufo pomtayer becoming an icon for tayer (arrowroot). Marinades, pumpkin, and salted fish also found their way into stores. These expansions not only strengthened Lufo’s market position, but also deepened its bond with the community. Lufo grew into a beloved and trusted household brand, embraced across the diaspora.
By offering access to Surinamese culture, Lufo reveals the stories behind the food and has become more than a producer; it is a true cultural bearer.
It reminds me of the smells of our grandmothers, the tastes of our celebrations, the comfort of mourning rituals, and the warmth of togetherness. Because that’s what Surinamese food does: it brings us together and is often what we look forward to the most—even at a dede oso (mourning gathering).
“When you meet a Surinamese person, the first question is often: ‘Have you eaten yet?’ That’s how we welcome someone. ‘Our kitchen is who we are,’” says Lucia. Africans, Hindustanis, Javanese, Chinese, Jews, Creoles—all have a place in our food.”
Lucia’s parents were from China, but she was born and raised in Suriname, brought up by a Creole bigi sma. Henry also grew up in a house full of cultural richness: with a Chinese father, a Javanese mother, and like Lucia, with the loving care of a Creole nene. Within the Lufo family, the diversity of the Creole kitchen was experienced, loved, and cherished from an early age. That melting pot of cultures lives on in their products and forms a tangible reflection of their own history.
For some years now, June and Jenna—the (youngest) daughters of Henry and the now late Kenneth—have been working at the company. Kenneth’s passing is a great loss for both the family and the business, and his absence is deeply felt. His passion, vision, and dedication were cornerstones of Lufo. Despite the continuing grief, June and Jenna became aware that they are not only inheritors of a company, but of a vision, a dream, a legacy of connection, cultural preservation, and entrepreneurship that transcends generations.
Even though they had the freedom to pursue something else—“they were allowed to go explore the world first,” Jolanda emphasizes—they both eventually found their way into the business after a long search for successors.
June and Jenna grew up together and share both their wins and their struggles—inside and outside the business—as best friends. When one is down, the other picks up the slack. For Lufo’s future, they want to broaden awareness of Surinamese culture, even beyond the community, and make Surinamese food accessible to all ages.
“We see a growing demand for Surinamese and Caribbean products—something we also notice among fellow suppliers in the market. What began with toko’s as the primary gateway for the Surinamese community has now become a larger, more diverse market where Surinamese and Caribbean products are offered in all kinds of new ways and places.”
This shift also led Lufo to launch its catering kitchen, realizing people have less time to cook. With a modern vision, June and Jenna seek a balance between authentic Surinamese food and convenience for today’s consumer—“but without compromising on quality,” and just like their parents, while respecting all regulations.
What once began with a pig’s tail and salted beef has, after 42 years, become a story of identity, love for a community, and of good, high-quality food. “It’s a luxury,” says Henry, “when your kids want to take over your business—but they’re doing it even better than we did.”
Together, they look back on past product experiments, like the pom croquette, which may have been ahead of its time. “We notice the younger generation is much more open to fusion dishes,” they both say. “By presenting authentic flavors in a modern way and sharing them through platforms like social media, we hope to bridge the gap between young and old.”
Connecting elders with youth is close to June and Jenna’s hearts. They are eager to contribute to initiatives that spotlight seniors or help continue to serve them the Surinamese food they are used to. They recognize their responsibility between the past that carried them and the future that awaits. Because, as Jenna says, “the sky is the limit.”
June and Jenna appear to have fully embraced their roles as managing directors and are happy that their parents can finally take it easier after all these years. With a renewed vision for the future of Surinamese cuisine and a new generation of enthusiasts, they bring fresh perspective to the Surinamese kitchen of tomorrow. A kitchen that has outgrown the toko and is reappearing in all kinds of new, contemporary ways—like on the streets of Amsterdam and in many modern versions of traditional dishes.
Today's Lufo is already part of these developments, offering various updated ready-made meals. Pom from a packet? It’s possible—with authentic flavors, easy to heat up in the microwave or pan. For an older generation, this may seem odd—“our food is so elaborate and time-consuming,” Henry says—but for many, it’s a valuable and practical solution: a treasure chest of convenience without compromising on taste.
“Our food must taste the way we want to eat it ourselves”—that’s non-negotiable. Handcrafted, artisanal, and as close as possible to the original flavors. “We grew up with salted meat and bakkeljauw as something natural, but we now realize it’s heritage. It’s our task to continue this with respect and vision,” says June.
As entrepreneurs of a new generation, they also look beyond product development. They dream of educational projects, collaborations, cookbooks, and supporting social initiatives—like this year’s Free Heri Heri for All, which they sponsor with cassava for over ten thousand heri heri meals.
And so, the young pioneers—walking in their parents’ footsteps—dream of the recognition of Surinamese food and continued access to Surinamese products, so that the rich Surinamese culture and cuisine can continue to be celebrated. Whether it's salted beef or ready-to-eat meals, Lufo stands for something deeper than just food. It’s memory, it’s survival, it’s pride—it’s the continuation of a legacy from Henry, Kenneth, Jolanda, and Lucia, of the emancipation of the Surinamese kitchen from the Netherlands and Suriname to the world.
It’s perhaps no coincidence, then, that Lufo was officially registered with the Chamber of Commerce in 1983—120 years after emancipation—on July 1st.
Terwijl ze beiden ook de keuze hadden om iets anders te gaan doen – zo benadrukt Jolanda dat June van haar juist "eerst de wereld mocht verkennen". Na een lange zoektocht naar opvolging en de nood voor extra hulp, belanden ze achter elkaar toch beiden in het bedrijf.
June en Jenna zijn samen opgegroeid en delen daardoor binnen het bedrijf, maar ook daarbuiten hun overwinningen en hun struggles als beste vriendinnen. Als de één het even niet aankan, pakt de ander het op. Voor de toekomst van Lufo willen June en Jenna de Surinaamse cultuur breder onder de aandacht brengen, en binnen handbereik toegankelijk maken voor jong en oud.
“Wij zien een groeiende vraag naar Surinaamse en Caribische producten, iets wat ook collega leveranciers in de markt constateren."
De markt die ooit begon met de toko’s als belangrijke toegangspoort voor de Surinaamse gemeenschap is nu een grotere en diverse markt geworden, waarin Surinaamse en Caribische producten op allerlei nieuwe manieren en plekken worden aangeboden”.
Een van de redenen waarom bij Lufo ook de horecakeuken was ontstaan, is vanuit het besef dat mensen steeds minder tijd hebben om zelf te koken. Daarom zoeken June en Jenna met een eigentijdse visie, naar de balans tussen authentiek Surinaams eten en gemak, voor de consument van nu “maar wel zonder concessies te doen aan kwaliteit”. Net zoals hun ouders dat deden met altijd het in acht nemen van alle regels.
Wat ooit begon met een varkensstaart en zoutvlees is na 42 jaar uitgegroeid tot een verhaal van identiteit, liefde voor zowel een gemeenschap en bovenal goed en kwalitatief eten. “Het is een luxe” zegt Henry, "dat je kinderen je bedrijf willen overnemen, en ze doen het nog beter dan wij”.
Samen kijken ze terug op producten waar ze vroeger mee hebben geëxperimenteerd, zoals de pomkroket. "Misschien voor zijn tijd, maar we merken dat de jongere generatie nu veel ontvankelijker is voor fusiongerechten. Door authentieke smaken in een eigentijds jasje te steken en die via moderne kanalen zoals sociale media te delen, willen de kloof tussen jong en oud overbruggen.”
Het verbinden van generaties ligt hen aan het hart. Ze dragen graag bij aan initiatieven waarin ouderen in het zonnetje worden gezet of de mogelijkheid bieden om juist die doelgroep Surinaams eten te kunnen blijven bedienen, precies zoals de ouderen het gewend zijn. Ze zien het als hun verantwoordelijkheid, tussen het verleden dat hen heeft gedragen en de toekomst die op hen wacht. Want: “The sky is the limit”, aldus Jenna.
June en Jenna lijken hun rol als directeur-bestuurders volledig te hebben omarmd en ze zijn blij dat hun ouders na al die jaren het nu ook rustiger aan kunnen doen. Met een vernieuwde blik op de toekomst van Surinaams eten en een nieuwe generatie liefhebbers, brengen zij een frisse visie voor de Surinaamse keuken van de toekomst. Die keuken is inmiddels de grenzen van de traditionele toko’s vergroeid en manifesteert zich op allerlei nieuwe, eigentijdse manieren zoals in het straatbeeld van Amsterdam en in innovatieve versies van traditionele gerechten en in het hart van een nieuwe generatie liefhebbers.
De Lufo van vandaag is al onderdeel van deze ontwikkelingen met ook allerlei vernieuwde kant-en-klare gerechten, zoals ook hun slogan dat onderschrijft, “Surinaams eten binnen handbereik”. En dus, Pom uit een pakje? Het kan zeker. Met authentieke smaken, eenvoudig op te warmen in de magnetron of in de pan. Voor de oudere generatie lijkt het misschien vreemd, want zoals Henry aangeeft, “ons eten is zo bewerkelijk en kost veel tijd”. Toch is het voor velen een waardevolle en praktische oplossing, een schatkist vol traditie en gemak zonder in te leveren op smaak.
“Ons eten moet smaken zoals wij het zelf willen eten, Daar wordt geen concessie op gedaan”. Aldus June.
Ambachtelijk, met de hand bereid, en zo dicht mogelijk bij de oorspronkelijke smaak. “We zijn opgegroeid met zoutvlees en bakkeljauw alsof het iets vanzelfsprekend was, maar we beseffen ons dat dit erfgoed is. Aan ons dan ook de taak om dit met respect en visie voort te zetten.” Aldus June.
Als ondernemers van een nieuwe generatie kijken ze ook verder dan alleen productontwikkeling. Ze dromen van educatieve projecten, samenwerkingen, kookboeken, en het ondersteunen van sociale initiatieven. Zo sponsoren ze dit jaar ook 'Free Heri Heri for All’ met een donatie aan cassave voor wel tienduizend maaltijden.
En zo dromen deze jonge pioniers, die in de voetsporen van hun ouders treden, voor erkenning van Surinaams eten en blijvende toegang tot Surinaamse producten, zodat de rijke Surinaamse cultuur en keuken blijvend gevierd kan worden. Of het nu zoutvlees betreft of kant-en-klare gerechten, bij Lufo gaat het om iets dieper dan alleen eten.
Het is herinnering, het is overleven, het is trots. Het is het voorzetten van een legacy van Kenneth, van Henry, Jolanda en Lucia. Van de emancipatie van de Surinaamse keuken in Nederland en Suriname naar de wereld. Het is misschien dan ook geen toeval dat Lufo bij de Kamer van Koophandel werd ingeschreven in 1983, 120 jaar na de afschaffing, op de datum 1 juli.
Geschreven door: Ayra Anandra Kip