PRESS RELEASE – 22 JANUARY 2026
DP&S BECOMES AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY WITHIN THE VERSTEGEN SPICE GROUP
PRESS RELEASE – 22 JANUARY 2026
DP&S BECOMES AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY WITHIN THE VERSTEGEN SPICE GROUP
From left to right: Martijn Sonneveldt, Chris Driessen, Michel Driessen.
Tiel / Rotterdam – Dutch Protein & Services (DP&S) will be positioned as an independent operating company within the Verstegen Spice Group, the family-owned business of Michel Driessen, which also includes Verstegen Spices & Sauces. Through the transfer of shares from Chris Driessen to his brother Michel Driessen, the family businesses are reunited, creating a solid foundation for the next phase of growth.
DP&S and Verstegen Spices & Sauces will each retain their own identity and continue to operate fully independently, maintaining their respective client bases and ways of working. Verstegen Spices & Sauces will continue to operate unchanged under the leadership of CEO Mark Schraauwen.
New CEO appointed at DP&S
To further strengthen DP&S’s market position, Martijn Sonneveldt has been appointed as the new CEO. Sonneveldt brings more than twenty years’ experience in management and executive roles at leading companies within the food industry. Chris Driessen will join the Advisory Board of DP&S, ensuring that his knowledge and passion for technological innovation remain available to the company.
Continuity and stability
The added value of this combination lies in bringing together scale and expertise, supported by a shared long-term vision focused on continuity, future generations, and safeguarding shared values and principles. DP&S will continue to be guided by the principles that have characterised both family businesses for decades, including quality, service, innovation, and the building of long-term, sustainable customer relationships.
“I am proud that DP&S and Verstegen are moving closer together once again, while both companies continue to operate independently. Both businesses share the same values, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a strong focus on quality and long-term customer relationships. I am confident that by working more closely together, we can further strengthen our combined capabilities and serve our customers even better.”
Michel Driessen, Owner and Member of the Advisory Board of Verstegen
“I am very grateful that, together with my brother, I have been able to reunite Dutch Protein & Services as an independently operating company within the Verstegen Spice Group. This is a significant step that will stimulate further growth across the entire group. We both always look at least one generation ahead, and even over the long term we see substantial additional strength and potential emerging.”
Chris Driessen, Adviser and former CEO and Owner of DP&S
About Dutch Protein & Services (DP&S)
DP&S is an innovative developer and producer of functional ingredients, coating systems, and flavour solutions for a pan-European customer base of food processors. All solutions are tailor-made and aligned with the specific requirements of each customer, underlining DP&S’s customer-centric approach and strong focus on co-creation. Founded in 1927, DP&S is headquartered in Tiel and operates sales offices in Greece and Turkey. The company employs 150 FTE.
About Verstegen Spices & Sauces
Verstegen produces high-quality herbs, spices, sauces, and marinades for retail, the food industry, fresh specialists, and foodservice. The family-owned company was founded in 1886 and is currently owned by the fourth generation. Verstegen is headquartered in Rotterdam, employs more than 550 FTE, and aspires to be the world’s most sustainable herbs and spices company, offering products of the highest quality.