A glance behind the scenes

The Dutch theme park Efteling is said to be the fourth largest of its kind in Europe. Sophisticated logistics behind the scenes ensure that visitors are provided with baked products for example.

+Efteling is the name of the largest theme park in The Netherlands. The park near Kaatsheuvel, about 100 km south of Amsterdam, covers a site of approx. 72 hectares, where the company thrills its visitors with various rides like roller coasters or white-water slides. But the operators also entertain with evening shows. The park is open all year round and more than 5 million guests visit it every year, making it the fourth largest theme park in Europe. About 2,400 staff are employed here. The park already opened in 1952. Continuous investments are made, not only in new rides and attractions on the actual grounds of the park, but also in new business fields like the Efteling Hotel, which has been in existence since 1992. Visitors can stay the night here very close to the theme park. This is an offer taken advantage of by many visitors. The park operators reacted accordingly and in 2009 also invested in a holiday home park called Bosrijk (English: “Well Wooded”).

Opportunities for growth

However, those responsible for the theme park not only invested in the expansion of the park or in new business models such as a theatre for musicals and other musical performances or the Efteling Radio with the park’s own series Sprookjesboom (English: “Fairy Tale Tree”). Visitors from other countries are also to be attracted consistently, and these days, visitors come not only from the Netherlands but also from Germany, Great Britain and France for example. So the need for overnight capacities grew. For this reason, the Loonsche Land holiday park has been in operation since May 2017. It provides 1,000 beds in a hotel covering around eight hectares, as well as 66 holiday flats.

Efteling Hotel, already mentioned, has provided an alternative option for staying the night since 1992. It is directly adjacent to the theme park. At peak times, up to 2,500 guests are catered for here daily, e.g. at breakfast. For this reason, there is an extra area in the hotel kitchen with different in-store baking ovens from the German supplier DEBAG. The kitchen staff bake various frozen bakery products here daily for the hotel guests, like rolls, bread or croissants. A logistical masterstroke is required for the right amount of baked products to be available for the guests at the breakfast buffet at all times

(from 5 am to 9 am). For this purpose, amongst others the two DILA 10/5 ovens with a baking area of 3.6 square meters each start heating up automatically in the kitchen at 4:30 am. After that, things quickly start hotting up in the kitchen and the staff place frozen bakery products on baking trays. The baked products are then moved into the in-store baking ovens by a DEBAG loading system. The employees in the kitchen were impressed by the short heating time as well as the fast and easy feeding into the ovens. This combination allows pastries can be baked quickly, and the production peak in the morning can be worked through swiftly at the same time.

Easy and user-friendly

Furthermore, what was crucial when deciding in favor of the oven system was the fact that the system could be controlled and programmed easily and intuitively, so new employees could also learn to operate the ovens quickly. DEBAG provides appropriate solutions with the FilialNet here as well. The controller manages the baking programs and provides comprehensive evaluation options if required. Another reason in favor of the ovens from Germany was the e.CLEAN. SYSTEM. The ovens are self-cleaning. A biodegradable liquid detergent combined with approx. 9 liters of water automatically ensures the baking chamber is clean within about 35 minutes.

Freshly baked products around the clock

There have been no oven malfunctions so far, but just in case, DEBAG provides its customers with a phone hotline, which is available around the clock.

The DILA ovens are put into action not only during breakfast time. For example, bread freshly baked in the ovens will be served to guests in the evenings. Furthermore, there is another in-store baking oven in the souvenir shop directly in the foyer. Here, chocolate croissants and other snacks are baked and sold for example. This way, staff ensure that freshly baked products are available to hotel guests at all times. The souvenir shop also has a window through which hotel guests can see into the hotel kitchen, allowing visitors to get a glance behind the scenes. +++