Frying, Electrification and Looking Ahead with COMCAM

16 June 2025 | Woerden

On Monday 16 June, COMCAM took part in the annual members’ day of the professional association ProFri – a key gathering for deep-frying professionals from across the Netherlands. The event was held at partner company Ducate in Woerden, known for manufacturing equipment under brands such as Florigo, De Kuiper and Hegro. The programme offered a mix of industry insights, political updates and inspiring real-world experiences on electrification within the frying sector. Representing COMCAM, Chief Revenue Officer Daniël Krug delivered a presentation on the impact of electrification on the sector’s energy supply.

A Sector in Transition

The morning programme focused on internal association matters. ProFri is currently moving towards becoming a fully independent organisation, separating itself from the Dutch Frying Centre (Nederlands Frituurcentrum). Director Ubel Zuiderveld presented the latest figures and trends from the snack bar sector, along with the association’s new tagline: “Passion. Craftsmanship. Frying. We are ProFri.”

Political context was provided by Erik Ziengs, chairman of Ondernemend Nederland (ONL), ProFri’s lobbying partner in The Hague. He outlined the current political agenda and its implications for entrepreneurs in the Netherlands.

Talk Show ‘Go Electric’: Real Stories from the Frying Industry

Sustainability and electrification took centre stage during the afternoon programme. In a special energy-focused talk show, three entrepreneurs shared their practical experiences with electric frying. Tom Dekker (FrieteRia, Dronten), Hans Boumans (’t Smulhuis, Brunssum) and Peter Vos (’t Vosje, Rosmalen) offered candid insights into their transition journeys – covering technical hurdles, cost considerations, and customer perceptions.

COMCAM on Grid Capacity and Practical Solutions

On behalf of COMCAM, Daniël Krug delivered a talk entitled “Electrification: What’s Already Possible Today?” He addressed the current realities faced by business owners: while electrification is increasingly necessary and logical in terms of costs and sustainability, in practice it is often constrained by grid congestion and long lead times for power grid upgrades.

Key points from the presentation included:

• The Challenge: gas prices are rising, while electricity is not readily available in all locations;
• Bottlenecks: lack of grid connection capacity at new sites, with waiting times stretching to years;
• Solutions: load balancing, energy management, and consumption insights through Energy Portfolio Management;
• Taking Action Today: prepare, simulate, and make smart data-driven decisions.

Krug emphasised the importance of early planning and strategic energy management – especially for SMEs facing pivotal decisions around sustainability and business continuity.

Dialogue Between Energy Experts and Industry Stakeholders

The ProFri event underscored the increasing need for collaboration between entrepreneurs, industry associations and energy professionals. COMCAM is proud to contribute to this dialogue by sharing expertise and offering clarity about what is already achievable – especially in a time marked by grid challenges and shifting regulations.