2006
Veerle Van Hoof: the founder of PIPO Apple Juice
Veerle Van Hoof, wife of Piet, steps away from her familiar job to join forces on a new project. Veerle creates PIPO Apple Juice!
Veerle’s Mission
Veerle’s mission was clear: teach children to drink fresh apple juice and let as many people as possible know how delicious and healthy our products are! The name PIPO, named after Piet Porreye, was no coincidence. With boundless enthusiasm, Piet and Veerle hoped this short, catchy name would stick and appeal to many children!
And so, PIPO Apple Juice was born, with a clear focus on a drink that is not only super delicious but also incredibly healthy and 100% pure!
The Start of PIPO
Piet and Veerle did a little “market research,” from which they learned that there was interest in bottled apple juice for children. Their children’s school was immediately enthusiastic and joined the project. At a time when local products were becoming more popular, the success was quick to follow. Children loved the PIPO juices!
In 2007, the project officially launched, thanks in part to Piet and Veerle's strong network and their collaboration with the tourism office of Sint-Truiden. They were at the city’s first regional products market, offering, alongside juices, low-sugar jam and artisanal floor syrup. The reactions were positive, and it became clear that PIPO juices were not only popular with children but also with adults.
PIPO Grows
By 2011, PIPO Apple Juice had 500 points of sale, mainly in Limburg but also beyond. Dries took over the monthly deliveries, a big task. Despite the crisis in the fruit sector, Veerle and Piet boldly invested in PIPO, confident in the strength of their product. And they were right: PIPO grew into a brand synonymous with pure, healthy, and honest flavors from Haspengouw.
PIPO, More Than Just Apple Juice
Today, PIPO is much more than apple juice, it’s a story you can taste. And that story starts with Veerle Van Hoof. With her warm Limburg hospitality and boundless energy, she managed to bring everyone along on her mission. As the true “La Mama” of PIPO, she was everywhere with her juices, letting people taste, proudly telling the story of Haspengouw’s fruits, and winning hearts with her passion. No sales pitch, just real love for PIPO products!
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1978
In 1978, Piet Porreye started as a fruit grower, driven by his passion for fruit. This love for fruit, passed down from generation to generation, still lives on at PIPO.
2003
Dries Porreye Joins the Fruit Business!
2007
A collaboration was established with a contract juicer who produced the PIPO bottles. The first bottle rolls off the production line. Both young and old quickly become convinced of the quality of these healthy juices, and PIPO quickly becomes a trendy and successful brand product.
In-house production of low-sugar jams and syrups. Thanks to the selection of fruit varieties, guaranteed freshness, unique packaging, and careful finishing, these are niche products sold exclusively at home.
2011
A strong focus is placed on tourism. In the middle of the orchards, a star tent is set up where thousands of tourists, through organized company visits, see and hear how beautiful fruit cultivation is. They get to know the family business and taste the delicious local products.
2012
The idea of taking full control of production becomes a reality. Brecht Porreye, the second son of Piet and Veerle, decides to join the company and take over the production.
1 April 2014
1 November 2016
