At Kleinstesoepfabriek we use rock salt that is mined in a salt mine in Borth, Germany. It is the last working mine on the Lower Rhine, just across the border near Nijmegen. That is nice and close by. It saves kilometres of transport and contributes to green logistics. This salt is not polluted by plastic residues and other toxic substances, whether of natural origin or dumped by humans. It comes from deep within the earth, where no human has been before. We are talking about a salt layer that was formed hundreds of millions of years ago, at a time when microplastics did not yet exist. From that ancient vein, the salt is extracted for the kitchens of Kleinstesoepfabriek. This salt may not have a pretty name and is therefore less fashionable than Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt. But this is the salt we use, because it is pure and clean.

A soup maker is always looking for umami and yeast extract has that pronounced, savoury flavour. We have been eating natural yeast extract since 1900. It gives a bouillon flavour,
but not on a chemical basis. Yeasts are placed on molasses, a by-product of the organic sugar industry. This creates a dark thick mass with a bouillon-like flavour. This is further reduced (think of Marmite) and ground into powder. So it is
a natural yeast extract that is permitted in soup production under the organic quality mark.

Not to be confused with the chemical flavour enhancers used in the mass production of soups: the E-numbers that we explicitly do not use.
The special thing about natural yeast extract is that it gives a filming mouthfeel. A full and creamy feeling, one to make your mouth water.
In addition to natural yeast extract, we also use Miso paste as a flavouring, made from fermented soybeans. Miso also gives a unique umami flavour and is rich in proteins, fibres and probiotics.

A soup maker can achieve a lot with a little sugar. It costs next to nothing. When you add it to sour tomatoes you can brew a quick soup that you put on the shelves at a low price.

Please note: this concerns the use of refined crystal sugar, extracted from sugar cane or sugar beet. A product that we do not
want to see in the kitchens of Kleinstesoepfabriek. Because we consider it too heavily processed: after all, all healthy substances have been extracted from the natural product.

Yet some recipes call for a small sweet note. In 3 of the soups of Kleinstesoepfabriek we use sugar: in the French Onion Soup, the Tomato Cream Soup and
in our Mexican Bean Soup. But here we choose panela, unrefined whole organic cane sugar. It is
obtained by boiling down the juice of organic sugar cane. This original sweetness still contains molasses, it is crumbly and has a rich caramel flavour. Because it has not undergone any chemical process, panela is the purest sugar, rich in vitamins and minerals.

Agave syrup and sweeteners obtained through fermentation techniques, such as barley malt extract, can have a penetrating flavour that does not benefit the soup. That is why we prefer not to use those specific sweeteners.

In the kitchens of Kleinstesoepfabriek we have traditionally used sunflower oil. And specifically the organic high oleic version. It contains a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids. But in contrast to sunflower oil that has been treated by means of a chemical process, so that the press cake can be optimally squeezed out, our organic oil is pressed only once. With olive oil we would speak of “extra virgin”/”extra vergine”.

Because this first pressing still contains saturated fatty acids, the proteins are filtered out and then the intense flavour of sunflower seeds is
filtered away by a treatment with steam. No chemical process is involved. What remains is a high-quality oil that is very suitable for high heating/with a high heat resistance. Ideal for Kleinstesoepfabriek, since we sauté our onions for a long time (24 hours) at a temperature of 80-90C and we heat our soups for 30 minutes to 115 C.

In Northern regions, people have started using more olive oil in recent decades. Kleinstesoepfabriek does this too, where it suits the origin of the soup. The organic olive oil has the ultimate in fatty acids, phenols and other wonderful substances that really make olive oil healthier. In certain recipes, the Mediterranean palate and the flavour of the Middle East, olive oil also fits better.

We can also appreciate the 2nd pressing olive oil. This tastes somewhat earthier than the Extra Virgin and is better suited for heating and cooking.

We use creamed coconut and coconut milk in our curry dishes and soups of South Asian signature. In addition to flavour, this coconut paste also provides texture and a creamy mouthfeel.

And finally: we use butter to make the roux for our dishes from French cuisine and thickened soups, such as our Mushroom Soup and Groninger Mustard Soup. Preparing the roux takes extra time, but it gives a soup that has a lovely floury quality.

Customers regularly ask us whether they can return their empty jars to Kleinstesoepfabriek for reuse. In the early days of the factory, we thoroughly investigated whether we could reuse our jars.

What we found: the sterilisation process and subsequent cooling create tension in the glass. It is then no longer reliable. We have seen that as many as ⅔ of the jars crack when reused. Returnable glass is therefore not an option. The lids are somewhat more stable when heated. But with reuse, there is a risk of contamination with, for example, allergens. And of course, that is something we want to avoid.

The good news is that our glass is made up of 80% recycled glass. That is why we ask our customers to throw the jars in the glass recycling bin. Or to give them another purpose at home. Customers send us lovely photos of jars that now serve as sweet jars, as lamps, or that are used for making jam at home. Get creative with Kleinstesoepfabriek!

Our packaging is virtually plastic-free. The lids contain a PVC sealing ring that ensures better airtightness. But it is coated, so there is no migration between the PVC and the contents of the jar. We have had all of this thoroughly tested. Our packaging is excellent for recycling: after all, it consists of glass, metal and cardboard. And that is how we have set up the factory as well. We sell cardboard back to the cardboard factory. Glass is recycled and we collect plastics separately; these are not incinerated but reused.

The bones we use to make broth are reused. They are turned into bone meal, which is used as a fertiliser.

The small leftovers of soup from a batch that we can no longer pump into the jars, we collect in a container to be fermented elsewhere. The digestate can be used as a fertiliser.

What we have left as residual waste after this waste separation in the factory is minimal. Waste separation at Kleinstesoepfabriek is a distinctly circular process.