By: Laura van der Laan and Madeleine Slot (Section Editors)
A walk down the Lange Geere in Middelburg takes you past Amore, the place to be at 2 a.m. after an Elliot Party, the place where Crostini’s used to be, and finally a little shop called Chocolate Lovers. Chocolate Lovers is a non-profit chocolate shop owned by the Mr. Jansen, an inspirational man with a past that has fueled him to be generous, give to those in need, and to provide the young and the old with a fresh outlook on life. The shop does not immediately catch your eye, but what it has come to represent for UCR is extraordinary.
When Chocolate Lovers came into existence a year and a half ago, a team of ten friends had experienced incredibly difficult years. Mr. Jansen, previously the owner of four successful businesses in Limburg, began to tire of his life as a businessman, in which profit was a constant necessity. He himself had been rehabilitating after a serious car accident; his daughters had been seriously ill, and he had seen such hardships among his group of friends as well. He began to realize that nothing mattered as much as his children and their happiness; not money, nor materials. And so, the team decided that they needed a change, a new, clean start; they needed positivity.
The new outlook on life inspired Mr. Jansen and his friends to start an entirely new venture, Chocolate Lovers, based on giving to those in need and volunteering, and of course, happiness. But why chocolate? And why Middelburg? Mr. Jansen explained that for him, a new start implied a new home, and he had always found Middelburg to feel like home. What he is particularly fond of is the ‘do what you love’ mentality that the citizens of Middelburg, and Zeeland in general, have. Further, market demographic studies demonstrated that the people of Zeeland wanted chocolate, and chocolate is what they got, in its purest form. Remarkably, Jansen’s father had been a pastry chef for over fifty years and Mr. Jansen therefore had the perfect opportunity to utilize old family recipes for his chocolate concoctions. Once it was decided that a chocolate shop would be opened in Middelburg, Jansen and his team went full steam ahead. The Chocolate Lovers foundation aims to raise money for several foundations, such as ‘Stichting Opkikker’, which involves visiting and cheering up ill children. This non-profit chocolate shop can do no wrong, and it is expanding faster than was ever thought to be possible.
The chocolate lovers workshop truly opened up a new door for UCR students. Students were able to gain insight into how to make chocolate bon-bons, the work that goes into chocolate making, the imagination and creativity behind the recipes. In this particular workshop, the students worked on creating the perfect chocolate covered marzipan ball, as well as making bonbons with new fillings, such as strawberry, nougat, and caramel. And it was evident that the students loved the experience. According to student Hilde van den Berg, “it was so much fun!” She described there was a “great atmosphere” and a “hands on experience.” Mr. Jansen was incredibly patient with the new students, taking the time to examine each of their chocolate works, to correct them, and to teach them new skills. For many students, this was key: “we were there for like 2.5 hours so we did not have to hurry but we could take our time to learn, and of course, taste!” And for Mr. Jansen, this is all a wonderful dream. Jansen’s business accomplishment in Chocolate Lovers is incredible, but he has much more to offer than just chocolates and bonbons. In fact, the Tabula Rasa and Radio team found it remarkable to simply listen to Jansen discuss his thoughts on happiness. He reminded us to never lose sight of what truly mattered, love family and passions: “Don’t drive yourself crazy. Focus on the simpler things in life, and eventually, you’ll figure everything out,” and to always give back to the community.
Chocolate Lovers is ecstatic to provide UCR students with the opportunity to do just that, through a fundraiser sale of chocolates, and by offering volunteer positions at store itself. Jansen encourages all students to help with both chocolate production and attending charity events, and each student is able to create their own flexible schedule. Hilde is incredibly excited to be part of this organization: “volunteering for them is definitely something I would enjoy!” Steven van der Boom also expressed his desire to help create new recipes.
This is truly an incredible chance for students to be both creative and generous, and to further experience the positivity of Mr. Jansen and Chocolate Lovers. In the words of Mr. Jansen, “give, rather than take, because that will make you happy.”
Madeleine Slot, class of 2016, is an Art History and Literature major from Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Laura van der Laan, class of 2016, is a Law major from Orinda, California.
