What Smullers does

Smullers is a Dutch quick-service restaurant chain that operates exclusively at train stations, with 25-27 physical retail locations across the Netherlands including major hubs such as Amsterdam Central, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Den Haag. The business is a brand within Lagardère Travel Retail, the travel-retail subsidiary of the Lagardère Group, with corporate oversight housed at Singaporestraat 2, 1175 RA Lijnden. Its product portfolio is concentrated in four categories: fries (standard and Twister), traditional Dutch snacks (frikandel, kroket variants, kaassoufflé, bamischijf, mexicano), burgers (beef, chicken, vegetarian, and double variants), and ice cream and milkshakes, with select items carrying Beter Leven welfare certification and exclusive IJscuypje artisan ice cream available at flagship stations. The technology stack is intentionally minimal: contactless payment infrastructure supports rapid checkout at the counter, and the website is a marketing and information site with no online ordering, delivery, or loyalty functionality.

The business model is direct-to-consumer, one-time retail purchase at point-of-sale counters; there are no subscription tiers, no delivery channel, and no B2B contract structure. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customers are fragmented commuters, inter-city travelers, and increasingly flexitarian consumers targeted via organic social media (Instagram, Facebook) and the corporate website. Revenue is generated solely through per-transaction counter sales, making the model highly dependent on station foot traffic and on the concession-based real estate controlled by Dutch rail operators. The company has no independent funding history, no disclosed financials, and operates as a single-country, single-channel retail brand under its parent's strategic direction.

Recent strategic activity has focused on menu refresh and assortment extension rather than channel or geographic diversification: launches in 2026 included the Spicy Burger, a new Groentekroket vegetarian snack, and a seasonal Banana Split Milkshake, alongside the tiered IJscuypje premium ice cream partnership at Amsterdam CS, Rotterdam CS, and Utrecht CS. The lack of online ordering, delivery, or app functionality is a notable strategic gap given the broader QSR industry's digital shift, and the headcount disclosed (11-50) appears to reflect corporate/brand staff only, with frontline station labor managed separately under the Lagardère Travel Retail umbrella.

Name

Smullers

Legal name

Smullers

Website

https://smullers.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smullers is a Dutch quick-service restaurant chain operating 25-27 stations across the Netherlands under Lagardère Travel Retail, selling fries, traditional Dutch snacks, burgers, ice cream, and milkshakes to commuters and travelers via contactless counter service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Restaurant / Travel Retail Food Service

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Foodservice-Led Convenience Stores (QSR/Hot Food Focus) (CRAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Soft-Serve & Custard Stands (THAFAGAC)

Keywords

• Quick service restaurant
• Train station food
• Dutch snacks
• Fries and burgers
• Travel retail food

Headquarters

HQ city

Maastricht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices26 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: Smullers generates revenue through direct point-of-sale transactions at its 25-27 physical store locations at Dutch train stations. Customers purchase snacks, fries, burgers, milkshakes, and ice cream directly at counters. No subscription, delivery, or online ordering model is evident.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Smullers sells Dutch quick-service food — fries, traditional Dutch snacks (frikandel, kroketten, kaassoufflé), burgers (beef, chicken, vegetarian), soft-serve ice cream, sundaes and milkshakes — exclusively at physical counter locations inside train stations across the Netherlands. The model targets travelers and commuters needing fast, contactless, take-away food, with select products carrying Beter Leven welfare certification and an artisan ice cream range (IJscuypje) at the largest stations.

Product overview

Smullers is a quick-service restaurant chain operating at train stations across the Netherlands, offering a focused portfolio of Dutch comfort foods designed for travelers in a hurry. The product offering centers on four core categories: (1) Fries – including regular Frites and Twister frites, made from Holland potatoes and responsibly fried; (2) Snacks – traditional Dutch snacks such as Frikandel, Mexicano, Satékroket, Rundvleeskroket, Groentekroket, Bamischijf, Kaassoufflé, and Kipstick, with select items carrying the Beter Leven welfare certification; (3) Burgers – ranging from classic Hamburger and Cheeseburger to Chicken Burgers (Kipburger), vegetarian options (Vegaburger, Chickless burger), and double/variant versions including the new Spicy Burger; and (4) Ice Cream & Shakes – including soft ice cream, sundaes, and milkshakes in multiple flavors, with exclusive IJscuypje artisan ice cream available at select stations. All products are designed for rapid service with contactless payment, positioned as a fast, affordable, and enjoyable snacking option for train travelers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fries (Frites & Twister Frites) Dutch fries made from Holland potatoes, specially selected and responsibly fried; includes regular Frites and Twister (curly) Frites, paired with a range of sauces. Sold as a core quick-service item at train station counters.
• Burgers (Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Kipburger, Vegaburger, Chickless burger, Double variants, Spicy Burger) Range of burgers sold at the counter including classic Hamburger, Cheeseburger, chicken Kipburger, vegetarian Vegaburger, soy-based Chickless burger, double-size variants (Dubbele hamburger, Dubbele kipburger, Dubbele vegaburger, Dubbele cheeseburger, Dubbele chickencheese burger), and the new Spicy Burger special. Select items carry Beter Leven 1-star certification.
• Traditional Dutch Snacks (Frikandel, Mexicano, Satékroket, Rundvleeskroket, Groentekroket, Bamischijf, Kaassoufflé, Kipstick) Classic Dutch deep-fried snack range: Frikandel (number-1 Dutch meat snack sausage), Mexicano (spicy minced-meat snack), Satékroket (spiced chicken-satay ragout croquet), Rundvleeskroket (beef croquet), Groentekroket (vegetable croquet with spinach, broad beans and red pepper), Bamischijf (vegetable, noodle and spice snack), Kaassoufflé (melted-cheese envelope), and Kipstick (Beter Leven 1-star certified chicken snack).
• Soft-serve Ice Cream, Sundaes and Milkshakes (including Banana Split Milkshake) Creamy and refreshing dairy-based ice cream range: Softijs soft-serve, Kinderijsje kids' soft-serve, Sundaes in Strawberry, Caramel, Chocolate and Pistachio flavors, and Milkshakes in Strawberry, Banana, Chocolate, Kiwi and Vanilla, made from real Dutch milk. Includes the new Banana Split Milkshake (2026 launch) topped with chocolate sauce and optional whipped cream at select locations.
• IJscuypje Artisan Ice Cream & Shakes Artisan ('Ambachtelijk') scoop ice cream and shakes supplied by partner brand IJscuypje and sold exclusively at the three largest stations in the network: Rotterdam CS, Amsterdam CS and Utrecht CS.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lagardère Travel RetailcoreOthersLagardère Travel Retail is the parent company and data controller for Smullers. The company is responsible for data processing and privacy compliance as stated in Smullers' privacy policy. Headquartered at Singaporestraat 2, 1175 RA Lijnden, Netherlands.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Febo: Iconic Dutch QSR chain famous for automaat-style vending of traditional Dutch snacks (kroketten, frikandel, burgers). Direct competitor to Smullers in the Dutch snackbar category with overlapping product mix and price positioning.
• AH to go: Albert Heijn's small-format grab-and-go convenience stores located at Dutch train stations, offering ready-to-eat meals, snacks, coffee, and beverages. Competes with Smullers for the same station commuter food spend.
• Julia's: Dutch station-based bakery and sandwich QSR concept present across NS stations. Directly competes with Smullers on breakfast and lunch occasions for the same train-traveler segment.

Broad incumbents

• Starbucks: Global coffee/QSR chain with multiple locations at Dutch train stations. Competes with Smullers for the same transit passenger beverage and snack occasions, though with a coffee-led proposition.
• McDonald's: Global QSR leader with a presence across the Netherlands including several station-adjacent restaurants. Comparable burger-and-fries QSR offering, but with broader urban footprint and drive-thru model.
• Burger King: Major QSR competitor operating in the Netherlands with overlapping burger-focused menu. Broader national footprint than Smullers but competes for the same quick-meal occasion at transit-adjacent sites.
• Subway: Global sandwich QSR chain present at Dutch stations and high-street locations. Overlaps with Smullers on the 'quick healthier-leaning meal at transit' use case with a different core product (sub sandwiches).
• KFC: Major QSR competitor in the Netherlands serving fried-chicken-focused menus. Competes with Smullers for the same impulse QSR occasion, particularly among younger commuters and travelers.

Emerging players

• Bagels & Beans: Dutch specialty QSR chain focused on bagels, coffee, and healthy-leaning items with locations near Dutch transit hubs. Competes with Smullers' vegetarian and lighter offerings for morning and lunch commuter occasions.

Others

• Lagardère Travel Retail (sister food brands): Parent's broader travel-retail food-service portfolio (including Relay and other station food concepts globally). Operates adjacent concession-based food brands within the same parent, sharing infrastructure, real-estate, and supplier relationships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Smullers
• Instagraminstagram.com/smullers_nl
• Xx.com/Smullers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smullers