A firm Dutch favourite, the ‘stroopwafel’, is now available in Scotland, made by a Dutchman living here. He started working the festivals, but the cookie proved so popular with locals that the business has now expanded into an actual high street shop. Anna Schurer got in touch to find out more.
From creative writing to creating waffles
Timothy Schelhaas is Dutch and moved to Scotland in 2019. Timothy wanted to pursue a career as a creative writer. He has a degree from Bangor University, but there wasn’t enough work in Wales, so he moved to Edinburgh – city of The Fringe and other festivals, bookshops, cafes, nature and cultural heritage. It was there that he decided he wanted to be his own boss and start his own business. Something novel. And the idea that came to mind was: stroopwafels! A delicious piece of Dutch heritage; a waffle-type cookie that takes skill, and special tools and ingredients to make – beloved by people from all walks in The Netherlands. And that was the start of ‘Wholly Waffles’
The first step was a trip to The Netherlands, to Gouda, to learn the craft, buy the necessary equipment, and decide on the best ingredients to use that would be available to bakers in the UK. Gouda is where the waffles originated, and therefore the best place to learn the tricks of the trade. Timothy wanted to learn from the best, so his waffles would be perfect. As Timothy said: “There are many examples of Dutch people who tried to sell fresh stroopwafels abroad, but failed because they didn’t do the necessary groundwork and research. And I also believe that we have a big responsibility — to share Dutch culture and food with a new generation. We build on the incredible work of the many Dutch waffle bakers that came before us. That’s something I remind our bakers often.”
Waffle recipe adaptability
Timothy explains:
“We make all our dough and caramel in-house, using a secret combination of spices, sugars and flours.”
“Our waffles are as close to the authentic Dutch recipe as you can be when you are operating abroad. We use British ingredients, and so I had to make changes. The type of flour that is normally used for stroopwafels in The Netherlands doesn’t exist in the UK, so we’re using organic pastry flour as an alternative. Additionally, I have also opted to use fewer spices in our stroopwafels, to make the flavour more aromatic. I’ve made a few changes mostly to appeal to British customers, who are less accustomed to spiced biscuits or waffles.”
“We 100% specialise in stroopwafels. I believe that’s what makes us unique. We do one thing, and we do it really well.”
Start-up challenges
The business didn’t take off immediately, but now it is going well. Timothy explains:
“I can’t say our business was an immediate success. It is a difficult time to be in hospitality or the food industry right now – people generally have less to spend, and our operating costs continue to climb. That leaves less room for error. Compared to other businesses, the challenge of reaching customers is more profound for Wholly Waffles. Because a lot of people still don’t know what a stroopwafel is, we need to invest more in marketing, social media, and branding, than comparable businesses. You will find that we’re often the best-looking stall at events that we attend.
“I should say that we’ve had great successes however – we have traded at the Edinburgh Christmas Market, which is famous around the world, and we have now opened our first permanent location in Glasgow (Dockyard Social). We’ve employed over ten stroopwafel bakers in just one year. I believe we might be at a turning point. I can feel that we’re getting closer and closer to tangible success.
“British customers who try our waffles almost exclusively say they’re delicious. We are privileged to have many regulars too. I love to see how surprised some people get by just how good our stroopwafels are. I can’t take too much credit – we didn’t invent the Dutch waffles.”
Fresh, authentic waffles
Are these the same as what you buy in a supermarket?
“Stroopwafels on offer in supermarkets and cafes in the UK are usually imported from Holland, though I should mention that there is a bakery in Wales that makes pre-packaged stroopwafels too. Regardless, the results are the same. Imports take time to arrive in the UK, and so does traversing the food supply chain. What you’re often left with is a soft waffle that tastes old. What we do here couldn’t be more different – our waffles are baked fresh to order and are always warm and gooey inside. The smell of waffles travels everywhere. There’s nothing quite like it.”
Stroopwafels are best eaten warm. But where does the idea of putting them on top of a cup of coffee come from, is that really done in the Netherlands?
“I believe that was a marketing strategy that was created by a Dutch stroopwafel business that specialises in exporting pre-packaged waffles. But I’ve heard Dutch people say it, too, so maybe it does have its origin in tradition. As with many things involving Dutch waffles, there isn’t always a way to know what’s true and what isn’t.“
Do you have a dream for the future of ‘Wholly Waffles’?
“My long-term goal is to establish multiple stroopwafel bakeries across the UK. Once we’ve done that, and that will take a couple of more years, I would like to expand abroad. My dream is for Wholly Waffles to become a stroopwafel franchise that would have locations across the globe. I know that sounds a bit daunting, which it is, but I’ve designed my business with that goal in mind. I’m fascinated with setting up systems and automating processes. If we stay on track, I believe there will be a time when we can set up bakeries in a matter of weeks, and have them run by fully trained, local operators. For now, though, this remains a Dutch dream.
“We will keep attending events for now, in Edinburgh, but we expect to focus more on brick-and-mortar bakeries in the future.”
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