For the young Dutch born chef, Hans Van Der Drift, 1960 was a big year. It was then he started Hans Continental Smallgoods in a small butcher shop in Ascot, Brisbane. Hans had an aim to bring the distinctive tastes of the European continent to Australia.
The Hans business grew, and so did the product range. In 1970 Hans moved to the existing premises at Colmslie, and the company expanded into Queensland’s number one brand in Continental Salamis and Sausages/Wursts. Throughout all the expansions, Hans was established as a quality brand using the best meats and spices. Hans’ motto “You can tell by the Taste it is Hans” reminded him to insist on exceptional quality and excellence of service- his recipe for success.
Hans achieved Export Approval in 1992 and by 1998 Hans was ranged nationally, becoming the No 2 Smallgoods manufacturer in Australia. The Fine Sliced range of Hans products were introduced in 2000, projecting Hans forward as the No 1 Smallgoods brand in the country.
In 2002, Hans invested into Swickers of Kingaroy which is the 2nd largest pork processor in Australia and in late 2003 Hans completed negotiations with OSI and Woolworths to buy OSI smallgoods. 2004 signified the entry of Hans into the Fresh Pork Market, under the “Hans Fresh” brand.