Ten years of the Inspiration Box means a decade full of inspiration, new products and creative applications in the professional kitchen. For Sous Fresh, the box is much more than a collection of products; it is a tangible brand business card, a way to inspire customers and support them in their work in professional kitchens.
“The box makes our story visible: we take care of our customers, offer a wide range of top-quality products, and encourage the use of vegetables and fruit in the kitchen,” says Roy Peters, Managing Director of Sous Fresh. “By constantly renewing the contents and aligning them with current themes, the box remains surprising and relevant. It has truly become the flagship of our brand.”
Taste, colour and innovation
Chef Rob Cox has been closely involved with the Inspiration Box from the start. Since 2016, he has shown how surprisingly versatile vegetables and fruit can be, in both savoury dishes and desserts. For the anniversary edition, he experimented with sweet potato: a macaron with ganache, white chocolate, coconut, Thai basil and edible flowers. “It’s a product that adds colour and flavour and can be endlessly varied,” says Rob.
In his restaurant E11F in Panningen, colour plays an important role: “Without vegetables and fruit, we wouldn’t be who we are. Taste is obviously number one, but then comes the eye. Colour and texture make a dish truly special.” E11F aims to be accessible to everyone – from a simple lunch to a six-course menu – while still ensuring that every plate is clearly recognisable as ‘E11F’. “We work a lot with seasonal produce, and our amuse-bouches are always vegetarian. Guests appreciate that. And you can really make a lot out of simple products – it’s also interesting from a cost perspective.”
Rob and his team are constantly working on innovation and inspiration, actively sharing their knowledge about the products. “I want to teach my team not only to cook but also to understand what’s behind each product. That keeps the inspiration flowing.”
The power of collaboration
Assembling the box is far from easy. After more than sixty editions, creativity and teamwork are essential to produce an edition that is both achievable and inspiring. “The strength of the box lies in the team that works on it. Everyone brings their own perspective, and not every product makes it into the final selection. That’s a good thing: it keeps everything true to our brand values,” explains Roy Peters.
For the anniversary edition, the wide range and creative possibilities were again the focus – from edible flowers and salad mixes to sea vegetables and forgotten vegetables. “The collection of unique products shows how rich and versatile our range is. It also marks a milestone: Chefs Inspiration and the Inspiration Box are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year,” says Roy.
The people behind the box
The Inspiration Box is a complete product: a combination of quality, creativity and collaboration. Rob Cox demonstrates how the products come to life in dishes full of taste, colour and innovation. Roy Peters sees the box as an overview of everything Sous Fresh offers: a combination of people, products and services. “The box gives us a complete picture of the brand. It shows how we support chefs and foodservice customers, how we collaborate with our network of growers, and how our own people use their creativity to make each edition unique and inspiring.”
The success of the Inspiration Box is thanks to the team behind it: chefs, growers, customers and the internal Sous Fresh team work closely together to create a box that is both practical and inspiring. Each edition is a tribute to the products – and to the people who bring them to life.
Meet the people behind the box:
Rob Cox – Chef and owner of Restaurant E11F
Rob combines taste, colour and creativity with vegetables and fruit as the base, inspiring his team to explore new applications. He shows how products can be used in a variety of ways – from savoury dishes to desserts – and how each plate develops its own signature.
Roy Peters – Managing Director at Sous Fresh
Roy sees the Inspiration Box as an essential part of the company’s service. “The value of the box lies in what it does for our customers: it inspires, relieves, and shows what we stand for. It’s our business card in the professional kitchen and brings everyone together – from growers and chefs to our own team – in a concept that demonstrates what makes Sous Fresh unique.”
With the Inspiration Box, Sous Fresh showcases what makes the brand unique: quality, creativity and an engaged network that continuously inspires the professional kitchen.