After a prolonged absence of Muisjes® from the shelves of Jumbo stores in the Netherlands, the supermarket chain has now been restocked with the Dutch birth sprinkles and has a special offering to make up for the empty shelves. Anyone who has recently had a baby can get a free box of Muisjes® from a Jumbo store for the whole month of September.
Muisjes® are a special type of sprinkles found in the Netherlands, made by De Ruijter. They are made from aniseeds covered with a sugar coating and are served on buttered rusks to celebrate a birth. The most common colours are pink for a girl and blue for a boy, but there is also an orange variety to celebrate the birth of a Prince or Princess of Orange.
In July, the traditional Dutch food was nowhere to be found in Jumbo stores due to “ongoing negotiations” with De Ruijter. The shortage is now over and the sprinkles can again be found in the Dutch supermarket chain. “To make up for it a little, we are now giving away free Muisjes® to everyone who has just had a baby for the entire month of September," a spokesperson for Jumbo told AD.
A free pack of Muisjes® per customer will be given for free when a birth announcement card is presented. “We are not very strict: even if you are heavily pregnant or are bringing your baby, you will receive a pack of Muisjes®," said the spokesperson.
Shortages in certain brand products can happen occasionally. The limited stock of De Ruijter’s Muisjes® at Jumbo was “a result of the ongoing negotiations”. Serving a rusk with coloured sprinkles to friends and family to toast a birth is a tradition in the Netherlands, "It is therefore extra unfortunate that we could not offer the brand label Muisjes®," said the Jumbo spokesperson.
Supermarkets are not allowed to make their own versions of Muisjes® as the Dutch treat is trademarked by De Ruijter. Luckily, the shortage wasn’t long-lasting and the negotiations have been completed, so anyone can grab a box and have their beschuit met Muisjes®.