Lead the Change: How Holie Pizza shows that sustainability and enjoyment go hand in hand
In the catering world, it’s usually all about meat, convenience and speed, with little attention to sustainability. That’s precisely what Jeroen ter Haar Romenij wanted to change. From his own kitchen, he started experimenting with pizzas and soon found out that his friend Philippe shared the same passion. Their first try on King’s Day was a success, with fifty pizzas sold out in just four hours, and that taste of success made them want more. What started as a hobby quickly grew into a business baking pizzas with real impact. Next month, Holie Pizza celebrates its third anniversary. The company now has six team members, thirty pizza bakers and a steadily growing group of happy customers.
Pizzas Without Meat or Fish
From the very beginning, Holie Pizza had one clear goal: to do things differently. “We wanted to build something with real impact. And if you want to reach a lot of people, why not do it consciously?” Jeroen says. “Pizza is perfect for that. Everyone loves pizza, so we thought, let’s show that it can be just as tasty without meat or fish.”
That decision took courage. “At first, many potential customers lost interest as soon as they heard we didn’t serve meat or fish,” he says. “It made us doubt ourselves sometimes, but we stuck to what we believed in.”
Now, more and more people are choosing Holie Pizza, even those who aren’t explicitly looking for a sustainable caterer. “We don’t focus on what’s missing. We focus on what we bring: great food, good energy and real connection. That’s what people remember.”
Sustainability is at the heart of everything Holie Pizza does
They bake with electric ovens, use second-hand plates and work with local ingredients. The flour comes from the Achterhoek region, and the buffalo mozzarella from a family farm in Venlo. Less transport means lower CO₂ emissions.
For every business event, they calculate the total emissions from food, ovens and transport. “It’s not an exact science, but we take an eighty-twenty approach and offset what’s left,” Jeroen explains.
Holie Pizza also takes part in the Protein Transition Programme by the Green Protein Alliance and ProVeg Netherlands, which tracks how companies shift from animal to plant-based proteins. With 81% of its menu plant-based, Holie Pizza is one of the frontrunners driving the national protein transition in the Netherlands.
Learning From Setbacks
Things didn’t always go smoothly. “For a while, we worked with seasonal menus,” Jeroen says. “Every three months we’d add new pizzas with seasonal vegetables like pumpkin, parsnip or kale.” It was a fun idea, but customers preferred familiar flavours. So Holie Pizza switched to a fixed menu with 10 popular pizzas available year-round.
They also started using plant-based meat alternatives. “At first, we didn’t want to. We thought it might weaken our concept. But people just love a BBQ Chicken or a Tonno. So now we have the Tonno Nonno with seaweed-based tuna and the Philly Cheesesteak with vegan steak from Planted. Honestly, I’ve never tasted a better vegan steak.”
Less Waste, More Creativity
Holie Pizza has found its own creative way to tackle food waste. “We worked with Too Good To Go for a while, but it turned out to be tricky logistically,” Jeroen says. “Now we use leftover ingredients from events to make sandwiches.” These sandwiches are sold to nearby companies on the Delft industrial estate. The project is still in its early days, but it perfectly reflects Holie Pizza’s inventive approach to reducing waste.
Connection at the Core
Although Holie Pizza is known as a sustainable caterer, Jeroen says their real focus lies elsewhere. “People hire catering because there’s something to celebrate,” he says. “You want to be together, laugh and enjoy good food. Those moments of connection are what it’s really about for us.”
The team doesn’t just want to bake great pizzas; they want to create an atmosphere where people genuinely connect. “We’re that friend who shows up, fires up the oven and turns it into a great afternoon,” Jeroen says with a smile. “That’s what matters most. Sustainability is naturally part of it, but for us, it all starts with making people happy. When you do that well, the impact follows.”
Just Start
What advice would Jeroen give to other entrepreneurs? “Just start,” he says. “Don’t overthink it or spend too much time planning. We simply stood on the street on King’s Day baking pizzas, and it gave us so much energy. You don’t need everything to be perfect. Start small, learn and keep improving. The growth will follow naturally.”
Their Recipe for Change
“We show that sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated or preachy. It can be simple, tasty and fun. Bringing people together, baking pizzas and doing something good along the way, that’s what Holie Pizza is all about.”
Holie Pizza proves that sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated. With small, conscious choices, you can build a business that makes a real impact.
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