Coöperatieve zuivelfabriek
In 1896, a group of Hoogeveen farmers and financiers established the stream driven Coöperatieve zuivelfabriek Hoogeveen on Alteveerstraat 70, originally to change perishable milk into significantly less perishable butter. After a hesitant start, the initiative caught on and buttermilk could be added to the product line. From 1898 to 1906, the plant bought more and more land and buildings around the original plot.
In 1914, the price of butter sank precipitously, due to wartime export restrictions, while a number of employees were called up for military duty. The cooperation decided to diversify by producing milk powder. this required a renovation which was used to install machines for the production of condensed milk and build a larger, higher chimney. The milk powder sales took off instantly, especially to the Dutch army. After a short while, condensed milk became a success also. In 1928, the plant was completely renovated and modernised. The tokens were used in a short-lived test to allow retailers to top up their stock of milk outside the plant's office hours.
The period of the second world war proved to be difficult, mainly because dairy cattle was confiscated for slaughter, but the cooperative came through and picked up another butter plant with a small cheese production line in 1950. In 1962, Coöperatieve zuivelfabriek Hoogeveen merged with cooperative dairy plants in Zuidwolde and Ruinen. The name of the combination became Drents Overijsselse Combinatie (DOC). Cheese production was intensified with the opening of a cheese line in Hoogeveen in 1987.
Due to overproduction of milk and cheese because of EU regulation, butter production was ended, changing the nature of the plant to a cheese factory. Therefore, it was known from 1995 as DOC kaas. (photo: Google Earth). The chimney in the background dates from the 1916 renovation. It is unusually high and decorated and now considered an industrial monument. In 2015, German cheese trader DMK group bought the cooperation.
| Milk tokens | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Filename | NCCZ1 | |
| Side 1 | Around: •C.Z. HOOGEVEEN | |
| Side 2 | 10 / LITER | |
| Material | Copper-nickel | |
| Size (mm) | 23.5 | |
| Weight (grams) | ||
| Notes | ||
| Source | Munthandel Reekers | |
| File:NCCZ2.jpg | ||
| Filename | NCCZ2 | |
| Side 1 | Around: •C.Z. HOOGEVEEN | |
| Side 2 | 100 / LITER | |
| Material | Copper-nickel | |
| Size (mm) | 26.4 | |
| Weight (grams) | ||
| Notes | ||
| Source | Kooij | |
