There comes a point in every expat’s life when you look for a gift or souvenir for friends or family back home. Something that cleverly illustrates or embodies the spirit of Rotterdam, the city you have come to love and call your home.
A good place to start looking is on MeneerKlaas.nl, a webshop that prides itself on offering gift boxes that are very typical to Rotterdam. From cheese, candy and beer to coffee and souvenirs.
There’s a wide variety of gifts available, from the very personal birthday present to the corporate gift. All gift boxes are delivered in a beautiful, original packaging material which can also be adapted to reflect your personal wishes or corporate design.
Beer from Rotterdam
The Netherlands is famous for its beer, but there’s more to it than Heineken. In Rotterdam, many local microbreweries produce high-quality beers and are gaining popularity both locally and abroad. On MeneerKlaas.nl you’ll find gift packages with beers from Rotterdam-based breweries including Kaapse Brouwers.
You can order four different types of Kaapse Brouwers beer; Carrie, Tess, Harrie, Karel. The Karel is a gluten free cat II IPA (4.9%), so it's perfect for friends who are either allergic to or avoiding gluten whereas Carrie is a heavier Indian Pale Ale (cat S, 6.5%).
There are also quite a few beers from Brouwerij Noordt, including a five-beer variety pack named Het Legioen, after the fans of Rotterdam's famous Feyenoord football club.
Rotterdams locally brewed beers Cheese from Rotterdam
Perhaps more so than beer, the Netherlands is known for cheese, Gouda in particular. Rotterdam also has its own cheese, De Rotterdamsche Oude, and it’s quite good. You can buy various types of Rotterdamsche Oude cheese and cheese accessories on MeneerKlaas.nl. There’s the Schuit which has been aged for 36 or 100 weeks as well as a 28-week aged goat cheese and a 20-week Rotterdammert in the shape of a ball.
You can also get a combination of cheese and port wine, or cheese and Pineut; a do-it-yourself brand of liqueur produced in Rotterdam. A bottle of Pineut comes pre-filled with dry natural ingredients, so all the person receiving it has to do is add the alcohol, shake the bottle once a day and patiently wait until the drink is ready to be consumed.
Mugs, coasters, shot glasses and bags
How about non-food items? On MeneerKlaas.nl you’ll find different mugs, sets of coasters, shot glasses and water bottles that feature illustrations of Rotterdam’s architectural icons like Central Station and the city skyline. The site also has tote bags in various designs and rucksacks.
Rotterdam-themed tote bags and rucksacks International shipping
Unfortunately, the website doesn't allow international delivery. So you’ll have to send the items to your own address in the Netherlands first before shipping them off to your friends and relatives abroad. Or, if you’re travelling abroad yourself, you can always take the items yourself in your luggage.
