De Eik (The Oak) is a Belgian family-owned investment company. It was founded in 1971 by the Van Waeyenberge family.
"Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago"
- Warren Buffet
The group acquired its initial capital through the trading company Ecoval, which began trading in raw materials from various food industries in 1950, later developing into a leading international player in the trading of raw materials for the dairy industry. Joining forces with other families, the Van Waeyenberge family also established several other trading companies in the food products sector. A professional structure was set up in 1971 with the establishment of the investment company De Eik (The Oak), named after the street (Eikestraat, or Oak Street) in Steenhuize-Wijnhuize, where founder Camille Van Waeyenberge had his roots. Also today, the family remains committed to providing patient capital and fostering enduring partnerships.
At the heart of De Eik is a professional and committed investment team. Driven by sustainable value creation, we share and actively support the vision of our investments.
What you can expect from our collaboration
Active partnership
We build robust partnerships. We are an engaged investor, and we closely collaborate with management teams, particularly on strategic domains. As a small and dynamic team, we work flexibly but decisively to realize mutual objectives.
Long-term outlook
Our approach is rooted in an entrepreneurial spirit and a far-reaching perspective, often spanning across generations. We possess the foresight to see beyond short-term challenges and remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering sustainable value creation.
Do right
The foundation of any long-term partnership rests on principles of integrity and mutual respect. Our commitment to ethical conduct extends not only to all stakeholders but also to the well-being of our planet.
Professional investor
De Eik operates as a private and independent investment firm led by a complementary team that combines diverse expertise and a proven track record. While our investments are centered around people, we are guided by facts and figures.
Beyond our core activities
De Eik’s shareholders have cultivated a strong legacy in the realm of entrepreneurial philanthropy. Consequently, the company dedicates its time, managerial expertise, and resources to a variety of projects, both in response to external requests and through self-initiation.
Cultura Fonds
De Eik has a particular fascination for books, featuring one of Belgium's most accessible private collections of early modern books. The Cultura Fonds library houses an extensive array of Plantin imprints (1555–1589) and works from sixteenth-century humanists and scholars like Erasmus and More, Vesalius and Dodoens, Clusius and Lobelius, Ortelius, Clenardus, and Masius
Valuable heritage sites
We are dedicated to preserving the presence of precious heritage sites and ensuring their availability for social and cultural enrichment. To achieve this, we actively contribute to turning these projects into reality. Illustrative instances of such endeavors include De Warande and Flagey.
Non-profit organizations
De Eik supports a number of initiatives, including Opening the Future. With major donations to Leuven's research, the entrepreneurial families De Eik invests in aim to push diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's to the sidelines. Driven by the unwavering support of these donors, Opening the Future drives innovative research for today and tomorrow.
