Parasols, fans, goodie bags filled with hand fans and sunscreen, and plenty of water—everything was in place for what would become the hottest Quooker World Wide Day ever. In total, 350 colleagues from 13 different countries travelled to Ridderkerk. Together with our colleagues from the Netherlands, attendance reached almost 900 people. "I looked around and thought, 'Wow, there are so many of us!'" says Nienke, Employer Branding Specialist, who spent the past year helping organise the event. "Since the previous Quooker World Wide Day in 2022, the number of employees has doubled."

Bringing People Together Quooker's international growth has made organising a World Wide Day more complex—but also more important than ever. "We're all part of one company, one team. We want everyone who works for Quooker to feel that, whether you're based in Ridderkerk, Zurich or Dubai. By bringing everyone together at least once every four years during Quooker World Wide Day, we strengthen that sense of belonging. Colleagues you may speak to on the phone every day but have never met in person finally get the chance to connect face to face in an informal setting. That's incredibly valuable and really brings people together."

A New Location, New Experiences This year's Quooker World Wide Day took place at the brand-new Quooker Distribution Center (QDC) in Ridderkerk."Not only our international colleagues, but many of our Dutch colleagues were amazed, as they hadn't yet seen the new building," Nienke explains. After guided tours of the distribution centre and the factory, colleagues enjoyed a varied programme combining entertainment, games and opportunities to relax. Activities ranged from a life-sized version of Guess Who? and table tennis to a Quooker pub quiz. A water game designed by the Research & Design department eventually turned into an epic water fight.

Smiles, Surprises and new Connections During the quarterly Quooker meeting, CEO Jacob Kragh welcomed everyone together with Quooker founders Walter and Niels Peteri. This was followed by the official opening of the QDC—a memorable moment that symbolised both growth and togetherness. After that, the celebrations truly began. Food trucks, live music and a silent disco created a festival atmosphere. Colleagues could have their portraits painted while a magician entertained guests throughout the venue. "You could see people finding each other, introducing themselves and making new connections," says Nienke. "Despite the heat, the energy was incredible."When the official programme in Ridderkerk ended at 10 p.m., a group of colleagues continued the celebrations with an after-party in Rotterdam city centre, where they watched the FIFA World Cup match between the Netherlands and Tunisia late into the night. "Our international colleagues sang the Dutch national anthem at the top of their lungs! It just goes to show what a single day can achieve."

Published on 10 July 2026