Rectangular vintage cocoa tin with hinged lid, "De Gruyter's cocoa", Green brand

Rectangular vintage cocoa tin with hinged lid, "De Gruyter's cocoa", Green brand

• Manufacturer: De Gruyter
• Manufacture date: 1935 - 1945

De Gruyter Green brand Cacao

Description
Vintage tin by De Gruyter with a rectangular shape and rounded corners in green with orange details. The tin is fitted with a hinged lid. The lid is attached with a pin hinge.

The entire tin contains colour images relating to cocoa cultivation, picking and transport from the colonies. On the lid in an oval is a lady at a branch with cocoa fruits. On the front is a man with a bowl of cocoa fruits, in the background the sea with a sailboat, city, mountains and an island with a palm tree. On the back is a man with a long stick and the same background. On the left side is a man, with the sea in the background with two men in a rowboat, city and mountains. On the right side is a man with cocoa fruits, with a sea with steamship and mountains in the background. Decorated around the corners with tree trunks and above each image various branches with leaves and cocoa fruits.

Inscription on the edge of the lid: "DE GRUYTER'S CACAO", "GREEN MARK". Inside lid written in an oval: "And better value, And 10 per cent, only de Gruyter".

Condition
This De Gruyter cocoa tin is in a vintage condition with traces of use and age-related traces of wear. Photos are part of the description.

Dimensions

• Height: 7.5 cm
• Length: 11.5 cm.
• Width: 7.5 cm.

De Gruyter was a retail chain in the Netherlands, in the 19th century and 20th century (until 1976). At its peak, there were more than 550 stores and nearly 7,500 employees.

An important element in the sales policy was the giving of a 10% discount when handing in the receipts. The slogan of De Gruyter was, therefore: And better true and ten per cent, only De Gruyter. This rewarded loyal customers and provided an additional means of checking the branch managers. Because De Gruyter only sold products of its own brand, the gross prices could not be compared with those of others.

As a customer binder, De Gruyter gave away a small gift for children every week from 1948: the legendary Candy of the week. It was introduced when sugar went off the receipt after World War II and there was too much sugar on offer. With a few guilders worth of groceries, unsolicited candy was given to the children. Later the "candy" became a plastic toy, a game, a doll or a book. Something different every week. A long-lasting campaign was that of cardboard building boards for houses and buildings.

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