Since 1883, cigars have been produced at the Voorstraat in Kampen. Cigar factory de Olifant is the only remaining factory in Kampen that produces cigars. During the peak of Dutch cigar production, there were over 100 active cigar factories. Kampen was then known as the cigar city of the Netherlands, similar to how Eindhoven was known as the light city of the Netherlands. However, due to current tobacco legislation and the decline in the number of smokers in the Netherlands, cigar factories have disappeared.

At the unique factory of De Olifant in Kampen, the production of cigars is a rare event. Using semi-automatic machines, they craft cigars such as the Sumatra, Corona, Matelief, and knakje. This process, a testament to the city’s rich history, only takes place a few days a month. I was fortunate enough to witness this rare occurrence.