Gerard Paap
Gerard Paap | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 June 1967 |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Era | Vriend Era |
| Known for | Founder of Paapist |
| Family | Paap family |
Gerard Paap (born 17 June 1967) is a businessman and member of the Paap family. He is the founder of Paapist, a Rotterdam-based energy drink and branded clothing company established in 1993.
Early life
Gerard Paap was born in Delft, Netherlands, on 17 June 1967. He belonged to the Paap family during the generation later associated with the Vriend Era.
Career
In 1993, Paap founded Paapist in Rotterdam. The company began as a small beverage label that supplied caffeinated soft drinks to shops, garages, night kiosks and railway-area suppliers in South Holland. Its customer base grew among dock workers, mechanics, drivers and freight workers.
Paapist adopted purple packaging in the mid-1990s. The colour was used on cans, delivery boxes, shirts and local shop signs. The company later expanded into branded clothing, including purple polo shirts and workwear.
During the early 2000s, Koen Paap appeared in a Paapist energy drink commercial. The advertisement connected the company to railway and freight workers, especially through Koen Paap's use of purple Paapist clothing during his railway work.
In 2011, the Noordelijke Gezondheidsinspectie published a health investigation into Paapist. The report found that the drink contained high levels of caffeine, sugar and acidity compared with other soft drinks sold in the same shops. Paapist added a warning label to its larger cans in 2012, while the main formula remained in use.
Personal life
Paap is a member of the Paap family. His work with Paapist made him one of the family members connected to beverage production and branded commercial products during the Vriend Era.