He Paid Staff from His Savings to Keep His Bakery Afloat. Three Years Later, Revenue Had Grown Sevenfold
In Amsterdam, Mourad Saber dipped into his savings to pay the employees of his bakery, which was on the verge of bankruptcy. Three years later, the entrepreneur of Moroccan origin was running four locations with his partners and had seen revenue grow sevenfold.
Mourad Saber remembers perfectly the moment when it could all have come to an end. A few months after opening his Louf bakery in Amsterdam, financial difficulties mounted. Two potential investors reviewed the accounts and told him the business was “technically bankrupt.” That month, Mourad paid wages out of his own savings. With his partners, he decided to put more money into the business. A few months later, they managed to secure financing that saved the company.
On Bladi.net : From Cleaner to Co-Owner: Moroccan Immigrant’s Rise in the Netherlands
The venture began in 2021, almost by chance. Mourad, who already owned a communications agency, regularly visited a Moroccan bakery in Amsterdam. Its owner was going through a difficult time and asked him for advice. The entrepreneur saw an opportunity. He persuaded two acquaintances from the restaurant industry to join the project and drafted an offer to buy the business on the back of an old electricity bill.
Of Moroccan origin, Mourad dreamed of introducing Amsterdam residents to traditional Moroccan bread cooked in a pan. With his partners, he ultimately chose to develop an artisan bakery specializing in sourdough bread, viennoiseries, pastries and coffee. Louf opened its first location in 2022, on Bilderdijkstraat.
From four to 40 employees
The early days were tumultuous. Administrative permits delayed the opening, the head baker resigned and the pastry chef fell ill. At the same time, the prices of grain, milk and eggs soared amid the war in Ukraine. The prices, initially set by intuition, were not enough to properly cover costs.
The partners’ perseverance eventually paid off. In an interview with De Ondernemer in October 2025, Mourad, then 38, said Louf’s revenue had increased sevenfold since it opened. Its workforce grew from four to 40 employees, and the chain now has four bakeries in Amsterdam.
The company also weathered a dispute over its name. Initially called Loof, it had to become Louf after another company registered the trademark in 2024. In 2025, its sourdough bread won a silver medal at the Dutch De Broodsalon competition.
On Bladi.net : Moroccan-Dutch entrepreneur brings halal food to Albert Heijn’s shelves
The success has strengthened Mourad’s attachment to his neighborhood. In February 2026, when the city banned breadmaking at its Wittenkade bakery following complaints from a neighbor, nearly 400 residents signed a petition in support of the establishment, reports local newspaper De Westkrant. Louf continues to operate, with production moved elsewhere. Mourad also continues to supply bread to several local organizations. And among his plans is the idea that first inspired him to start out in 2021: one day offering Amsterdammers his own Moroccan bread.
