Our History

Mr. Kalipdewsign started his working career with Mr. Badriesingh who, as a commissionair, bouth and sold fruits and vegetables from farmers. When Mr. Badriesingh went to the Netherlands in the early seventees – like many a Surinamese afraid of the coming independence of Suriname – he left his business and all his licenses for Mr. Kalipdewing.

Mr. Kalipdewsing, better known as Meneer Kris or Baas Kris, started to export to French Guyana. This became a flourishing business. However, due to the interior war, the business collapsed. Not knowing what to do with all the daily supply of four truck-loads of fruits and vegetables, Meneer Kries started to sell the products at the Centrale Markt. But there was a big supply and the competition was fierce. Keen and clever as he was, he found a solution.

One day he drove his truck with merchandise to the Highway, painted “Help Maar” on a piece of cardboard box, had special sales and offers, and was sold out in no time.

This was bigger and better businss than selling at the market, which he still did. But at the end of the day he bouth the unsold products from the market vendors and drove to various neighberhoods to sell them as yet.

Naturally dis was discovered by the vendors who had been wondering what Meneer Kries was doing with their unsold products and how he managed to get rid of them. Before you knew it, they did the same and Mr. Kalipdewsing had to think of something else.

He decided to rent stalls, spaces in shops, or shop (like Ons belang), until he was able to buy some property at the Grote Comeweg. When all the dwellers of the house on this property had moved, Mr. Kalipdewsing’s business started at that very spot – a stall filled with fruits and vegetables. He was adviced to sell other smaller products as well like oil, spices, herbs, and sirup and before long the idea of setting up a small supermarket was born: Combe Markt, which proved to be a great success.

Anno 2007, Mr. Kalipdewsing says: “Whatever I intended to do, as soon as I have decided to undertake something, I manage to make a success of it.” And he does indeed.

Today, more or less retired, he has a big concern which is run by his two sons, Radjes and Radjoe, and by Radjen, his son-in-law, but he still has a big finger in the pie!!

Meneer Kries is a great example of a clever and successful businessman who has managed to climb the business ladder step by step. He is a businessman who is respected; a businessman to be proud of; a businessman who is proud to see his sons and son-in-law do their utmost whole heartedly to keep Combe Markt going and growing with as much enthusiasm as he has done.