Lucas Bols to a stream. By 1612 the city's walls had expanded to encompass the distillery, and the stream was dug out into a canal called the because of rose nurseries in the area. Around the same time, a new stone building was constructed to house the distillery. The first official mention is in 1640 in Amsterdam town papers, where "Pieter Jacobszoon Bols" is documented as operator of "t Lootsje" on the "Rozengracht". Lucas Bols was born in 1652. His era corresponded with the Dutch golden age, when the Netherlands were a colonial power, and led the world in international commerce. The
Lucas Bols the company decided to focus its growth efforts toward the food sector. In 1997, the company moved to a new headquarters and production facility in Zoetermeer. By 1999, it was obvious that the partnership wasn't working. The Bols side of the business was being neglected, and management wanted to unlock its potential for growth and profitability. CVC Capital Partners, a private equity firm, agreed, and a management buyout by the executive board (R.van Ogtrop, M. Emondts and T. Coenen ) was engineered forming Bols Royal Distilleries. Immediately thereafter, Bols acquired a number of brands from British drinks conglomerate Diageo. Almost