Digestive health since 2008our story
Intoleran’s story began with Remko Hiemstra’s own experience of lactose intolerance. He grew up in Friesland in the Netherlands, in a family with a long connection to dairy farming. The challenges of eating dairy would later help shape the direction of his business.
Remko first trained as a nurse and then studied at Maastricht University, where he met his wife, Maud. Work in pharmaceutical clinical research took him to Amersfoort and into international roles. Seeing how established businesses had begun with a single idea encouraged him to develop his own.
2007 – 2020While travelling for work, Remko discovered products that helped him and his son manage lactose in their diets. He began exploring how to make similar options available at home in 2007. The business launched in 2008 as Disolut, starting with a desk, a computer and the family’s savings.
After several years of building the business, Remko was able to work on it full-time. The range and distribution grew, with a move to Donkerbroek in 2016 forming part of that expansion. The company later became known internationally as Intoleran.
The Australian chapter began in 2020, when Photios established local distribution from Adelaide. The Australian and New Zealand team works with the international business to make the local range available and support customers and healthcare professionals here.
the locals — Australia & New Zealand
photios poupoulas
business development manager (australia) 🇦🇺
Photios brings a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Australia. His background includes community and clinical pharmacy, as well as work assessing media for a public relations business.
His own experience of food intolerance led him to look for options that were difficult to find locally. That search introduced him to Intoleran and eventually to establishing the Australian business, with New Zealand becoming part of the local operation too.
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demi lotis
operations manager (australia) 🇦🇺
Demi is a pharmacist with experience managing community pharmacy teams and day-to-day operations. Family experience with food intolerance has also shaped her interest in the questions people bring to the pharmacy. At Intoleran, she combines that practical understanding with her operational role.
leah braun
social media & customer service officer (australia) 🇦🇺
Leah works across social media and customer service. Her marketing experience spans allied health, fast-moving consumer goods and software, and her Bachelor of Food Science adds a useful perspective to the work of the local team.
LinkedInour head office team — the Netherlands
harmen treep
partner & managing director international (the netherlands) 🌏 🇳🇱
Harmen’s background includes general management, sales, marketing and e-commerce, with experience at businesses including Sonos, TomTom and Unilever. He has worked with brands through periods of development and growth.
As Managing Director International, Harmen supports Intoleran’s work across its markets. The Australian team draws on that international experience while managing local distribution and customer support.
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bouke smeets
finance & operations (the netherlands) 🇳🇱
Bouke brings experience in finance, operations, business analysis and mergers and acquisitions. His role supports the organisation as it develops its international business.
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rosanne holman
advisory dietitian (the netherlands) 🇳🇱
Rosanne contributes to Intoleran’s educational material and responds to questions from customers and healthcare professionals as an advisory dietitian.
Her work connects the product team with the practical information people need when considering digestive support. Australian customers should use the local product information for the range available here.
Monash University’s work on the low-FODMAP diet is an important Australian contribution to this field and a useful reference for appropriate dietary guidance.
Media
anouk martini
advisory dietitian (the netherlands) 🇳🇱
Anouk’s work as an advisory dietitian includes explaining food intolerance and helping develop clear educational resources about diet and the Intoleran range.
She also contributes recipes, educational videos and other resources for the international team, bringing practical food ideas into Intoleran’s educational work.
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