NL Man met de Baard combines a coffee roastery, tea packer, showroom, and shop in Lelystad. The article also covers workspaces, local collaboration, origin, and sustainability.
About Man met de Baard
History and Concept
Man met de Baard is located at Zeilweg 2F in Lelystad-Haven, on the Noordersluis West business park. The business combines a coffee roastery, a tea packing facility, a showroom, and a shop. In public visitor information, the location is also referred to as a coffee bar.
The business was started in 2018 by Jafeth in ’t Veld and his wife Simone Zuidema. In ’t Veld is also listed as owner and director. An exact opening date for the first public shop is not recorded in the available information.
Before the founding, In ’t Veld worked as a volunteer in the kitchen of Stichting IDO. According to his own statement, he saw there what role shared coffee moments play in social contact. That experience contributed to the decision to start a roastery together with Zuidema. No public data is mentioned regarding her previous career.
According to the company, the name refers to Lelystad’s connection to the Batavia. The song line about “men with beards” who want to go on a pirate voyage also plays a role in the naming.
Roasting, Assortment, and Brewing
Man met de Baard roasts coffee at its own location in Lelystad. No external guest roaster is mentioned. The website features coffees such as Royal Vorst, Divergente, Pertama, and Gerbaldi. The beans are offered for both fully automatic machines and filter equipment.
An online brewing guide covers espresso, filter coffee, French press, AeroPress, Moka Pot, and cold brew. Espresso is also described in the guide as the base for drinks like cappuccino and latte macchiato. According to the company, the showroom houses various coffee machines where staff discuss brewing methods with visitors.
However, not all methods described online necessarily form part of the current bar menu. There is no public menu to confirm this. That said, showroom visits have been documented where visitors were able to taste coffee and receive explanations.
To check roast profiles, the roastery uses blind cupping. The company refers to the framework of the Specialty Coffee Association for this evaluation. This assessment is part of the quality control for batches and roast results.
Work and Local Collaboration
In addition to coffee production, the company focuses on employment and development. It provides positions for people who have difficulty accessing the regular labor market. Since January 2021, Man met de Baard has been an official partner of Werkbedrijf Lelystad. This collaboration followed a job placement that the employment agency described as successful.
The company was also involved in BinnenInn, a local initiative centered on community connection. Participants included Wereldwinkel Lelystad, bookshop De Fakkel, Het Anker, the Protestant Church of Lelystad, and De Groene Sluis. Coffee from Man met de Baard was served at the location.
Inloophuis Passie also lists the company as an in-kind sponsor. The company supplies coffee and tea there. No current public schedule of workshops, cuppings, or regular tastings is available.
Origin and Sustainability
The company states that it purchases coffee directly from farmers wherever possible. It claims to pay a price that allows them to continue their business. However, public transaction data, contract terms, or price calculations have not been published.
Product pages list countries and regions of origin. Mentioned are Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Usually, the names of farms, washing stations, importers, or producer organizations are missing.
A policy document from BinnenInn (2020–2022) described the coffee and tea supplied at the time as Fairtrade. This does not serve as proof that the entire current assortment is certified. Furthermore, no current collaborations with the mentioned farms, cooperatives, importers, or environmental organizations have been publicly documented.
Public Attention and Positioning
Omroep Flevoland reported on the opening of the coffee shop at the Noordersluis business park and spoke with In ’t Veld. Bedrijfskring Lelystad highlighted the founders and their involvement in BinnenInn.
In June 2020, a small fire broke out in the exhaust pipe of the then-current location on Kolkweg. The business reopened afterward. The company also appeared in local news for its contributions to social initiatives.
Man met de Baard is listed in the visitor guide of Visit Lelystad and is recognized by Werkbedrijf Lelystad as a work partner. No publicly documented coffee prices, competition results, or industry awards were found.