Boot Koffie

Boot Koffie from Baarn marks fifty years of dedication to flavorful craftsmanship. The family business, famous for golden coffee bags and fair trade, remains a guide for enthusiasts and professionals in the fast-evolving coffee world.

In 1973 Jacob Boot opened “The Golden Coffee Box”, inspired by the desire to give single-origin Arabicas their own stage. Legend has it that ancestor Admiral Justus Boot brought the first coffee to the Netherlands in a golden snuffbox in the seventeenth century, a symbolic precursor to today’s brand.

Since 1993, sons Barend and Willem Boot have led the company. They introduced what was then the little-known single-origin espresso in the Netherlands and made high-quality origin coffee popular nationwide. In 2023, Boot Koffie celebrated its golden jubilee as a multigenerational family business.

Boot Koffie roasts weekly in small batches so beans arrive to customers within days of roasting. Consistent, evenly developed beans showcase visible craftsmanship, while the motto “happiness through flavor” is a reminder of the sensory journey every cup should deliver.

The roasters combine traditional handiwork with SCA guidelines. Manual checks on color, aroma and sound determine the moment of first and second crack. This keeps sweetness, freshness and body in harmony, even in darker-roasted espressos.

All coffees are purchased directly from farmers, often through relationships that have lasted for decades. Boot Koffie pays up to 50% above typical Fair Trade prices for lots that score 85+ on the SCA scale, enabling smallholder growers to support their families and invest in sustainable practices.

The partnership with the Colombian Kachalu cooperative illustrates the model: a base price, an organic premium, and an additional Boot bonus of 265,000 COP per 125 kg for top quality. Projects like “Coffee for Peace” further show how social stability and flavor innovation go hand in hand.

Boot Koffie carries more than thirty origin coffees from eighteen countries. Examples highlight the diversity:

• Brazil Santos Espresso – notes of chocolate, nuts, and stone fruit
• Colombia Kachalu Organic Filter – dried fruit, cacao, cane sugar
• Mystery Dark Roast Espresso – blend of Brazil, Colombia, and Panama with smoky dark-chocolate notes

Limited Edition microlots consistently score 84–88 points. They are sold in small batches until stock runs out, allowing enthusiasts to discover unique varieties.

The glossy, resealable gold-foil bag stands out immediately among competitors’ minimalist kraft bags. The golden coffee-bean seal serves as a mark of quality, while the one-way valve maximizes aroma retention.

The design nods to the original “Golden Coffee Box” and confirms that tradition and modernity can reinforce each other without compromising sustainability; empty bags may be disposed of with plastic waste.

Master roaster Barend Boot leads a team in which every staff member is a coffee expert. Willem Boot runs the Boot Coffee Campus in California and trains hundreds of farmers and roasters worldwide each year. Since 2023, director Darja Koster has overseen day-to-day operations, allowing Barend to focus on flavor development.

In Baarn and Amersfoort, Boot hosts workshops, open cuppings and barista training. This way, a community grows in which knowledge about latte art technique or slow brewing is just as accessible to hospitality professionals as to curious neighbors.

The roastery on Hermesweg 38 has capacity for 100,000 kg per year and can grow responsibly without sacrificing its artisanal character. A new generation of roasters, such as trainee Tim van der Molen, is learning the craft under the mentorship of seasoned colleagues.

In the coming years, Boot Koffie will invest in climate-neutral production, expanded bonus structures for top growers and an extension of limited-edition lines. The goal remains clear, to move coffee drinkers for another fifty years with beans that honor both their origin and their roasters.