Brandzaak

The Netherlands loves coffee, but freshness is often missing. Brandzaak from Rotterdam has been changing that since 2013. The company of brothers Harun and Sefa Bingul wants to get “all of the Netherlands onto fresh beans.” Their motto sounds simple: coffee tastes better when roasting is fresh and transparent. Every customer feels that mission the moment the aroma of freshly roasted Arabica rises from the bag.

In 2013 the brothers bought a small Giesen roaster for family and friends. Six months of testing followed before the first batch was good enough. The official company started in 2015 with four special origins, including a rare Yemen Mocha. Word of mouth did the rest. In 2023 Brandzaak already achieved a 27 percent online market share and finished as the number two in the Netherlands, with only one major competitor ahead.

A lack of space in Rotterdam led to a 2021 move to Vierpolders near Brielle. The new location made room for growth and sustainable technology. The team now counts six professionals, Sefa leads roasting, Harun runs operations. Every day at 13:00 a new batch starts, so orders are packed and shipped that same afternoon.

Brandzaak roasts slowly in a traditional drum and cools with air to preserve flavors. Every batch gets a digital profile. SCA cupping scores are posted openly on every product page, keeping quality both measurable and visible. No big warehouse, hardly any stock, beans go straight after roasting to PostNL or one of 2,600 pickup points.

The roastery uses a catalyst that minimizes odor and emissions. This was the first installation of its kind in the Netherlands. Gas use is 100 percent CO₂-compensated and electricity comes from green sources. In this way the company combines craftsmanship with environmental care without loss of flavor.

All coffees are 100 percent Arabica and specialty grade. Each bag shows the roast date and flavor notes, while the beans stay dry so the grind and equipment remain clean.

- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, floral, fresh and organic
- Guatemala Huehuetenango, intense, rates highly black or with milk
- Honduras Marcala (COMSA), milk chocolate and walnut, fully organic
- Brazil Yellow Bourbon, soft, sweet and nutty
- Costa Rica Tarrazú, traditional rich profile
- Onyx Blend, the most intense, organically certified
- Latin Blend, a true “chocolate bomb” with toffee tones

Specials and microlots appear regularly, often in small runs. A notable example was “ROTT.ontbijt”, a stout beer made with Brandzaak beans in collaboration with ROTT. Brouwers. As a result, customers taste new flavors and processes each season.

Brandzaak buys as much as possible directly from farmers or via respected cooperatives. Examples include COMSA in Honduras, Oromia Union in Ethiopia and Coope Tarrazú in Costa Rica. These partners guarantee organic cultivation, fair compensation and community development. By paying higher prices than the world market, farmers remain motivated to deliver quality and to protect the environment.

The packaging contains no aluminum and is fully recyclable. Boxes made of FSC-certified cardboard feature a recognizable black design with the flame theme “Through the fire for coffee”. In this way, sustainability is visible from the moment the parcel arrives at the door.

Thanks to the larger roastery, Brandzaak can scale up even further. Expansion to Germany, France and Spain is already tentatively on the agenda, while domestically the top position beckons. A flagship café may open where visitors can taste, learn and collect their orders. Subscriptions featuring exclusive microlots or compostable coffee bags are also on the horizon.

The aim remains clear: to let Dutch coffee drinkers taste how freshly roasted beans should taste while protecting the planet. That dual focus on flavor and sustainability continues to set Brandzaak apart within the fast-growing specialty market.

- Founded in 2013 by Harun and Sefa Bingul
- Number 2 online coffee seller in 2023 with a 27% market share
- Daily slow-roast at 13:00, shipping the same day
- First Dutch roastery with a low-emission catalyst
– Six employees, roastery located in Vierpolders (Brielle)
– Assortment: 100% Arabica single origins, blends and regular specials
– Transparent SCA scores, roast date on every bag
– Direct trade with cooperatives such as COMSA and Oromia
– Fully recyclable packaging without aluminum
– Future plans: European growth, a flagship café and compostable bags