eek coffee

More About eek coffee

eek coffee was founded in 2015 by a group of friends from Zeewolde, Flevoland. The idea took shape after Thomas returned from Guatemala and shared his experiences regarding the situation on a coffee plantation. A 2016 interview identifies Rémi Jansen as one of the founders. In the same year, Marcel Weijers joined the team on September 1. A 2021 pitch deck lists Marcel and Rémi as the founders and mentions they have known each other since 1988.

The catalyst was a concern for the coffee supply chain. Specifically, this involved low yields for farmers and workers, dependence on middlemen, deforestation, water usage, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and CO2 emissions. These themes have since become a recurring part of the company’s positioning.

Roasting and product approach

The company states that the coffee is roasted locally and fresh in the Netherlands. eek coffee also maintains a consumption window of 14 to 90 days post-roast, which provides an indication of how the company defines freshness. Available information lists roasting as a core activity and mentions coffee roasteries as partners. Details regarding the roasting machine used, batch size, roasting software, or a head roaster are not publicly documented.

Product information reveals various roast profiles. The Guatemala-Brazil blend is medium roasted, while the Italian Style is described as a dark roast. This shows that the assortment does not focus on a single roast profile, but rather offers multiple styles within their whole bean coffee.

Assortment and Origin

The current selection in the webshop includes Guatemala Ὅ Brazil 100% Arabica, Italian Style Dark Roast, Brazil Bourbon 1 kg specialty, and Brazil Bourbon 500 g Specialty. Additionally, coffee bundles of 1.5 kg, 2 kg, and 3 kg are listed. Subscriptions are also available for Guatemala Brazil and Dark Roast.

The Guatemala-Brazil coffee is a 1 kg blend from Guatemala and Brazil. Product information specifies 100% Arabica, SHB quality, and Rainforest Alliance certification. The Italian Style Dark Roast consists of 90% Arabica and 10% Robusta. The countries of origin for this coffee are Brazil, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Java, and Colombia.

Brazil Bourbon is described as 100% Arabica specialty coffee from Brazil. According to available data, this coffee comes from Fazenda Vila Boa. The farm is managed by Monica Borges de Sousa and is located in Campo das Vertentes, Minas Gerais. The processing method is semi-washed. Cultivation takes place at an altitude of 1,150 meters. This coffee also carries a farm-level claim that the cultivation is CO2-neutral.

Supply chain, premiums, and sustainability

In addition to the countries of origin, the supply chain information includes several names from the Brazilian supply chain. A 2021 pitch deck mentions Specialty Coffee Brazil via Cooperatie Capricornio in Brazil. The purchase was handled via This Side Up. According to that document, Capricornio works with 20 coffee farmers, with Luiz and Jose Antonio mentioned in connection with the cooperative.

eek coffee operates with an “eek-premium” of &#820a;0.50 per kilo of coffee sold. Since 2021, this premium has been allocated toward tree planting and sustainable energy projects. The company calculates that 1 kg of coffee beans generates 3.278 kg of CO2 through distribution. After accounting for offsets and energy investments, their own calculations show the model results in -6.30 kg of CO2 per kg.

Mentioned investments include Zonnedak Straman in 2018, Windpark Zeewolde and de Lichtkiem in Assen in 2019, iederZon Spaarne in 2021, Trees for All in 2022, and Life Terra plus solar kits from the Mpilo Foundation in Zimbabwe in 2023. Additionally, the company reports Rainforest Alliance certifications for parts of its range. Regarding packaging, claims are made about recyclable plastic, biodegradable packaging for 1 kg Brazil Bourbon, and CO2-free, recyclable packaging.

Sales Channels and the B2B Market

Sales are handled through their own webshop, which features categories for coffee, subscriptions, tasting packs, coffee machines, accessories, workshops, and Yunio machines. Subscriptions for Guatemala Brazil and Dark Roast start at 3 kg every 2 months, with options tailored for both business and private customers.

Business information is geared toward offices, hospitality, and retailers or dealers. The documentation mentions coffee machines suitable for volumes of 20 to 200 cups per day. A 2021 business model document also lists the webshop, marketplaces, offices, hospitality, events, retail, and export as primary channels.

Workshops, press and team

There is no publicly documented physical cafe, tasting room, or public roasting bar. However, eek coffee offers a “Barista-Everything-about-coffee” Workshop in Zeewolde. This 2.5-hour session covers topics such as the cappuccino, Americano, Flat White, and dialing in home equipment, with group sizes ranging between 3 and 6 participants.

In public records, eek coffee appeared in the LUXlife Food & Drink Awards 2019, receiving a West-European award for ethical coffee. In 2022, Vanaf Hier included the Guatemala-Brazil medium roast in a panel test for sustainable coffee, where it finished second with an average score of 7.8. Duurzaam Ondernemen wrote about the introduction of Brazil Bourbon specialty in 2024, and Duurzaam Beleggen reported on the sharefunding campaign in 2021.

According to a 2021 pitch deck, the team consisted of six colleagues. Marcel and Rémi were at the helm, supported by four freelancers. Rémi was responsible for sales and administration, while Marcel handled sales and barista work. Additionally, Emiel, Anna, Renee, and Hans are mentioned for marketing, online marketing, finance, and control. A current head roaster or production manager is not publicly documented.

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