Heilige Boontjes

More About Heilige Boontjes

Heilige Boontjes is a Rotterdam coffee company with a social mission. The company was founded in 2015 by Marco den Dunnen and Rodney van den Hengel. Den Dunnen is described as an agent and educator, while Van den Hengel is noted as a reintegration specialist and social worker. The primary motivation behind the company was to provide perspective and opportunity through the medium of coffee.

Origins and Growth

Their first location was a 60-square-meter space in Rotterdam-West, featuring a small café. Later, the company moved to the former police station at Eendrachtsplein, a location known as Bureau Eendracht. In its early stages, Heilige Boontjes worked with an initial group of four selected young men.

The social role has remained a core part of the business. Documentation indicates that Heilige Boontjes has since helped more than 400 vulnerable youths. Stichting De Heilige Boontjes offers approximately 20 young people per year a work-study agreement lasting three to nine months. Participants can enter through the Rotterdam youth desk, other referral agencies, or by applying themselves.

Coffee Production and Roast Profiles

The production side has evolved over the years. In 2015, a Giesen roaster was mentioned in the basement, alongside a La Marzocco espresso machine. Current data regarding their own roaster, batch size, roast-profile software, or head roaster is not publicly documented. It was reported for 2026 that MAAS handles production, while Heilige Boontjes focuses primarily on hospitality training.

A distinct line within their offering is Hier en Daar. This coffee is electrically roasted and packaged by Koffiebranderij Koffielust in PI Veenhuizen, also referred to as Norgerhaven. Mark ter Maat is mentioned as the person leading these roasting activities. Consequently, the production of this line takes place outside their own hospitality location in Rotterdam.

Assortment and Origin

The webshop lists 13 coffee results. These include Blend 010, Brazil, The Blend #1, Hier En Daar Dark Roast, Hier En Daar Mild Roast, subscriptions, and tasting packs. Blend 010 is a 100 percent arabica blend. The profile is adjusted to maintain a consistent flavor profile despite varying harvest conditions.

Brazil is listed as Brazil Cascavel Verde, sourced from a cooperative in Brazil.
This coffee grows at an altitude of 800 to 1,100 meters and has an SCA score of 84.
The Blend #1 consists of Brazil and Guatemala and is available in 250 gram and 1 kilo bags.
The small tasting pack contains five coffees of 250 grams each.

The documented origins are Brazil, Guatemala, and Burundi. For the Hier en Daar line, it is noted that Pure Africa purchases the beans directly. Additionally, it is mentioned that for every kilo sold, one euro is donated to microcredits for farmers. Specific farm names for this line are not publicly documented. For Brazil, the Cascavel Verde cooperative is mentioned, though no individual farms are listed.

Sustainability and Certification

Sustainability information indicates that all products sold are certified. Mentioned certifications include Organic Fairtrade, Max Havelaar/Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, and suppliers linked to the UN Global Compact Code. Furthermore, it is documented that over 50,000 kilos of coffee grounds have been collected. This is done in partnership with MAAS, after which SUEZ processes the coffee grounds into tableware.

Other mentioned measures concern the use of materials and transport. Furniture is partly made from old window frames. The kitchen operates on electricity. Cardboard and paper are recycled. Recycled materials are used for construction or interior design wherever possible. Deliveries are made via an electric cargo bike. According to the documentation, customers using reusable cups receive a discount.

Locations, Sales, and Business Channels

The well-known physical location is situated at Eendrachtsplein 3 in Rotterdam. The Grand Café is located in the former police station, Bureau Eendracht. The menu includes coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices, beer, wine, breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Opening hours are Monday through Friday from 09:00 to 18:00, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.

In addition to the hospitality location, Heilige Boontjes sells via its own webshop. The offering includes coffee, subscriptions, tasting packages, merchandise, gift vouchers, and business coffee. For corporate clients, they offer office coffee, meeting services, events for up to 100 people, barista and latte art courses, and a mobile coffee truck. At the end of 2025, a second location opened in De Rotterdam on the Wilhelminapier.

The partnership with MAAS supports national distribution. The documentation lists Politie Nederland, Gemeente Rotterdam, Stedin, Gemeente Gouda, Gemeente Assen, and the centrum voor de Rechtspraak as users or clients. In March 2026, an expansion to 500 Jumbo stores was reported. The MAAS vending machine channel was linked to approximately 60 million cups per year.

Recognition and Public Position

Heilige Boontjes received the Hein Roethofprijs in 2017. In 2022, Heilige Boontjes and Unique won the 010 Inclusief Award for activities surrounding diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In 2024, the company was featured in the Challenger50, mentioning an annual turnover approaching 1.5 million euros. Rodney van den Hengel was later named Dwarsdenker van het Jaar 2024.

The company thus combines several roles: coffee brand, hospitality venue, learning-workplace, and business supplier. The available data provides insight primarily into the social structure, the current assortment, and the shift from own branding toward collaboration with production partners. At the same time, some operational details, such as the current management team and the head roaster, are not publicly documented.

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