UCC Coffee Benelux

More About UCC Coffee Benelux

UCC Coffee Benelux combines local tradition with global scale. The company’s roots lie deep in Dutch coffee history. Brands such as De Drie Mollen and SMIT&DORLAS date back to 1818 and 1822, respectively. In 2012, the Japanese UCC Holdings acquired the then United Coffee. Today, the Benelux branch, headquartered in Bolsward, Friesland, is a major player in the market.

The production site in Bolsward employs approximately 160 to 180 people. Every year, they roast between 27,000 tons and 30 million kilos of coffee. Globally, the family business is among the five largest independent coffee companies. The network includes more than 5,700 employees and generates a turnover of 2.3 billion euros. Europe delivers nine billion cups of coffee annually via ten of its own roasteries.

Innovation in the Roasting Process

The roasting process at UCC and SMIT&DORLAS centers on consistent quality and sustainability. The SMIT&DORLAS brand utilizes a slow roasting method in small batches. Certified Q-graders meticulously check every batch for flavor and aroma. Additionally, the European group is investing heavily in eco-friendly technologies. The primary roasteries run on 100% renewable electricity and use energy-efficient machinery.

An absolute technological milestone took place on September 1, 2025. As part of the H2Café project, the company successfully roasted coffee using 100% hydrogen. This was achieved in collaboration with DNV, Summit Engineering, and NOM. Site Director Jeroen de Jager noted that this innovative technique provides more complexity and depth to the flavor of the coffee.

Brands, Customers, and Market Leadership

The company serves both the retail and hospitality sectors with a diverse portfolio. SMIT&DORLAS is the premium brand for consumers and hospitality professionals. Since 2022, when the brand celebrated its bicentenary, it has also been available at the supermarket chain Jumbo. Some popular products include the Classic Roast with fruity notes and the Espresso Originale, featuring beans from Rainforest Alliance farms.

In addition to its own brands, UCC is the market leader in private label solutions within the Benelux. In 2025, the Dutch retail sector named UCC Coffee Benelux as the “Best private label supplier” during the Industributie awards. This highlights their strong position in providing customized solutions for large clients. They offer products in whole beans, ground coffee, and capsules.

Sustainability and Traceability

UCC strives for full climate neutrality across the entire chain by 2040. The goal is to use exclusively sustainably produced coffee for its own brands by 2030. The company is actively working to reduce CO2 emissions; in 2024, they already achieved an absolute decrease of 21.8 percent compared to the reference year 2019.

Additionally, the organization focuses heavily on deforestation-free coffee sourcing, with a particular emphasis on countries such as Brazil, Uganda, Vietnam, and Tanzania. A great example is a sustainability project in Honduras. Together with the Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung, SMIT&DORLAS supports local coffee farmers across more than 910 hectares of land. Through smart QR codes, customers can directly trace the exact journey of their coffee beans.

Total Solution: Education and Equipment

UCC explicitly positions itself as a provider of a complete coffee solution, including training and equipment. The internal training program, COFFEEWORKS, employs a data-driven approach to ensure consistent quality across multiple locations. The system is based on three operational ground rules:

Keep the coffee fresh.
Keep the milk cold and fresh.
Keep the machine clean.

For hospitality professionals, the SMIT&DORLAS Coffee Academy offers eight targeted training courses and official certifications. On the technical side, the company partners with renowned machine brands such as La Cimbali, Thermoplan, Animo, and Bestir. Furthermore, clients in the hospitality and corporate markets can rely on extensive technical support available seven days a week.

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